Biblical Giving – Realizing that God gave us First
Biblical Giving is logical, exact and is based on what we are given and how much of it we are giving out especially freely. God is Perfect and He counts in Percentages apart from our intention in the heart whilst doing our giving too. He doesn’t make mistakes in seeing it truly as He sees all hearts & minds.
The fact in image applies to “us, believers, first”:
Related verses:
(i) Slaves of God after being “freed from sin”
“But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal (age-during) life.” (Romans 6:22, NASB)
(ii) Hireling for the Work of God, focusing on “what rewards can I gain?”
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
“He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
“He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,
even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” – Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:11 – 15, NASB)
“As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:” (Job 7:2, KJV)
“and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 20:4, NASB)
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:16, NASB)
“If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?
So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:11, 13, 14, NASB)
(iii) As ‘sons of God’
“If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did NOT USE this RIGHT, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9:11 – 12, NASB)
“For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may OFFER the GOSPEL WITHOUT CHARGE, so as NOT to make full use of my right in the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:17 – 18, NASB)
“And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
“Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
“Carry NO MONEY belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.
“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’
“If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.
“Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.
“Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you;
and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 10:2 – 9, NASB)
Conclusion
Sons of God ought to do it for “free, voluntarily” (maturity) because we gained all these from “Christ” for “free” too (‘a rare realisation in ministry too’) whilst we ‘work a secular job’ as ‘apostle Paul demonstrated’ fulfilling Christ’s Commands, Beautifully:
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. FREELY you received, FREELY give.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:8, NASB)
“So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
But I have USED NONE of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9:14 – 15, NASB)
We must try to go beyond managing other people’s giving as God counts in percentage; hence the poor widow gave more than all the rich though her two coins may not have fed anybody as the rich’s giving did.
Verses:
“And He (Lord Jesus Christ) sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 12:41 – 44, NASB)
Indeed, God sees ‘Correctly’ being ‘fair’ as one can only give what one has been given first & thus ‘percentage’ becomes a ‘right measure’ where that ‘poor widow gave all, i.e. 100% of her livelihood’.
‘It is not just about giving but freely giving what is yours freely’ – Anonymous
“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:19, NASB)
*Emphasis mine throughout
P/S:
“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” – apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NASB)
It is best to receive as an adult without working if we have any type of disability or old age or are unable to work for a valid reason.
Apostle Paul worked as a ‘tentmaker, a secular job’:
“and because he (apostle Paul) was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers.” (Acts 18:3, NASB)
“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.” – apostle Paul (Acts 20:34, NASB)
“and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 4:12, NASB)
The BEST & PERFECT giving which is FREE is Done by God “Alone” (“not” us, because even in ‘our giving’, He gave FIRST to us FREELY that we may give from it; He does MORE beyond that too, “ALL” things eventually ‘as it is written’):
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him FREELY give us ALL THINGS?” (Romans 8:32, NASB)
“There is NO FEAR in LOVE; but Perfect Love casteth out fear: because FEAR hath TORMENT. He that FEARETH is NOT made Perfect in LOVE.” (1 John 4:18, KJV)
