Giving and the Christian Life
Introduction
Looking at giving – particularly financial giving
Not to think of this as optional
Financial giving is never an add on to Christian life
It is part of our response to God’s amazing love to us
The costly gift of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
Our response should be giving ourselves completely to God
Looking at the teachings of the passage
Looking at what governs our Christian life
8:9
This is our motivation for giving as Christians
Principles in the Passage
1. Desire is important but it must lead to practice
Not hoping to give
Not a plan that is not put into action
The Corinthians were a wealthy church
Paul instructed them to store up a gift each week
Paul is keen they fulfil this promise (8:6,10-11,12)
It is good to build up this gift and not to stop at the end (9:5)
Have you thought about giving but never went through with it?
Maybe it is time to rethink about this
11 principles
2. Inspired and challenging by the giving of others
Paul is exhorting the Corinthians to be inspired and challenged by the Macedonias
The gave out of poverty
Yet they gave joyfully
8:1-4
They give both according and beyond their ability
Example of the liberality of poor countries in giving
8:8
A test
If you really love God and His people – prove it
3. Giving is never an end in itself
8:5
Not just raising money and giving it over
Serving God
Serving the churches
Part of their obedience to God
Not a competition
4. Liberal giving is to be encouraged
8:7
Paul is encouraging liberal giving
God can bless the church with the grace of abounding giving
9:6
Bountiful giving
Multiple benefits
Bountiful sowing, bountiful harvest
5. The pattern of giving is the giving of the Lord Jesus
8:9
God does not give a specific command about giving
Instead God reminds us of the amazing gift of the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus emptied Himself
He decided not to use many of His divine attributes
He went to the cross
That we might have peace with God and every spiritual blessing and an abundance of grace
Paul is encouraging them by the pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ
6. Giving is always voluntary and not by compulsion
You must give in response to the love of God
Not to be pressed into giving
Each person must decide before the Lord
8:8,10; 9:7
Each must make their own wise decisions before God in their heart
The way in which we give is important
Not because we must but because we desire it
7. Giving must not be a burden or impoverish the giver
8:12-13
Not to give that you would struggle
Example
8. Make sure that no-one suffers
Wealthier churches should support poorer churches
8:14-15
There should be equality
God wants all the needs of the saints to be supplied
We must ask in the local/wider Church – is there anyone lacking?
9. Organising strategic giving
There are many verses
Titus was sent to organise giving
9:3
Planned giving is often better than spontaneous giving
10. God’s grace enables us to give
God is able to make us sufficient to give
If we need, we must pray ‘Lord provide it’
Example
9:8
God will supply (in different ways)
Trust in God
You will never lack
11. There are multiple blessings to giving
9:9
Example of George Muller
9:10-11
Quick Recap
Of the 11 points above
The Bigger Picture in Giving
We are given conscience – but it can be seared
There are wonderful truths in the Old Testament that help us in giving
The Ten Commandments – Love God and love your neighbour as yourself
Especially in relation to giving
The principle of a tithe
Before it was ever recorded in Scripture – Abraham gave a tithe
It would be foolish to ignore this principle
It is a helpful marker
Not legalistic giving like the pharisees
Jesus spoke out against this
Jesus also showed the heart of the law
Examples
Jesus wants us to give ourselves to Him – and to give a tithe out of this
How do we make decisions about giving – we look at the Lord Jesus
Examples
We give because Jesus give
We forgive because Jesus has forgiven us
Eph 4:32 – we follow Jesus’s example
Col 2:13
1 Cor 6:18-20 – what governs our sexual behaviour?
What directs our Christian life?
The gospel
Not to sin against the law and not against the Lord Jesus Christ
Live before Him and honour Him