The Grace of Giving

Q: What does the Bible say about the grace of giving?

The Bible teaches that giving is a grace bestowed upon believers, highlighting the importance of generosity driven by love and willingness. In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, the Apostle Paul demonstrates that the grace of giving is rooted in the love of Christ and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. He shares examples of the Macedonian churches, who, despite their poverty, overflowed in generosity toward others. The essence of this grace is that giving is not merely an obligation or duty but a heartfelt response to God's own generosity, as seen in Christ's love for us. Paul encourages believers to give, not out of compulsion, but from a willing heart, reflecting their understanding of God's grace in their lives.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of cheerful giving is true?

The doctrine of cheerful giving is supported by Scripture, which emphasizes that God loves a cheerful giver and that giving should come from the heart. The New Testament teaches that giving should be voluntary and expressed joyfully. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul states, 'Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.' This principle is rooted in the understanding that our gifts reflect our relationship with Christ and our appreciation for His grace. The joyful act of giving comes from recognizing what we have received in Christ, thus impacting how we respond to the needs of others. The Apostle further links the act of giving to the provision of God's grace, assuring that generosity leads to blessings for both the giver and the receiver.

Q: Why is the grace of giving important for Christians?

The grace of giving is essential for Christians as it reflects the heart of God and the nature of our relationship with Him. The grace of giving is crucial for Christians because it exemplifies Christ’s love and generosity towards us. According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:9, 'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.' This encapsulates the idea that believers are called to mirror the selflessness of Christ in their lives. Additionally, giving fosters a communal spirit within the church as members support one another, fulfilling the command to love one's neighbor. The grace of giving not only meets practical needs but also brings glory to God, as expressed in 2 Corinthians 9:12-13, where generosity leads to thanksgivings being offered to God.

Q: What are the motivations for giving according to the Bible?

Biblical motivations for giving include love for others, the example of others, and the grace received from God. Paul outlines multiple motivations for giving throughout 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. First, giving is motivated by love; true love for others compels believers to share what they have with those in need. Secondly, the example set by other believers—like the Macedonian churches—serves as an inspiration and encouragement for Christians to be generous, even in difficult circumstances. Lastly, the overwhelming grace of God, particularly as seen in the sacrifice of Jesus, is to be the foundational motivation for our giving. Understanding how much we have received sparks a desire to give out of gratitude and a joyful spirit, thus fulfilling the command to bear one another’s burdens.

Our Lord said it's more blessed
to give than to receive. And I know this might enter your
mind. It did mine when I felt impressed
to bring this message. Pastor, why would you bring a
message on this subject at this particular time? This church,
1992, has just experienced its most generous year in all
of its history. By a large sum, the offerings
and gifts this past year were higher than they've ever been
before. Almost a half a million dollars has gone through this
church to preach the gospel by tape and television and books
and missionaries and other ways. Why would you bring a message
on giving at this time? This is the time to bring it.
Don't wait until things are not good and rebuke people and maybe
cause them to give because they feel compelled to, but bring
the message at this time. And then perhaps when the sparse
days or days of famine come upon us, we'll remember the message.
And we won't feel like the pastor is rebuking and reproving us. But let's look at 2 Corinthians
chapter 8. And just begin with verse 1.
And let me go down through here and comment on these verses.
You're going to be blessed by this. I just know you are. Paul
says, in chapter 8, verse 1, "...Moreover, brethren, we do
you to wit..." That word, to wit, is namely. Namely. In other words, I want to tell
you about something. Namely, I want to tell you of
the grace of God which has been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. Who are these churches of Macedonia?
Well, Philippi, Thessalonica, And I want to tell you, Paul
said, about the grace and favor and blessings which God has bestowed
on these churches, arousing in them a great love for others,
causing them to love others, to be concerned for others, to
care for others. And God has blessed them, giving
them the desire to give, to give to those in need. That's what
I'm talking about. How that, verse 2, although these
churches were under great trial and persecution from Jews and
pagans, how that in a great trial of affliction, great trial of
affliction, they were poor people, they didn't have a great deal.
But these people, even in a great trial of affliction, of the abundance
of their joy and their deep poverty, abounded under the riches of
their liberality. In other words, although they
were under great trial and persecution, although they were not a wealthy
people, they were a poor people, know something about poverty,
this didn't prevent them from taking up a collection and helping
other churches that were in need. They didn't have much, and they
were under great affliction. but they felt impressed to help
somebody else. Then verse 3, how that it to
their power, that is to their, write down the word ability there.
Three things Paul points out in this verse, they gave according
to their ability, to their power or according to their ability.
I bear record, yea, they not only gave according to their
ability, they gave beyond their ability. They gave sacrificially,
and they gave willingly. They gave according to their
ability. They gave beyond their ability. And they gave not out of fear,
not out of duty, not in order to gain a reward. They gave because
they wanted to. That's what motivated their giving.
They wanted to give. And verse 4 says, they brought
their gifts to us and begged us to take the responsibility
of distributing these gifts to those who had need. Listen to
it. They gave to their ability, beyond their ability, willingly,
asking us, praying us with much entreaty that we, the apostles,
would receive the gift, the collection, the offering, and take upon us the fellowship
of ministering to the saints. That's what many of you do here.
You bring your gifts to the church and you bring your gifts here
to these elders and this pastor and you say, now you know where
the need is, you know where the money ought to be placed. I don't
know, you know. So you send it and you give it.
You take that responsibility. You take that responsibility.
And that's what they're saying here. According to their ability,
even beyond their ability, willingly, they gave us this gift that they
took up, this collection. They gave it to us and they said,
receive it and take upon you that responsibility, that fellowship
of ministering to the saints. In verse 5, he said, this we
did. This we did. And this they did. This they
did, this we did, this they did. Not as we hoped. In other words,
Paul said, I expected them to give. I expected them to give. I expected them to be generous.
But listen, he said, first they gave their own selves to the
Lord and unto us by the will of God. everything. They gave themselves to the Lord
and themselves unto us by the will of God, insomuch," now listen
to this, "...insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had
begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace." In other
words, Titus had been down to the, this letter is to the church
at Carlin. That's the church Paul's writing
to at Carlin. And Titus, Paul preached there
18 months, a year and a half, and Titus had been down to preach
for him. And now Paul's writing this second official to him,
and he's saying, I want to tell you about these people in Macedonia,
these people in Thessalonica, and these people in Berea, these
people in Philippi, how God's blessed them. their generosity,
their liberality, their concern for other people. Now he said,
I'm going to send Titus. I desired Titus that he'd go
down to you. And what he began some time ago,
he began to teach you about giving, the grace of giving. And I want
him to come down there and finish in you that same grace. See what
he's talking about there? I want him to come down and teach
you. this same grace of giving. In
order that, verse 7, that therefore as you abound in everything,
this church at Corinth was a great church. It was a church that
excelled in gifts and excelled in grace. It was a strong church.
It had troubles, but it was a strong church. And he said as you abound,
what does the word abound mean? It overflows. The Scripture uses this word
as sin did abound, a lot of it. Grace did much more abound. And
he said to this church at Corinth, I'm going to send Titus down
there. He's been teaching you about giving. I want him to come
and finish this teaching, lead you into this grace. For as you
abound in faith, these people at Corinth believe God, they
believe the gospel, and utterance, They were good preachers. They
preached. Many of them preached the gospel. Some of them preached
in other languages, utterance, and in knowledge. This church
at Corinth had a knowledge of the doctrines. They knew the
doctrines. They knew total depravity and
unconditional election, sovereignty of God, particular addiction,
effectual call, perseverance, justification, sanctification.
They had knowledge. And in diligence, they were a
diligent people, hard-working people, faithful people, loyal
people. And in love, as you are bound in love to us,
you love the pastors and preachers and missionaries. What's this? See that you are bound in this
grace also. What grace? What grace are we
talking about? The grace of giving. This is what he's saying, I want
to tell you about these churches where I've been ministering. Thessalonica, Philippi, Macedonia,
Berea. How they give, how they love
other people, how they care for other people. They've given according
to their ability and beyond their ability, willingly just giving
us gifts and saying, help the other churches, help the other
churches, take this. Now I want Titus to come down
there. And I wanted to instruct you in the grace of giving, giving. You abound in these other things,
abound in this also. Become givers, givers. We're
not just talking about money here. We're talking about giving
of yourself and of your time and of your care and of your
concern and just givers. Now what's it? Verse 8. This
is so important right here. I speak not by commandment. A
preacher, why doesn't Paul and why don't you and other preachers
tell us what to give? Just come on, do like they did
back in the Old Testament under the law. Say ten percent, just
say ten percent or twelve percent or whatever, just give us an
amount, we'll give it and be done with it and that'll be it. No, I tell you this, Paul says,
I'm not commanding you how much to give or when to give. or even
to give, that takes the very heart and joy and glory out of
giving. When you tell somebody how much
to give or what to give, that takes, that, that's true of anything
spiritual. That's true of prayer. You don't
tell people to pray every morning, pray every evening. That's not
the way prayer is motivated. If you don't have faith, read
the Bible, read it, certain verses every day. Takes the joy out
of it, takes the glory out of it. What spirituality is being
motivated from the heart out of love and grace? Being motivated to do something. You see, my willingness, Am I
wanting to? Am I desiring to? That's the
reason that nowhere in the Scriptures, in Christ, in the covenant of
mercy, do we have rules and regulations and laws laid down concerning
praying or studying or reading or giving or forgiving. These
things must come from the heart or God won't have anything to
do with it. It's got to be done because I want to. That's the
reason I don't preach tithing. That's the reason we don't pass
out pledge cards. That's the reason we don't tell
people what to give. It has to be motivated from the
heart. Let me show you something. Turn
to Acts 5. Acts 5. Acts 5, verses 3 and
4. You see, if I give because I have to, I can't be blessed. God can't honor it. If I pray
because I have to. You know, when Ananias came and
brought that money, Peter said to him, Ananias Acts chapter
5 verse 3, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy
Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While
it remained, was it not your own? After you sold it, was it
not in your own power? It belonged to you. We never
told you to do this. God never commanded you to do
this. It's your house. You sold it. It's your land.
You sold it. It's your money. Do with it what
you want to. Why have you conceived this thing
in your heart and lied, not unto men, but unto God? You see, God
doesn't command times of giving, amounts of giving to His covenant
people, but believers are motivated by these three things here. Now
watch. Verse 8, I'm not commanding you what to give, or when to
give, or how much to give. But, number one, by the occasion
of the forwardness of others. In other words, by the example
of other believers. Our Lord used example. He stood
one day by the treasurer when the people came by giving. They
all brought things. Finally, a widow came by. Remember? And put in two mites. Whatever
she gave, the widow's mites, whatever, put in two pennies.
And our Lord turned to His disciples and He said, She has given more
than all of them. They gave out of their abundance.
She gave all she had. He used that example. And that's
what Paul is saying. I want you to look at the example
of Abraham who gave. He told Lot, said, You take your
choice. I've lifted my hand to God. He'll supply my need. He
goes through the whole Scripture and gives you the example of
others. And here he's saying to the church in Corinth, look
at these churches in Macedonia. Out of their poverty and their
trial, look how they're giving. They're giving, and God's blessing
them. God's blessing them. And I say
that when I go to other churches. I say, look at those 13 straight
people. Look how they give. Look how generous they are. And
God's blessed them. He just blessed them. You can't
out-give God. And so, when you preach this
grace of giving, your Dr. Paul here, you say, I'm not going
to tell you what to give or force you to give or anything. I'm
just saying, look how God's blessed people that do give. Secondly, to prove the sincerity
of your love. You know, if you love somebody, what you
have is theirs. That's just all there is to it,
if you love them. If you love them, what you have is theirs.
It just grieves your heart to see them doing without. And you
have two coats and your brother doesn't have one, you just got
to take it off. You just got to, you love him.
And I'm saying, Paul's saying, here are people who don't give,
don't love. That proves the sincerity of
your love, your generosity, kindness. How can you turn your back on
someone whom you love when they're need and need? And then here's
the third and the greatest reason for giving. You know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ and giving is a grace. You see back here in verse 7,
he talked about faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, love. Those are all graces. Giving
is too. Isn't that right, sisters? Giving is a grace. And here the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He were rich, He was rich
in all things, glory and heaven and everything, yet, for your
sake, He became poor, that through His poverty, you might be rich. Brother Jim just stood up there
talking about what God's done for us. How thankful we ought
to be. I'm more aware of that every
day, aren't you? How God's blessed us. And here's
the reason. Christ became poor, that through
you, through His poverty, you might be rich. Those are the
three motivations about this business of giving. The forwardness
of others whom God has blessed through the years. They've shown
us the grace of giving. Secondly, to prove the sincerity
of my love. And thirdly, how can I, who am
loved so much by Christ, not love, How can I, who have received
so much, not give? What I have, God gave me. Everything
I have, God gave. I'm a beggar. Cecil uses this
a lot. I'm a mercy beggar, aren't you?
How can a mercy beggar not be merciful? That's not consistent,
is it? How can one whom God has loved
so much not love? How can one who has received
everything free from the hand of God not give? It's not mine,
it's His. How can one who's been forgiven
so many, many, many, many, many times not forgive others? How
can I? How can I? Well, it seemed like
this church at Corinth had dealt with this business of giving
a year ago. Listen to verse 10. So I give my advice. For this
is expedient for you who have begun before, not only to do
it, but also to be forward a year ago." We talked about this, he
said, a year ago. We talked about giving a year
ago. We talked about helping others
and the ministry a year ago. You know, oftentimes I run into
preachers who say, well, we're going to start helping the missionaries
one of these days. Every time I go, they're still
saying the same thing. We're going to help the missionaries.
We're going to help out Brother Ken and Brother Milton and Walter
and Brother Bill Clark. We're going to help one of these
days. Paul said, you've been talking about this a year now.
Look at verse 11. Now therefore perform the doing
of it. You know what he's saying? Now
get with it. Get with it. Now do it. Words and intentions
are good. Willingness is good, but talk
is cheap. That's what he's saying, verse
11. Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was
a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out
of that which you have. Do what must be done. And what
does he say, out of that which you have? Not what you don't
have. You can't give what you don't have. And don't ever sign a pledge
card. Don't ever under any circumstances sign a pledge card. And don't
pay attention to any preacher at hand you want. The Lord Jesus
Christ commands us to give or tells us to give out of what
we have, not what we don't have. Now here's the key here, verse
12. For if there be first, what?
A willing mind. That's where it starts. In the
matter of giving or praying or whatever, it has no blessing,
no acceptance unless it comes from a willing heart and a willing
mind. There must be first a willing
mind. It is accepted according to that
a man hath, not according to that he hath not. You see, a person's gift is determined
by what he has, not what he doesn't have. Scripture tells us to give
as God has prospered us. And I tell you this, a person's giving ought to be
determined by his ability to give. And I know there's sacrificial
gifts beyond, but it starts with ability, the ability to give. All right, look at verse 13 and
14. Now then, I mean not that other
men be eased and you burdened. This is something everybody does,
boys and girls. Give, share. You say, well, I
don't have much. Well, give what you have. Give
what you have. I don't mean that some men be
eased and others burdened, but by an equality. that now at this
time your abundance may be a supply for their want, for their need,
that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that
there may be an equality. In other words, we help those
in need and we're helped by the other churches. We work together. As it is written, now what says?
He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered
little had no lack." Where does that come from? Well, let's turn
back over here to Exodus 16, talking about the manner, the
manner that God sent. Exodus chapter 16, it fell upon
the ground. It says here that verse 17 and
18. And the children of Israel did
so and gathered some more and some less. And when they did
meet it with an over, he that had gathered much had nothing
over, and he that gathered little had no lack. They gathered every
man according to his eating. And that's what he's saying here
about our giving and equality of giving and equality of sending
the gifts out, taking care of everybody as they have need. Now let's look at verse 16. But
thanks be unto God, which put the same earnest care into the
heart of Titus, for indeed he accepted the exhortation. Paul
said this, he requested that Titus go down to Corinth and
minister to them and teach them and assist them in the matter
of giving, but God had already laid it on Titus' heart. He made
the journey at the suggestion of Paul, but he did it willingly
because he already wanted to go. That's what he's saying here
in verse 16 and 17. Indeed, he accepted my exhortation,
but being more forward of his own accord, he went to you. He
felt this burden also. Now then, here's something that's
very important here in verse 18, 19, 20, and 21 about handling the gifts that are given to the
church. And I want everybody here to
listen very carefully here. I want the preachers in the congregation
to listen and the elders. And everybody listen very carefully.
Paul is an honest man in dealing with money. In other words, here's
the church. These churches have taken up money and They gave according to their
ability. They gave beyond their ability. Widows gave, and children
gave, and old people gave, and men with good jobs gave large
gifts. And here Paul has a large amount
of money, and probably food, and clothing, and all these things,
probably thousands of dollars in our county. And they trust
him. They trust him. A lot of these preachers today
can't trust. We already proved that on television. But they
trusted Paul. And yet, and Paul is honest,
he wouldn't, just like this group here, this preacher and this
secretary and this treasurer and assistant treasurer, we wouldn't
misuse what you give. Oh, just not for anything in
the world would we misuse it, would we abuse it, would we spend
it on ourselves And what Paul is saying here in these next
verses, I want you to listen to it. He says, I'm careful,
I'm careful, but I always designate somebody else to work with me
on this. I'm not going to do this by myself,
lest I put a question mark before me. I don't want anybody to even
suspect. Not even the bird to fly through
their brains that we are misusing what God sent. Now you listen
to it. And we have sent with Titus the brother. Now he never
names him. He also mentions him in another
place in chapter 12, verse 18. This same brother he is going
to send with Titus, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all
the churches. I've got another brother with
me. There's me and there's Titus and another brother who is loved
and respected and trusted in all the churches. And not only
that, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with
us with all this grace, this money, this offering, which is
administered by us to the glory of the same Lord. I'm taking
this money to the missionaries and to other churches and the
declaration of your ready mind. Avoiding this, that no man should
blame us in this abundance which is administered by us. I don't
want anybody to get the idea and blame us with misusing this
fund. Paul said don't do it because,
verse 21, I provide for honest things not only in God's sight,
but in the sight of men. Not only in God's sight. but
in the sight of men. You know, when he came to Carlin,
he wouldn't take any salary from them. He worked making tents. Why? He didn't want anybody anywhere
to think that he was in the ministry for gain, or for money, or for
filthy lucre. And that's the reason, and I
say this to the preachers, you men who may pastor a church someday,
and I say this to any preacher listening to my voice on this
tape, don't you ever as a minister of the gospel, pastor of a church,
ever count the money, or sign a check, or deposit the money,
or carry it around with you. That's right. Don't do it. Paul
wouldn't do it. Who's more honest than the Apostle
Paul? But he said, I'm going to provide
things honest before God, not only before God, but before men.
Don't let your wife count the money. or sign a check, or read
the recording secretary's books you keep. The pastor just must
not, and you men too, that's the reason we have three or four
men to count the money, not one man. You say, don't trust each
other? Oh yes, with my life I trust
you. But you don't put yourself in
a position to be questioned. Don't ever do it. That's the
reason the brother Russell's got an assistant treasurer and
another assistant treasurer. That's the reason two names must
be on every check. Why? Because we don't trust them.
Paul said that's got nothing to do with it. It's providing
things honest in the sight of men, in the sight of this world.
That's the reason we give you this financial report. We want
to be accounted for. Not because we do anything dishonest. Isn't that what he's saying here?
He said, I'm honest before God, but it's not just before God
that I stand. It's before you. And I wouldn't
have a cloud enter your mind. Not a cloud. That's what he's
saying here. Now, preachers and elders and all who deal with
financial matters of the church, always let it be with several,
not one. Not one. All right, verse 22,
and we've sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes
proved diligent in many things, that I am much more diligent
upon the great confidence which I have in you, or he hath in
you. Whether any do inquire of Titus,
he's my partner. and my fellow helper concerning
you. Or our brethren, be inquired
of, they're the messengers of the churches and the glory of
Christ. We are together." This isn't
my ministry, this is his ministry. This is our ministry. And I'll
tell you, it's like when I write in the bulletin about, I said, according to reports
from Australia, the translating and printing of, I didn't say
my commendaries, Our commentaries. That's on purpose, Richard. It's
not my commentaries, it's our commentaries. She typed them,
corrected my mistakes. They printed them, you paid for
them. That's what Paul is saying here. We're ministers of the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ together. Together. That's what it is. My fellow helper, my brethren,
messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ, wherefore
show ye to them and before the churches the proof of your love.
Show these brethren when they come your way. When old Titus
comes down there and these other brothers I'm sending, show these
churches the reality of your love and you show them that I
told the truth about you. My boasting on your behalf. He
said, when Titus comes down there to take up your offering, and
these other brethren, he said, I bragged on you and bragged
on you. Don't make a liar out of me, he said. That's what said
that last line. Show the sincerity of your love
and the proof of my bragging. Now then, I've got a couple of minutes.
You're going to read chapter 9, so what I'm going to do, if
you'll allow me, I'm just going to get you started on chapter
9. These two chapters, Deal with the grace of giving. The grace
of giving. I want to be a giver. I want
to be a believer. I want to love, walk with God,
and I want to be a giver. I want God to give to me so I
can give. I want to give so He'll give to me. Full measure, pressed
down, running over. I want to be like my Lord, don't
you? And that's if you'll study these
verses in these two chapters, it's got everything you need.
It gets you started on chapter 9, as touching the ministering
to the saints. It's superfluous for us to write
to you. In other words, you know what
he's saying to Corinth? It's not necessary and needful, because
you already know how to give. Isn't that what he's saying?
But read on. I know the forwardness of your
mind. I know your generosity. I boast of you to them of Macedonia
and Archaea. That Achaia was ready, I boast
of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year
ago, and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I sent the
brethren, yet I've sent the brethren. I know human nature. That's what,
you know what he's saying? I know brethren, there's no use
in me telling you to forgive, love, and to give, but I know
human nature. And I know human nature needs
to constantly be reminded. Isn't that right? Constantly
be taught. It just needs to be. That's what
he said. And I know human nature. Listen, verse 3. Lest my boasting
of you shall be in vain in this behavior, that as I said, you
may be ready. In other words, when these brethren
come, you be ready. You be ready. lest happily if
they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, we,
it is not the only to say me, but you too will be ashamed,
will be embarrassed in this same confident boasting. They come
down there and find you not doing what I said you do, I'd be embarrassed
and you would be too. Therefore I thought it necessary
to exhort the brethren that they would go before to you and make
up beforehand your bounty, your offering, whereof You had noticed
before that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty and
not of covetousness. In other words, if you give it
before I get there, it'll be out of your heart, not because
I tell you to. Now verse 6, this I say to you,
he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly. Where'd that
come from? That's the farmer. If a farmer sows just a few seed,
that's what he'll reap. If he sows abundantly and bountifully,
Reap a whole lot. And he that giveth sparingly,
or soweth sparingly, will reap sparingly. And he that soweth
bountifully, shall reap bountifully. But every man... Now watch this.
This is the verse anytime anybody asks me, don't you believe that
the New Testament teaches tithing? No. Never. Never. We're not commanded anywhere
in the New Testament to give ten percent. Never. Never. Every man according as he purposes
in his heart. Now if it's required 10%, what
am I doing purposing in my heart? I got no purpose to purpose.
I just pay my tenants. That's a tax. Pay it and get
on with it. No. Every time I give, I am to purpose
in my heart. Got to be start here of a willing
spirit, out of love, because I want to, I give what I want
to, not what somebody tells me, not out of fear, not out of duty,
not for reward, not because I have to. I want to. Let him purpose
in his heart. Now watch it. So let him give,
for no other reason. Not grudgingly. Well, I don't
want to. Then don't. Not a necessity. And in us, it's yours. Keep it. It's mine. I don't have to give
it. God loveth a hilarious giver, a cheerful giver. I want to give. I want to give. A friend of mine has got
a box at the back of his church. They don't pass the place like
we do, but it's all right. That's fine. That's fine. meeting going on, a friend of
mine was there, and he went to the pastor, he said, where does
a fellow give around here? He said, you haven't passed the
plate, you haven't asked for a dime, I want to give! That
is what this is talking about. That's what it's talking about.
I want to give. I want to help. In verse 8, God
is able to make all grace abound toward you, you don't lose by
giving. No, sir, just like a farmer doesn't
lose by planting. He loses when he doesn't plant.
That's when you lose. God will enable you that you
always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound unto
every good work. He'll fill your barns if you
want to give. As it is written, He hath dispersed
abroad, He hath given to the poor, His righteousness remaineth
ever. That's Psalm 112. And verse 10 says, he that ministereth
seed to the sower, who's that? That's God. Both ministereth
bread for your food, multiply your seed sown, increase the
fruits of your righteousness, being enriched in all bountifulness
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. Now let me, I want to
read the last four. For the administration of this
service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but is abundant
also by many thanksgivings unto God." The two things that are
fulfilled in our giving and helping one another is we meet one another's
needs by God's grace and it brings glory to God. While by the experiment
of the ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection
unto the gospel of Christ, for your liberal distribution unto
them and to all men, by their prayer for you, which long after
you for the exceeding grace of God in you." But here's where
it all comes down to. This is what it comes down to.
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. That's our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the gift of gifts, the
inspiration of all giving. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable
gifts. that ye abound in this grace
also, the grace of giving. May God bless that to your heart.
Let's turn in our hymn books now to number 118. When I survey the wondrous cross,
page 118.

The Grace of Giving

What does the Bible say about the grace of giving?

How do we know the doctrine of cheerful giving is true?

Why is the grace of giving important for Christians?

What are the motivations for giving according to the Bible?

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The Grace of Giving

What does the Bible say about the grace of giving?

How do we know the doctrine of cheerful giving is true?

Why is the grace of giving important for Christians?

What are the motivations for giving according to the Bible?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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