Principles to Guide Grace-Motivated Giving

from Pastor Lane

Giving to the Lord is a great blessing in the life of a Christ-follower. Scripture teaches and reminds of the measureless blessing of God to those who are faithful in giving their money to the Lord’s work. I want to share nine principles that Scripture teaches in order to guide giving by grace. Included with each principle are questions to help you discern the genuineness of this motivation. I pray that these principles encourage and guide you as you seek to glorify God in the giving of your money to his kingdom work.

1. Systematic. Giving should be on a regular, systematic basis: weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc. This is also in keeping with the biblical principle of first fruits; our first and best should be collected at the beginning of the week, set aside, and brought before God.

   Discern: Am I faithful to give regularly or do I only give when I feel like it? What systematic structure do I use for giving?

   On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum. —1 Cor. 16.1–2

2. Proportional. Giving should be according to one’s income, as you have been prospered and according to your ability.

   Discern: Do I give according to my income or only according to my feelings toward giving? How do I decide an amount to give?

   Each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income. —1 Cor. 16.2b

   They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. —2 Cor. 8.2–3

   The gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. —2 Cor. 8.12

3. Sacrificially generous. Give not only what you can afford to give, but beyond that, what you believe God would have you to give, trusting him for your provision by your gift.

   Discern: In what ways am I sacrificing in life in order to give generously? Am I willing to make intentional sacrifices in order to give beyond my ability? When have I done/will I do this?

   Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity…they gave…even beyond their ability. —2 Cor. 8.2–3

   I have received the gifts you sent…They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. —Phil. 4.17–18

4. Intentional. Giving to God should be an intentional response of worship to him, and not an afterthought or reaction.

   Discern: When/How do I decide what I will give? Through a systematic, financial budgeting plan? Sunday morning when I arrive?

   They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in the service to the saints. —2 Cor. 8.4

   For even when I was in Thessalonica you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. —Phil. 4.16

5. The motivation of love, equality among God’s people and blessing should guide all giving. This expresses a passion for God, a compassion for people, and a complete dependence upon his blessing in life.

   Discern: Do I give out of love for God and the gospel? Do I give because I desire to see God’s glory spread throughout the earth? Do I give because I trust and earnestly desire God’s blessing?

   For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. —2 Cor. 8.9

   Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. —2 Cor. 8.12–14

   Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. —2 Cor. 9.6, 10–11

6. Cheerfully. When one gives, it should be done with a cheerful spirit, full of joy.

   Discern: Do I experience real joy in giving or am I hesitant and regretful? Do I even think about my emotions in giving; whether it is a joy to me or not?

   Each man should give…not reluctantly…God loves a cheerful giver. —2 Cor. 9.7

   God loves (blesses) a cheerful and generous man. —Prov. 22.8

7. Voluntarily. Giving should be done as an act initiated by God’s grace and for his glory. One should not give because of coercion or manipulation or guilt.

   Discern: Do I give because I want to and am eager to find these opportunities? Do I feel like I give because I am coerced in some way?

   Each man should give what he has decided in his own heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion. —2 Cor. 9.7

8. Excel in giving. As our relationship with Christ grows, so should our giving to him. As our income grows, our giving should grow as well. One should seek to excel in the amount as well as the proportion given.

   Discern: Have I excelled in my giving through the years? How? Has my giving grown in amount, frequency, maturity, etc?

   Just as you excel in everything…see that you also excel in the grace of giving. —2 Cor. 8.7

9. Promise of grace’s all-sufficiency. God sustains us through his grace. The more one grows in his grace, the more one comes to trust it for all things.

   Discern: Where do I not trust God’s all sufficient grace in my life? How am I not resting in it daily? Where does money have a hold on my heart and life as an idol of worship that I must denounce?

   And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all time, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. —2 Cor. 9.8

   And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. —Phil. 4.19

In all, our motivation for giving is love for Jesus. We cannot make him love us more or less through our giving, but we come to love him more as we practice giving more to him. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give” can be difficult. This is not an open excusal for people to just give whatever they want, but rather a principle teaching how to give by grace. Too many Christians take no time with their ‘hearts full of Christ’ to decide what to give, but only rather what their pocket book says is allowable to give, without too much effect. What we fail to realize is that when we give in this way, we have shown ourselves to have given from our heart for Christ, or rather the lack thereof. Without utilizing these principles to guide our giving, it is unlikely that we will honor God with our wealth and give by grace.

Money & Identity: Moving Beyond Obligation to Grace

from Pastor Lane

Money…it makes people do funny, stupid, and unbelievable things…not unlike this video of the Flying Lizards illustrates.

Why do we hold such a strong desire for money? I love the answer that James MacDonald gives: “Because we believe money can do things that only God can do.” The truth is, money is only temporal and cannot sustain our needs. “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov. 11.4). Nevertheless we continue to put our hope in it, believing that it will make us happy, content, appreciated, feel better about self or accepted by others.

When money is esteemed as providing for life what only God can provide: provision, security, safety, purpose, etc. we place our hope in it and establish our identity and value in life by it. Proverbs 18.11 says, “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.” When do I know that my hope is in money? When I think more highly toward those with money because I see that their house is nicer, their clothes are newer, their car is better, their luxuries are more abundant, and in all of these things I cannot help but think how much better my life would be…not with all of them, for that would be greedy…but maybe with only a few of them.

When must I confess that my identity is wrapped up in my wealth? I must confess this when I think less highly of those that do not, or at least do not seem to, have money. My thoughts toward others that may, or at least seem to, have less are not as high in respect. I may even have a thought of pity toward them because their clothes are not as nice, their car or house is not as new. I must confess this when I’m hesitant to let my kids play with theirs or to bring them too close in my life. Sure, the excuses that I put forth to avoid awkward situations are sound reasons that make complete sense. But the deeper thoughts of motivation rest with other perceptions.

When can I be sure that my trust is in my bank account? When I have the opportunity to give it away, even some of it, for purposes that I know to be God-ordained and yet I cannot let it go. I’m willing to give some, but not enough to in any way endanger my security, my safety, or my separation from the part of the world that I want nothing to do with.