PRINCIPLES ABOUT GIVING

As Christians, how should we think about giving and generosity?

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Well, the Bible actually talks quite a bit about this. Throughout Scripture there’s over 2,000 verses about giving, money, stewardship. Jesus actually talked about money more than any other topic while He was here on earth. So there’s a lot of material in the Scriptures that teach us how we are to give and as you study the Scriptures you’ll find four basic principles for giving.

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1. GIVING IS TO BE A PRIORITY

Principle number one is this: We are to make giving a priority. So the Bible tells us that giving is to be a first fruit. That we are to give our first and our best. Practically speaking what this means for us is that we’re to take a portion of our gross income and give that away. Before taxes, before any other expenditures, we are to give. It’s the very first thing that we’re to do with our finances. So giving’s to be a priority.

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2. GIVING IS TO BE DONE PROPORTIONALLY

Principle number two: The giving is to be done proportionally. Meaning that we give according to what God has given to us. So those that God has given more, we give more. To those that God has given less, we give less. We give according to what God has given us. 

 

3. GIVING IS TO BE DONE SACRIFICIALLY

Principle number three is that giving is to be done sacrificially. I know that this is gonna sound a little weird, but giving isn’t always going to feel good. There’s going to be sometimes a struggle and some pain associated with giving. 

I mean, you look at 2 Samuel 24:24 when David is offered everything that he needs to make a sacrifice and how did he respond? He said, “No, I will not offer God something that has not cost me anything.” And so we see this idea of sacrificial giving.

 

4. GIVING IS TO BE DONE CHEERFULLY

Then finally we find that giving is to be done cheerfully. We know that God loves a cheerful giver. 

And just so you know, God doesn’t just tell us how to do this. He actually leads us in this. Think about it for a second. 

Giving is to be a priority. How does God lead us in this? Well, Jesus. He gave us His first and His best, His one and His only. 

Giving is to be done proportionally. How God does lead us in this? Well God is the Creator of everything. He owns it all so He gave us the gift that simply could not be matched. He gave us Jesus. 

Giving is to be done sacrificially. How does He lead us in this? Well, maybe that’s a little bit more self-explanatory. It’s Jesus.

And then finally, giving is to be done cheerfully. Where do we find that? We actually find it in Isaiah 53:10 where we see God finding pleasure in the crushing of His only Son. Now how does He find pleasure in the crushing of His Son? Well, He’s looking through the lens of eternity and He’s seeing the ultimate outcome. 

 

And that’s how we are supposed to give. Those are our guidelines for giving as believers. 

 

 

Borrowed from Lifeway