Question 1

Why should I give?

Accepted Answer

John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”James 2:15-17Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.1 John 3:16-18We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.The model for giving is the heart of God. He gave the greatest, most costly gift anyone could ever give, and he gave it out of love. If we love God and love others, giving is a natural response—a way we can imitate God.Malachi 3:10“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”Matthew 25:40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”2 Corinthians 9:6-8Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.God strongly encourages us to give generously of our finances. While tithing (giving ten percent) was God’s standard for the nation of Israel, the New Testament never defines a certain percentage or amount. Ultimately, giving should be joyful—an expression of a thankful and generous heart. If we give out of guilt or duty instead of love, we will not experience giving in the way God intended.Luke 21:3“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.”Giving sacrificially is the greatest example of love.Exodus 23:19“As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the Lord your God.”2 Chronicles 31:5When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously by bringing the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a large quantity—a tithe of all they produced.Giving to God of the first and best of what we have demonstrates that he is first in our lives.1 Chronicles 29:14“Who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!”Giving to God reminds us that everything we own is a gift from God.Psalm 54:6I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.Giving develops a habit of gratitude. The more we give, the more grateful we are for what we have.2 Corinthians 9:11Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.When we give to others, God is glorified.1 Peter 4:10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.The more we give of ourselves, the more God’s generosity flows through us.Proverbs 11:24-25Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.Luke 6:38“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”If you give, you will receive.2 Corinthians 9:6Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.We should not give in order to get more—this violates giving as an act of love. However, our resources will often grow as we give more. One reason this occurs is because the qualities that make us generous also make us responsible and trustworthy. Another important reason is that God, in his grace, may entrust more to us so that we will be bigger channels of his blessing in this world. Too often people think of resources only in terms of money, but the resources we receive back for our generosity are far more valuable and varied than money.Matthew 25:19-21“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”We will be held accountable for our use of the resources God entrusts to us. God honors faithfulness in giving.Leviticus 25:23“The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me.”Psalm 89:11The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.Stewardship begins by acknowledging that the Lord owns everything. Since everything belongs to God, whatever we have is held in trust from God.

Question 2

How much should I give?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 14:22“You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year.”Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.1 Corinthians 16:2On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned.2 Corinthians 8:12Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.2 Corinthians 9:7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”While the Old Testament specifically talks about Israel giving God one-tenth of their income, the New Testament encourages us to give what we can, to give sacrificially, and to give with a grateful and generous heart. Giving should be a natural outpouring of our love for God and others. For many, this will lead to giving far more than just one-tenth.

Question 3

How does giving to others affect me?

Accepted Answer

Acts 20:35“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”Keeping something may please us, but by giving we receive the joy of pleasing God and the satisfaction of helping others.Luke 6:38“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”We cannot out-give God. While we should not give in order to receive more, God has promised to bless us in response to our giving. Those who trust him always find that they have what they need when they really need it.Psalm 112:5-6Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.God blesses those who are generous with things that money cannot buy.Matthew 10:42“And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”The simplest gifts often bring the most sacred rewards. The Lord will notice even the smallest of our gifts and acts of kindness.

Question 4

What if I don’t seem to have enough to give anything away?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 3:9-10Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.Proverbs 28:27Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.Ecclesiastes 11:1Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.God promises to provide for us when we give to him and the concerns of his Kingdom.2 Corinthians 9:8God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.It is easy to think that we would be happy if we had just a little more. The secret of happiness, however, is learning to be content with what we have, whether it is much or little, and learning to live abundantly even with little (see Philippians 4:11-12).

Question 5

What are some principles of giving for those in Christian work?

Accepted Answer

Numbers 18:25-26The Lord also told Moses, “Give these instructions to the Levites: When you receive from the people of Israel the tithes I have assigned as your allotment, give a tenth of the tithes you receive—a tithe of the tithe—to the Lord as a sacred offering.”Those who live on tithes and offerings are not exempt from giving back to the Lord.Joshua 18:7“The Levites, however, will not receive any allotment of land. Their role as priests of the Lord is their allotment.”1 Timothy 5:17-18Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”Those in full-time Christian work often forgo material wealth and, therefore, an inheritance to pass along to their children. They and their families need the support of their community of faith.