GIVING

1. The Bible commands believers to give:

*Deut.15:7,8*Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand ...thou shalt open thine hand wide

*Pro.3:27*Withhold not good from them to whom it is due

*Pro.3:28*Say not, tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee

*Mat.5:42*Give to him that asketh thee, &...would borrow

*Lk.3:11*He that hath two coats...impart to him that hath none

*Rom.12:13*Distributing to the necessity of saints...hospitality

2. God blesses us when we give:

*Mat.6:4*Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly

A. Spiritual blessings:

*Pro.11:25*The liberal soul...he that watereth shall be watered

*Pro.13:7b*(He) maketh himself poor [gives], yet hath great riches

*Pro.14:21*He that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he

*Mk.10:21*Give to the poor, & thou shalt have treasure in Heaven

*Acts 20:35*It is more blessed to give than to receive

B. Material blessings:

*Deut.15:10*For this the Lord shall bless thee in all thy works

*Pro.11:24a*There is that scattereth, & yet increaseth

*Isa.58:10,11*If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry...the Lord... shall satisfy thy soul in drought

*Lk.6:38a*Give, & it shall be given unto you; good measure

*Lk.6:38b*With the same measure ye mete it shall be measured

3. Giving to God's work:

A. When we give, we are giving to Jesus:

*Mat.25:40*Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me

B. When we give to God's work, we are investing:

*Pro.19:17*He...lendeth unto the Lord; &...He will pay him again

*Lk.10:30-37*Whatsoever thou spendest...when I come, I will repay

*Phi.4:17*Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit (saved souls) that may abound to your account

C. God will pay us back for sacrificial giving:

*Pro.22:9*He...shall be blessed; for he giveth...to poor

*Pro.28:27a*He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack

*Eccl.11:1*Cast thy bread upon the waters: thou shalt find it

*2Cor.9:6b*He which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully

4. Christian duty regarding giving & sharing:

*2Cor.8:4,5,7*As ye abound in every thing, in faith...in love...see that ye abound in this grace (giving) also

*Heb.13:16*To do good & communicate (share w/ others) forget not

A. Obligation to support fulltime workers & missionaries:

*Rom.15:27*Their debtors they are...their duty is to minister unto them in carnal things

*1Cor.9:6-11*If we have sown unto you spiritual things...we shall reap your carnal (material & financial) things

*Gal.6:6*Let him that is taught communicate (share materially) to him that teacheth

*1Tim.5:17,18*They who labour in the Word...the labourer is worthy of his reward (wages)

*(See also  3Jn.7,8 .)

B. Examples of giving to needy fellow Christians:

*Rom.15:26*Pleased them...to make a contribution for the poor saints

*Gal.6:10*Do good...unto them who are of the household of faith

*Phi.4:15,16*[Paul said:] Concerning giving & receiving...ye sent once & again to my necessity (See also  1Cor.16:1 ;  2Cor.9:12 .)

C. Everyone to give according to their ability:

*Deut.16:17*Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord...which He hath given thee

*Acts 11:29*The disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren

*1Cor.16:2*Let every one of you lay in store [set aside to give], as God hath prospered him

*2Cor.8:12*It is accepted according to that a man hath, & not

D. Wealthy Christians especially obligated to give:

*Lk.8:3*Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, & many others ministered unto (Jesus) of their substance

*2Cor.8:14,15*That...your abundance may be a supply for their want As it is written, He that had gathered much

*1Tim.6:17-19*Charge them that are rich...that they be...ready to distribute, willing to communicate (share)

*(See examples in  2Tim.1:16-18 ;   Phlm.7 .)

E. Giving to the church, which redistributes:

*Acts 2:44,45*(They) parted them to all men, as every man had need

*Acts 4:34,35*Distribution was made unto every man...as he had need

*Acts 6:1*[The early church had a "daily ministration" to widows]

*1Tim.5:4,16*[Church's duty to "relieve them that are widows"]

F. Even poor believers encouraged to give:

*1Ki.17:9-16*[Poor widow of Zarephath gave sacrificially, & God blessed her with unending supply of food in famine]

*Mk.12:43,44*Poor widow hath cast more in...For they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all

*2Cor.8:1-4*In...their deep poverty...they were willing...praying us that we would receive the gift

5. Giving with the right motives:

A. Give cheerfully:

*2Cor.9:7*Not grudgingly...for God loveth a cheerful giver

*Deut.15:10a*Thou shalt give...& thine heart shall not be grieved

*Exo.25:2*Bring Me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take My offering

*Exo.35:21*Every one whose heart stirred him up, &...spirit made willing, brought the Lord's offering to the work

*1Chr.29:9*People rejoiced...because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord

*Heb.10:34*Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods

B. Give generously:

*Pro.21:26b*The righteous giveth & spareth not

C. Give till it hurts; not just what we can spare:

*2Sam.24:24*Neither will I offer unto the Lord of that which doth cost me nothing [Give even when it "costs"]

*Lk.21:4*All these have of their abundance cast in...but she of her penury hath cast in all the living she had

D. Give with pure motives:

*1Cor.13:3*Though I bestow all my goods to feed poor, & have not love, it profiteth me nothing

*Mat.5:24*Leave thy gift before the altar...first be reconciled

*Mat.6:1*Do not your alms before men...otherwise ye have no reward of your Father

*Mat.6:2*The hypocrites do (alms)...that they may have glory of men. They have their reward

*Mat.6:3*When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what

*Lk.6:34,35*Lend, hoping for nothing again; your reward...great

6. What happens when we withhold & don't give:

A. It puts extra strain on others:

*Phi.2:30*He was nigh to death...to supply your lack of service

B. God will see to it that we become poor:

*Pro.11:24b*There is that withholdeth...but it tendeth to poverty

*Pro.13:7a*There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing

*Pro.28:27*But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse

C. It shows we lack Christian love:

*Jam.2:15,16*If a brother or sister be naked, & destitute of daily food... & ye give not...what doth it profit?

*1Jn.3:17,18*Whoso hath...& seeth his brother have need, & [doesn't give], how dwelleth the love of God in him?

D. When we give stingily or dishonestly:

*2Cor.9:6a*He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly

*Mal.1:7-10*Ye offer polluted bread...I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an offering at your hand

*Mal.1:13,14*Ye brought...torn, lame, sick. Should I accept this?

*(See also  Mal.1:8 ;  Acts 5:1,2,9,10 .)

E. Beware of covetousness & greed:

*Lk.12:15*Beware of covetousness: a man's life consisteth not

*1Tim.6:10*The love of money is the root of all evil

*Pro.28:16b*He that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days

*Eccl.5:10*He that loveth silver...not be satisfied with silver

*Jam.5:1-5*Your gold & silver is cankered; & the rust of them shall be a witness against you

*(See also  Eccl.5:13,15 ;  Acts 5:1-10 .)

7. Tithing:

A. Giving 10% of our income to God's work:

*Lev.27:30*All the tithe of the land...is the Lord's: it is holy

*Num.18:21*Behold, I have given the (Levites) all the tenth...for their service (work) which they serve

*Num.18:24*The tithes...which they offer unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites [God's fulltime workers]

*Deut.14:22*Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase [income]

*(See also  Deut.12:19 ;  Neh.10:37-39 .)

B. God will bless us for tithing:

*Deut.14:28,29*Thou shalt bring forth all the tithe...that the Lord may bless thee in all the work of thine hand

*Pro.3:9,10*Honour the Lord with...all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty

*Mal.3:10*Bring ye all the tithes...& I will open the windows of Heaven, & pour you out a blessing

*Mal.3:8-11*[God grants protection & freedom from curses]

C. Setting aside our tithe on a frequent basis:

*1Cor.16:2*Upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him

D. Freewill offerings above our 10% tithe--Believers encouraged to give for special projects:

*Exo.35:5*Take...an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it (See  vs.21,22 )

*2Ki.12:4,5, 9-12*[Freewill offerings encouraged for the work of God]

8. Other aspects of giving:

A. Gifts can help obtain a man's favour or forgiveness:

*Pro.19:6*Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts

*Pro.21:14*A gift in secret pacifieth anger...& strong wrath

*(Warning: see  Pro.17:23 )

B. When not to accept gifts:

*Exo.23:8*Take no gift [with "strings attached"]: for the gift blindeth the wise, & perverteth the... righteous

*Num.22:18*If Balak would give me his house full of...gold, I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord

*1Ki.13:7-10*[Young prophet refused gifts from disobedient king]

*2Ki.5:15,16*[Elisha refused Naaman's money, but Gehazi coveted it --vs.20-27] Is it a time to receive money?

*(Re: bribes, see  Deut.16:19 ;  Pro.29:4 ;  Eccl.7:7 .)

Copyright (c) 1997 by The Family