A Fresh Look at Giving
by Michael Mercurio
Giving to the Lord is a natural response to having received from him everything that we have: our life, our health and our salvation. Life and health in this world is temporary, but our salvation is forever and we are eternally grateful to God.
Before You Give Anything
Make sure you have received from God the gift of eternal life. With this gift comes the forgiveness of sins, a secure eternal destiny and the promise of abundant life here on earth. Giving money at church will not get you any of these things, only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in his work on the cross will do. So before you concern yourself with giving, concern yourself with receiving what God wants to give you. If I can help you with this, please let me know - mmercurio@1stalliancechurch.com.
Now, when Jesus sent his disciples out on mission, he said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8). This is the basis for doing the Lord’s work - always in response to what he has done for us. So, let us discover 3 practical ways to engage.
1 - Beginning Givers (1-2%)
If you are not in the habit of giving, start by giving 1 or 2% of your household income. The dollar amount for each household will be different, but giving a proportion of what you receive is a principle that applies to all of us. Here are some instructions from God’s Word:
“No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” - Deuteronomy 16:16-17
“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” - 1 Corinthians 16:2
2 - Average Givers (3-5%)
If you have been giving and want to at least give on par with the average Christian in America, raise your gift to at least 3% of your household income. This percentage is based on current statistics. But, should we compare ourselves to others when it comes to practicing our faith? Not as a rule, but we can be motivated to greater obedience by the faithfulness of others. When Paul traveled from church to church, collecting an offering for the poor, this is what he told the Corinthians:
“We want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” - 2 Corinthians 8:1-4
3 - Excellent Givers (6-10%)
If your giving has been on par with other Christians and you are ready to move up to another level of giving, consider giving up to 10% or more. This is called a Tithe. It was built into the Old Testament worship rituals and it was affirmed by Jesus:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter (justice, mercy and faithfulness) without neglecting the former (giving a tenth). - Matthew 23:23
Notice that Jesus didn’t make it an either or proposition. He wants us to do both. In fact, when he commended the widow for giving her small offering, he was actually commending her for giving everything she had at the moment - not 10% but 100%. (Mark 12:41-44) Here is the bottom line: When Jesus looks at our giving, he sees it as a measure of the heart:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21
When we give to the Lord, we give back what he has given to us. We realize that nothing in this world will last but our rewards in heaven will last forever. Click here to make an online gift, and to make it a habit, consider checking the links that make it a recurring gift.
Just as you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us–see that you also excel in this grace of giving. - 2 Corinthians 8:7