"God wants your heart. He isn’t just looking for donors for His kingdom, those who stand outside the cause and dispassionately consider acts of philanthropy. He is looking for disciples who are immersed in the causes they give to. He wants people who are so filled with a vision for eternity that they wouldn’t dream of not investing their money, time, and prayers where they will matter most."
- Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle
- Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle
If you don't already know how awkward, challenging, and complicated the Christian faith can be, this article just may do it. I know that for many, as soon as we begin to talk about money the squirming, uncomfortable, look-around-the-room nervousness sets in. But don’t let that happen right now. God isn’t stingy, needy, or a guilt-inducing grouch. He loves His children and wants what’s best for us, and generosity is part of that equation.
You’ve heard it before, and the philosophy isn’t going away - money makes the world go around. New York’s hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan says it in their song “C.R.E.A.M.,” short for “Cash Rules Everything Around Me.” If you don’t really grasp your identity as one of Abba’s (the Father’s) children, you will be tempted to plug what feels like an empty hole in your heart with what money can give you. This can cause incredible pain, sorrow, and regret. The writer of Hebrews told the early church, "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5 - 6).
Paul told the young pastor Timothy, For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs (1 Timothy 6: 10). Notice that Scripture doesn’t condemn having, making, or spending money. Like sex, money is a wonderful thing if stewarded God’s way.
God is a generous, loving, and giving God.
God gave us His creation, His Word, His Spirit, His people, and the greatest gift He gave us was His Son, the Lord Jesus. When we give, we’re reflecting the heart of our Father. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to pursue contentment, which is the opposite of what our world teaches us. We sometimes feel as if we live in the centre of Times Square with thousands of ads telling us to buy this bigger, better, faster, more “in” item. But those advertisements on the big screen change every couple of seconds. How are we to keep up. Answer: We don’t keep up. In fact, we’ve dropped out of that race entirely, and we’re running toward the heart of God. Notice too that our contentment is grounded in the fact that our heavenly Abba will “never leave nor forsake” us! Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8) or the presence of God (Psalm 139).
Why is it that we earn money, spend money, and save money all the time, and yet when it comes time to talk about money, we tend to fall off on either side of the horse? For example, some people want to talk about how much money they have and what they are doing with it in an effort to brag and boast in their things. On the other hand, there are those who avoid talking about money at all costs. This could be because they feel they don’t have much money or that it is simply bad form to speak of it at all. Like sex, the Bible speaks freely, frequently, and respectfully about money. As you read the Bible, you’ll notice that when examined closely, finances is an area of our lives that exposes our heart’s truest desires. What we do or don’t do with our money has a way of revealing what otherwise would remain concealed from others and even ourselves.
You may have questions like “Does God actually expect me to give my money to the church?” “If so, how much?” and “Why does He need my money?” These are all good and legitimate questions that we should ask. But before we dive into the subject, let me say that when we speak about God’s commandments, all of them are couched in the fact that God desires our greatest joy, not our demise. He longs to see His children flourish, not wither up. As with every other discipline that we’ve talked about, God uses financial giving to conform us to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus.
God is not out to take something from you; He has something for you in the joyous privilege that comes with giving. If you’re not totally convinced of this reality, then giving, alongside every other discipline of the faith (like prayer, fasting, serving, etc.) will be one long slog through a swamp, trudging toward a cranky cop on the other side. And that’s most certainly not the picture of discipleship Jesus painted for us! Jesus envisions our running freely, openly, and joyfully toward our happy and holy Father in heaven, obeying His commandments, and drinking from the fountain of His love for us.
As God addresses money in the lives of His children - those who claim to follow Jesus - you’ll sense that he is pressing us toward ultimately putting our money where our mouth is. May we not only proclaim Jesus as Lord in one area, but in every area and avenue of our lives. Like all the chapters of this book, space prohibits a full-blown biblical theology of money and stewardship. So I want to again drive home the why behind the what, and address some of the relational dynamics at work when it comes to stewarding and giving our money the way God intended. We’ll look at Moses, Jesus, and Paul, and we’ll see that we simply cannot out give God.
Moses, Money, and Moving Hearts
Context always matters when we study the Scriptures. Let’s look at just one passage regarding how the Hebrews were commanded to give during the time of the Exodus. God’s people were enslaved under the tyrannical rule of the Pharaohs of Egypt for over four hundred years. They were held captive, abused, and worked endlessly, raising their children in a total nightmare while building the Egyptian empire. They continually called out to Yahweh to rescue, redeem, and deliver them from this horrific oppression. In the famous account of the burning bush, Yahweh says to Moses, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering” (Exodus 3: 7 NIV). God is deeply concerned, and sends Moses to Pharaoh again and again to tell him to release His people. Each time, Pharaoh resists and is met by a plague sent from the hand of God. After the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh releases the Hebrews, but then changes his mind and pursues them in the desert.
When they come to the Red Sea, God instructs Moses to hold out his staff, and God parts the sea for the people to cross on dry ground! The Egyptian army pursues, but to no avail, as the walls of the sea crash in on them. The Exodus continues as the people wander in the desert. While there, the Lord said to Moses,
Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me... And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exodus 25: 1-2, 8
We find God receiving offerings from the people in the desert because He desires a sanctuary to be constructed in which he can dwell in their midst. Now stay with me, because this is different from the command that the people give ten percent (a tithe) of their grain and livestock (Leviticus 27: 30 - 33). God has no needs whatsoever. For example, God says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you for the world and its fullness are mine” (Psalm 50: 12). God could cause a sanctuary to appear as easily as He spoke creation into existence. So, why the invitation for people to give because their hearts were moved?
What happened that would cause someone’s heart to move toward worshipping God with their finances? How in the world could anyone be generous at this place and time? They are in the desert! Certainly the desert is not a place for generosity. But remember that the people had just seen the mighty hand of Yahweh lovingly lead them out from the captivity of Egypt. After their cries were heard, miracles performed, and deliverance granted, it is not strange to imagine that many within the camp had hearts overflowing with gratitude. As you’ll see throughout Scripture, those who receive grace give generously. That’s just how it works every single time. Why? Because once truly grasped and experienced, grace is impossible to keep to oneself. It has to be shared! So there we see grace motivated generosity in one example in the Old Testament. Let’s look briefly at what Jesus had to say about money.
Jesus: In God We Trust
What does being a child of God have to do with your money? Everything! Look at this often overlooked verse Luke records. Jesus says, But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6: 35
Do you see that the children of God are those who are to love and lend without measure? To be a bottomless well of love for your enemies and lend to them shows that you’re saturated completely in the gospel that teaches, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3: 16 NIV). You see, giving always follows loving. That’s why Jesus said, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasure n heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: 19 - 21).
Jesus is not out to get the dollars out of our wallets, but to get the idols out of our hearts. He teaches us to pursue the kingdom of God at all costs, to withhold nothings and to yield literally everything to pursuing Him and glorifying God. Once you’re a child of the King, you long to see His kingdom come and His will be done. Jesus beautifully summarises the joyful obsession that preoccupies the King’s kids: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13: 44 NIV).
In the parable, the man knows what he’s come upon. He’s come upon that which is worth more than anything he could ever afford. This treasure is beyond his wildest dreams, and there it is for the taking. He’s no fool - he knows just what he’s looking at and “in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
You see, the pursuit of the kingdom of God is not drudgery! Those who work for God as “employees” find the commandments of God to be boring, taxing, heavy, burdensome work. However, a child of God knows that he’s set out on a joy-filled adventure, a never ending pursuit of what is of infinite value. He’s quite literally chasing glory. Missionary and martyr Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” When we see the advancement of the gospel, and the enemies of God being reconciled to God, our hearts are overwhelmed with joy. The giving of our time, our talents, and our money is not always easy or convenient, but it never goes without reward. I strongly encourage you to stay close to Jesus as you seek to be the generous person God has called you to be.
I’ve noticed that a generous Christian is often the happiest person in the room. And the flip side of the coin is the same. I’ve met countless stingy Christians who apparently “had it all” but were the poorest of anyone I’ve ever known. How is that possible? Because rather than possessing their money, their money possessed them.
As a believer, you should expect to see yourself give more every year. Why is that? Because it is impossible to spend time with Jesus and become less gracious, generous, joyful, understanding, truthful, compassionate, holy, and so on. Those who spend time with Jesus end up becoming like Him, and He is the ultimate giver.
Paul And The People
If you don’t know much about the Apostle Paul, read Acts chapters 8 through 28. What you’ll find there is that Paul was a very religious, angry man who absolutely despised Christians. He persecuted the church in every possible way, even death. As Paul was on his way to persecute more believers, Jesus appeared to him from heaven, blinded him, rebuked him, and called him to follow after Christ. Paul became one of the leading apostles, planted churches, preached the gospel, made disciples, and poured out his very life for the glory of God and the building up of the church. He wrote much of the New Testament and was masterful in how he went about raising money for the churches in order to carry on their ministries.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, we find many important insights about raising money. We’ll note just a couple here. First, we must see that Paul does not seek to motivate people through fear, guilt, or shame. He knows that those things never build up or achieve the means desired. As in any loving relationship, grace rules, not guilt. So when it comes time to talk about money, he goes not for the wallet, but first to the heart as he points to the cross of Jesus: I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8: 8 - 9 NIV).
Here Paul is highlighting the incarnation that led to the death of Christ by which we were made rich toward God. In our lowly, needy, bankrupt state, Jesus not only paid our debt, but graciously granted to us His righteousness and gave us the right to be called the children of God. If your church takes communion weekly, or whenever it does, you’ll see who is really giving more. As you take the bread and wine, you’ll realise that no matter how big your gift is, nothing compares to the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, and that puts our dollars in perspective. We give because He gave.
Second, Paul says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9: 7 NIV). John Stott wrote of this verse, “There is a sense here of a settled conviction about how much to give; of a decision reached after careful consideration, and always with joy and cheerfulness.”* God desires for you to sit down and not only consider how to stir one another up to love and good works but also how much you should be giving. The question of giving is not if a believer will give but rather how much he or she will give.
I recently had the privilege of worshiping at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on the west side of Manhattan and hearing Dr. Timothy Keller preach a magnificent sermon on giving. He pointed out that most sins are fairly easily identified by others: adultery, murder, stealing, and so forth can be observed. But greed - well, greed is a strange one. You see, you don’t have to be rich to be greedy, as Jesus demonstrated so clearly in Luke 21: Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (vv. 1 - 4).
Greed is a posture of the heart, and our bank statements reflect this reality. This brings us to Paul’s statement about “what you have decided to give.” There’s no mention of the tithe, nor has God raised the rent, so to speak. So what are we to do? Paul talks about the condition of our hearts. Keller reminded us of the story of Exodus 16, where manna would appear on the ground as God’s way of providing something to eat for the Hebrews who were travelling in the wilderness. Every morning those who were able to go out and gather did so for their own households and for those who were elderly or those who could not gather for themselves. And yet, the Lord had done something unique in His provision. He made the manna so that if one decided to go out and gather more than what was needed it would rot and turn to maggots in the pantry. This was God’s way of teaching His people not to hoard up things here on earth. What does this have to do with our hearts? Everything. You see, if you’re greedy and unwilling to share with those in need, then the same principle applies, though this time rottenness doesn’t fill your pantry; rottenness will fill your heart.
What About Tithing?
In the Old Testament, the people were commanded to give a tenth of all they owned to God. In fact, it ended up being closer to 30 percent after all the offerings were accounted for. But what about tithing for New Testament Christians? We do not find an explicit command saying, “This is exactly how much each Christian is expected to give.” Rather, we find time and time again that Christians gave generously (Acts 2: 42 - 46; 4: 32 -35). Recall the words Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16: 24 NIV). This was not a metaphorical statement about common inconveniences we face every day like stubbing your toe, having a headache, or being a few minutes late to work. Jesus was on His way to facing a literal cross and prepared His disciples for the same. Thus, to sign up to be a Christian in the first century was to ultimately sign up to lose one’s life! If you were to bump into a Christian in the first century and ask them, “Do you tithe?” they may feel quite patronised. The reply would be, “Tithe?! You mean do I give money?! Of course I do! I signed up to lose my life that I may find it!” Jesus lays hold of everything in the life of the believer, including one’s income, and He asks His followers to consider how they might steward their resources in order to make the greatest kingdom impact. Trust me, you will never regret being generous.
Poverty Gospel and the Prosperity Gospel
One final word needs to be said about giving, because there are Christians who have a tendency to swing from one end of the pendulum all the way to the other, and at the end base their worth on either how much or how little they have. Some will argue that if you end up totally broke, having given all away, somehow that is the most godly thing one can do. There are others who believe that to measure one’s godliness, all you really need to do is look at the house you live in, the cars you drive, and the vacations you go on. None of these are accurate reads on righteousness. For our righteousness does not proceed from how much or how little is in the bank. Our righteousness is a gift from Jesus. As you think about money, stewardship, and the kingdom of God, don’t make the mistake of thinking that your money defines your worth either in this world or in the eyes of God. You are of infinite value to God because you are made in His image, He has redeemed you through Christ and filled you with the Holy Spirit, and you are His very own child. That is your worth, your identity, your security.
Questions To Consider
1. When talking about giving in the church, what thoughts or emotions come to mind?
2. If you haven’t started giving to your church, would you consider starting now? If so, pray it through and determine in your heart to be generous.
3. Do you believe that your generosity and joy are inextricably linked?
* John Stott, The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2007), 132.
You’ve heard it before, and the philosophy isn’t going away - money makes the world go around. New York’s hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan says it in their song “C.R.E.A.M.,” short for “Cash Rules Everything Around Me.” If you don’t really grasp your identity as one of Abba’s (the Father’s) children, you will be tempted to plug what feels like an empty hole in your heart with what money can give you. This can cause incredible pain, sorrow, and regret. The writer of Hebrews told the early church, "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5 - 6).
Paul told the young pastor Timothy, For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs (1 Timothy 6: 10). Notice that Scripture doesn’t condemn having, making, or spending money. Like sex, money is a wonderful thing if stewarded God’s way.
God is a generous, loving, and giving God.
God gave us His creation, His Word, His Spirit, His people, and the greatest gift He gave us was His Son, the Lord Jesus. When we give, we’re reflecting the heart of our Father. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to pursue contentment, which is the opposite of what our world teaches us. We sometimes feel as if we live in the centre of Times Square with thousands of ads telling us to buy this bigger, better, faster, more “in” item. But those advertisements on the big screen change every couple of seconds. How are we to keep up. Answer: We don’t keep up. In fact, we’ve dropped out of that race entirely, and we’re running toward the heart of God. Notice too that our contentment is grounded in the fact that our heavenly Abba will “never leave nor forsake” us! Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8) or the presence of God (Psalm 139).
Why is it that we earn money, spend money, and save money all the time, and yet when it comes time to talk about money, we tend to fall off on either side of the horse? For example, some people want to talk about how much money they have and what they are doing with it in an effort to brag and boast in their things. On the other hand, there are those who avoid talking about money at all costs. This could be because they feel they don’t have much money or that it is simply bad form to speak of it at all. Like sex, the Bible speaks freely, frequently, and respectfully about money. As you read the Bible, you’ll notice that when examined closely, finances is an area of our lives that exposes our heart’s truest desires. What we do or don’t do with our money has a way of revealing what otherwise would remain concealed from others and even ourselves.
You may have questions like “Does God actually expect me to give my money to the church?” “If so, how much?” and “Why does He need my money?” These are all good and legitimate questions that we should ask. But before we dive into the subject, let me say that when we speak about God’s commandments, all of them are couched in the fact that God desires our greatest joy, not our demise. He longs to see His children flourish, not wither up. As with every other discipline that we’ve talked about, God uses financial giving to conform us to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus.
God is not out to take something from you; He has something for you in the joyous privilege that comes with giving. If you’re not totally convinced of this reality, then giving, alongside every other discipline of the faith (like prayer, fasting, serving, etc.) will be one long slog through a swamp, trudging toward a cranky cop on the other side. And that’s most certainly not the picture of discipleship Jesus painted for us! Jesus envisions our running freely, openly, and joyfully toward our happy and holy Father in heaven, obeying His commandments, and drinking from the fountain of His love for us.
As God addresses money in the lives of His children - those who claim to follow Jesus - you’ll sense that he is pressing us toward ultimately putting our money where our mouth is. May we not only proclaim Jesus as Lord in one area, but in every area and avenue of our lives. Like all the chapters of this book, space prohibits a full-blown biblical theology of money and stewardship. So I want to again drive home the why behind the what, and address some of the relational dynamics at work when it comes to stewarding and giving our money the way God intended. We’ll look at Moses, Jesus, and Paul, and we’ll see that we simply cannot out give God.
Moses, Money, and Moving Hearts
Context always matters when we study the Scriptures. Let’s look at just one passage regarding how the Hebrews were commanded to give during the time of the Exodus. God’s people were enslaved under the tyrannical rule of the Pharaohs of Egypt for over four hundred years. They were held captive, abused, and worked endlessly, raising their children in a total nightmare while building the Egyptian empire. They continually called out to Yahweh to rescue, redeem, and deliver them from this horrific oppression. In the famous account of the burning bush, Yahweh says to Moses, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering” (Exodus 3: 7 NIV). God is deeply concerned, and sends Moses to Pharaoh again and again to tell him to release His people. Each time, Pharaoh resists and is met by a plague sent from the hand of God. After the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh releases the Hebrews, but then changes his mind and pursues them in the desert.
When they come to the Red Sea, God instructs Moses to hold out his staff, and God parts the sea for the people to cross on dry ground! The Egyptian army pursues, but to no avail, as the walls of the sea crash in on them. The Exodus continues as the people wander in the desert. While there, the Lord said to Moses,
Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me... And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exodus 25: 1-2, 8
We find God receiving offerings from the people in the desert because He desires a sanctuary to be constructed in which he can dwell in their midst. Now stay with me, because this is different from the command that the people give ten percent (a tithe) of their grain and livestock (Leviticus 27: 30 - 33). God has no needs whatsoever. For example, God says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you for the world and its fullness are mine” (Psalm 50: 12). God could cause a sanctuary to appear as easily as He spoke creation into existence. So, why the invitation for people to give because their hearts were moved?
What happened that would cause someone’s heart to move toward worshipping God with their finances? How in the world could anyone be generous at this place and time? They are in the desert! Certainly the desert is not a place for generosity. But remember that the people had just seen the mighty hand of Yahweh lovingly lead them out from the captivity of Egypt. After their cries were heard, miracles performed, and deliverance granted, it is not strange to imagine that many within the camp had hearts overflowing with gratitude. As you’ll see throughout Scripture, those who receive grace give generously. That’s just how it works every single time. Why? Because once truly grasped and experienced, grace is impossible to keep to oneself. It has to be shared! So there we see grace motivated generosity in one example in the Old Testament. Let’s look briefly at what Jesus had to say about money.
Jesus: In God We Trust
What does being a child of God have to do with your money? Everything! Look at this often overlooked verse Luke records. Jesus says, But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6: 35
Do you see that the children of God are those who are to love and lend without measure? To be a bottomless well of love for your enemies and lend to them shows that you’re saturated completely in the gospel that teaches, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3: 16 NIV). You see, giving always follows loving. That’s why Jesus said, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasure n heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: 19 - 21).
Jesus is not out to get the dollars out of our wallets, but to get the idols out of our hearts. He teaches us to pursue the kingdom of God at all costs, to withhold nothings and to yield literally everything to pursuing Him and glorifying God. Once you’re a child of the King, you long to see His kingdom come and His will be done. Jesus beautifully summarises the joyful obsession that preoccupies the King’s kids: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13: 44 NIV).
In the parable, the man knows what he’s come upon. He’s come upon that which is worth more than anything he could ever afford. This treasure is beyond his wildest dreams, and there it is for the taking. He’s no fool - he knows just what he’s looking at and “in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
You see, the pursuit of the kingdom of God is not drudgery! Those who work for God as “employees” find the commandments of God to be boring, taxing, heavy, burdensome work. However, a child of God knows that he’s set out on a joy-filled adventure, a never ending pursuit of what is of infinite value. He’s quite literally chasing glory. Missionary and martyr Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” When we see the advancement of the gospel, and the enemies of God being reconciled to God, our hearts are overwhelmed with joy. The giving of our time, our talents, and our money is not always easy or convenient, but it never goes without reward. I strongly encourage you to stay close to Jesus as you seek to be the generous person God has called you to be.
I’ve noticed that a generous Christian is often the happiest person in the room. And the flip side of the coin is the same. I’ve met countless stingy Christians who apparently “had it all” but were the poorest of anyone I’ve ever known. How is that possible? Because rather than possessing their money, their money possessed them.
As a believer, you should expect to see yourself give more every year. Why is that? Because it is impossible to spend time with Jesus and become less gracious, generous, joyful, understanding, truthful, compassionate, holy, and so on. Those who spend time with Jesus end up becoming like Him, and He is the ultimate giver.
Paul And The People
If you don’t know much about the Apostle Paul, read Acts chapters 8 through 28. What you’ll find there is that Paul was a very religious, angry man who absolutely despised Christians. He persecuted the church in every possible way, even death. As Paul was on his way to persecute more believers, Jesus appeared to him from heaven, blinded him, rebuked him, and called him to follow after Christ. Paul became one of the leading apostles, planted churches, preached the gospel, made disciples, and poured out his very life for the glory of God and the building up of the church. He wrote much of the New Testament and was masterful in how he went about raising money for the churches in order to carry on their ministries.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, we find many important insights about raising money. We’ll note just a couple here. First, we must see that Paul does not seek to motivate people through fear, guilt, or shame. He knows that those things never build up or achieve the means desired. As in any loving relationship, grace rules, not guilt. So when it comes time to talk about money, he goes not for the wallet, but first to the heart as he points to the cross of Jesus: I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8: 8 - 9 NIV).
Here Paul is highlighting the incarnation that led to the death of Christ by which we were made rich toward God. In our lowly, needy, bankrupt state, Jesus not only paid our debt, but graciously granted to us His righteousness and gave us the right to be called the children of God. If your church takes communion weekly, or whenever it does, you’ll see who is really giving more. As you take the bread and wine, you’ll realise that no matter how big your gift is, nothing compares to the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, and that puts our dollars in perspective. We give because He gave.
Second, Paul says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9: 7 NIV). John Stott wrote of this verse, “There is a sense here of a settled conviction about how much to give; of a decision reached after careful consideration, and always with joy and cheerfulness.”* God desires for you to sit down and not only consider how to stir one another up to love and good works but also how much you should be giving. The question of giving is not if a believer will give but rather how much he or she will give.
I recently had the privilege of worshiping at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on the west side of Manhattan and hearing Dr. Timothy Keller preach a magnificent sermon on giving. He pointed out that most sins are fairly easily identified by others: adultery, murder, stealing, and so forth can be observed. But greed - well, greed is a strange one. You see, you don’t have to be rich to be greedy, as Jesus demonstrated so clearly in Luke 21: Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (vv. 1 - 4).
Greed is a posture of the heart, and our bank statements reflect this reality. This brings us to Paul’s statement about “what you have decided to give.” There’s no mention of the tithe, nor has God raised the rent, so to speak. So what are we to do? Paul talks about the condition of our hearts. Keller reminded us of the story of Exodus 16, where manna would appear on the ground as God’s way of providing something to eat for the Hebrews who were travelling in the wilderness. Every morning those who were able to go out and gather did so for their own households and for those who were elderly or those who could not gather for themselves. And yet, the Lord had done something unique in His provision. He made the manna so that if one decided to go out and gather more than what was needed it would rot and turn to maggots in the pantry. This was God’s way of teaching His people not to hoard up things here on earth. What does this have to do with our hearts? Everything. You see, if you’re greedy and unwilling to share with those in need, then the same principle applies, though this time rottenness doesn’t fill your pantry; rottenness will fill your heart.
What About Tithing?
In the Old Testament, the people were commanded to give a tenth of all they owned to God. In fact, it ended up being closer to 30 percent after all the offerings were accounted for. But what about tithing for New Testament Christians? We do not find an explicit command saying, “This is exactly how much each Christian is expected to give.” Rather, we find time and time again that Christians gave generously (Acts 2: 42 - 46; 4: 32 -35). Recall the words Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16: 24 NIV). This was not a metaphorical statement about common inconveniences we face every day like stubbing your toe, having a headache, or being a few minutes late to work. Jesus was on His way to facing a literal cross and prepared His disciples for the same. Thus, to sign up to be a Christian in the first century was to ultimately sign up to lose one’s life! If you were to bump into a Christian in the first century and ask them, “Do you tithe?” they may feel quite patronised. The reply would be, “Tithe?! You mean do I give money?! Of course I do! I signed up to lose my life that I may find it!” Jesus lays hold of everything in the life of the believer, including one’s income, and He asks His followers to consider how they might steward their resources in order to make the greatest kingdom impact. Trust me, you will never regret being generous.
Poverty Gospel and the Prosperity Gospel
One final word needs to be said about giving, because there are Christians who have a tendency to swing from one end of the pendulum all the way to the other, and at the end base their worth on either how much or how little they have. Some will argue that if you end up totally broke, having given all away, somehow that is the most godly thing one can do. There are others who believe that to measure one’s godliness, all you really need to do is look at the house you live in, the cars you drive, and the vacations you go on. None of these are accurate reads on righteousness. For our righteousness does not proceed from how much or how little is in the bank. Our righteousness is a gift from Jesus. As you think about money, stewardship, and the kingdom of God, don’t make the mistake of thinking that your money defines your worth either in this world or in the eyes of God. You are of infinite value to God because you are made in His image, He has redeemed you through Christ and filled you with the Holy Spirit, and you are His very own child. That is your worth, your identity, your security.
Questions To Consider
1. When talking about giving in the church, what thoughts or emotions come to mind?
2. If you haven’t started giving to your church, would you consider starting now? If so, pray it through and determine in your heart to be generous.
3. Do you believe that your generosity and joy are inextricably linked?
* John Stott, The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2007), 132.
This article is taken from chapter 9 of the book The New Believer’s Guide To The Christian Life by Alex Early. Published by Bethany House Publishers www.bethanyhouse.com Available from the Apple Store or Amazon. © 2016 by Alex Early.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011.