Grace Giving
“GRACE GIVING” – Have you ever heard that term before? I first heard it about 20 years ago in a sermon by David Jeremiah. I was immediately intrigued by the title and set about studying the sermon in detail. I found the message entirely biblical – which was no surprise, given the integrity and faithfulness to Scripture of the messenger. Twenty years later, I consider this the best, most accurate teaching on Christian giving…
PREACHERS USUALLY INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT JOKINGLY…Why do you think that is? I offer this answer: Because our money is our most prized material personal possession and consequently we are immediately defensive when the subject comes up…
THERE’S NOTHING THAT SO CONFRONTS OUR PRIORITIES in life like what we do with our resources: our time, talent, and especially our money. – David Jeremiah/TR
OUR MONEY IS IN GREAT PART WHO WE ARE…
ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX VERSES in the Synoptic Gospels speaks of money. Twelve out of the 38 parables in the NT deal with money.
GIVING SHOULD NOT BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GAINING GOD’S FAVOR; We should give cheerfully out of a heart of deep and abiding gratitude for what God has done for us in Christ:
GRACE GIVING IS A MATTER OF GENEROSITY, not grudging obligation…
NAS 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. 7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, “He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever.”
NOTE “CHEERFUL”…
IF YOU READ THAT PASSAGE CAREFULLY YOU’LL FIND that God obligates Himself to meet our every need…
“HOW CAN WE SAY WE TRULY LOVE THE LORD AND NOT want to give cheerfully and generously?” – David Jeremiah
“GIVING VERIFIES THE LEVEL OF YOUR LOVE. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” – John MacArthur
“BUT” SOMEONE ASKS. “I THOUGHT WE WERE NO LONGER UNDER the Law!” That’s true; we’re under grace…
NAS Galatians 3:23-26 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
BEFORE JESUS CAME, MAN WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT TO KEEP the Law in order to please God (that included tithing)…
THE LAW WAS LIKE A TUTOR (the Greek word means “custodian”) who, in ancient Greek culture, would spend time with the children in his care, instructing and disciplining them from childhood to puberty (when they would then come under the care of a teacher). The tutor was a servant of the householder. The tutor would keep the child or children from both physical harm and moral evil…
“THE LAW WAS LIKE A TUTOR in that it acted as an outward check on desires, thus making the consciousness of sin more acute. The law guided OT believers to Christ, our only Rescuer and Savior.” – House
NAS Galatians 4:1-5 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
ADOPTION AS SONS – Although sinners are God’s enemies (of their own choosing, not God’s), sinners are made sons through grace. Although we deserve judgment, we are given the gift of salvation and God takes us into His family as sons. In the ancient Bible culture, an adopted son would possess all the rights of a son born into the family. Likewise, we receive an eternal inheritance from our loving Father who adopted us…
NAS Romans 8:14-17 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
UNBELIEVABLE! Almost too wonderful to believe, is it not?
NAS 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
EVERY CHRISTIAN IS WEALTHY BEYOND IMAGINATION…
LET’S LOOK AT A KEY OLD TESTAMENT VERSE… that speaks to the Old Testament believer’s obligation to tithe…
KJV Malachi 3:8-10 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
“STOREHOUSE” TITHING COMES FROM THIS PASSAGE… “Storehouse tithing” is the term some Bible scholars apply to the belief that the Malachi passage applies to Christians today and, therefore, the teaching the church should follow is one in which individuals should give 10% (the tithe) of their money only to their local churches. Giving to other ministries apart from the local church is discouraged. The local church is the sole recipient of the individual’s giving. Variations of this position exist. Others believe the teaching that should be followed is the believer should give the 10% to the local church; any other giving should be over and above that and considered “special offerings.”
THE WORD “TITHE” MEANS A TENTH PART… “Tithing” means giving God the first 10% (10% “off the top”) of all you earn.
NAS Genesis 28:22 “And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house; and of all that Thou dost give me I will surely give a tenth to Thee.”
AS YOU CAN EASILY SEE, TITHING IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE of putting God first in your life… That very principle can be said to be the basis of grace-giving…
BUT CHRISTIANS ARE NEVER COMMANDED IN SCRIPTURE TO TITHE… If you feel led by God to tithe, by all means do so, but understand that is a personal choice and not a biblical command. As with all things having to do with the Christian walk, we should always search the Scriptures to find God’s will. Our thinking will always will either be confirmed or corrected…
“GRACE GIVING”… As I said, I learned that term from David Jeremiah. In the OT believers were under the law. They gave out of obligation to keep the law. We are not under the law. We are not commanded to tithe 10% of all we earn. We are commanded instead to go beyond the law…
NAS Romans 12:1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
THIS MESSAGE ON GIVING MONEY TO GOD IS REALLY ABOUT total commitment of our lives to God…
“GRACE GIVING” BEGINS WHERE LAW GIVING LEAVES OFF… We start with 10% because there’s much evidence of that being God’s will in the OT…
BUT 10% IS ONLY A STARTING POINT… We go from the O.T. concept of percentage to the N.T. concept of proportion. Proportionate giving is a much higher concept for it forces us to evaluate our lives in the light and love of God’s Word…
WE ARE TO GIVE PHYSICALLY accordingly to how God has blessed us spiritually. Grace giving is not in accordance with our means as much as it is a response to His ability…
NAS 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper…
NOTE THAT THIS VERSE IS A COMMAND FROM GOD… It is vital to understand that God’s commands are not conditional. They are not dependent on our circumstances. This truth cannot be overemphasized. This is strong medicine. This involves faith…
WE MUST TRUST GOD INSPITE OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES!…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 16:2 IS A CLEAR DIRECTIVE from God… It is inarguable evidence that God wants believers to give…
BUT PAUL NEVER USED THE WORD “TITHE” when discussing giving, though he gave more attention to giving than any other NT writer. Grace giving should be a systematic, weekly practice, given on Sunday when the church meets, in keeping with one’s income. – B.K.C/TR
“AS HE MAY PROSPER”… We are to give cheerfully in accordance with how God has blessed us – according to our ability to give. That’s not tithing; that’s grace giving…
ESV Acts 11:29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
GENEROSITY TO GOD AND TO OTHERS is found directly and indirectly throughout the Bible, both Old Testament and New…
IT’S NOT ONLY “DO WHAT YOU CAN”…IT’S “DO WHAT YOU SHOULD”…
REMEMBER, WHATEVER GOD HAS ASKED YOU TO DO in Scripture, He will enable you to do it…
“OUR MONEY IS WHO WE ARE”… In many ways our money reflects who we are. To find out who we are, all we need do is take a long look at our checkbooks and credit card receipts…
MONEY REFLECTS OUR SPIRITUALLY…
KJV Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
“GIVE, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU”… That’s God’s Word on giving. Drop the mic. If you are a Christian, that’s really all you need to know…
“GOOD MEASURE”… “ This illustration comes from the marketplace where grain was poured out, shaken down, and then filled to overflowing so the buyer received the full amount purchased. Such is the full measure that will be returned to one who has been generous.” – House
SOMEONE ONCE SAID… “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.” – Richard P. Feynman
“STEWARDSHIP” IS the use of God-given resources for the accomplishment of God-given goals. – Ron Blue
NAS 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
YOU ARE GOD’S AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU… Stewardship means recognizing these facts and living according to their truth.
“STEWARDSHIP IS WHAT HAPPENS TO MINE because of what has happened to me.” – David Jeremiah
STEWARDSHIP MEANS WALKING THE TALK…
IN CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP our responsibility to give to God goes beyond whatever our accountability may be to the church. This sermon is not just about money. We are to give Him everything: our time, our talents, our money, our all…
“ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER, all to Him I freely give…I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all”…
“99.9% WON’T DO!” – A.L. Wilkes (That’s extreme, even harsh, I know.) I once included this quote in a sermon to emphasize the words to that hymn and the fact God wants us to be entirely sold out to Him. The Bible speaks in terms that are black and white, no grays. But if I were preaching that today, I’d add a “Yes, but.” Yes, that’s true and it makes a great point. God does want our all. I believe that principle strongly; I try very hard to live it out every day. I want to give God my all. The Bible does speak in unconditional, uncompromising terms. But the Bible also repeatedly recognizes human weaknesses. There’d be no reason for God’s forgiveness if we were perfect. Obviously, we are not to use our reality as excuse for laziness, worldliness, or disobedience, but we should, I think, not overlook the fact. If I did use this quote today, I’d like to think I’d put an encouraging spin on it. Something like, “But it’s a good start”…
GRACE-GIVING IS A PROCESS… The same could be said of the majority of the Christian life. Maturity is a process. Maturity takes time. Likewise, not many new believers immediately become faithful givers; it takes time. Giving is an integral part of maturing…
GRACE-GIVING IS TRUSTING… Maybe that’s the bottom line. And if that’s true, if giving is trusting, what’s not giving?…
GRACE-GIVING IS TRANSFORMING… Giving changes us, changes the whole way we look at our lives, changes the way we look at God. Our independence changes to dependence. The words of the Bible become more real to us that ever before…
AND GIVING IS WORSHIPING… When we are grace-givers, giving truly becomes an act of worship. Worship should cost. True, we’re not under the Law, but the O.T. image of the believer bringing a lamb to the Temple still applies. Lambs cost the believer. Using another applicable O.T. image, the wise men who came to worship Jesus shortly after His incarnation, they brought gifts. When we put our checks and cash into the offering bag, we are in effect bringing our gifts to lay before His feet…
“NO GIFT TO GOD WILL EVER MAKE YOU POORER.” – John MacArthur
NAS Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
“GRACE GIVING” IS our obedient, regular, cheerful, faithful, and loving response to God’s great love for us…
– Professor Thomas A. Rohm
