Bible
Study - Are You Worshipping God In Spirit And In Truth?
Lesson 14
Our Giving
The way we give is
an indication of our love for God. All things belong to God.
God says in Psalms 50:10, "For
every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand
hills." Everything we have received has come from
God. God has only loaned them to us. John 3:27 says,
"A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to
him from above." We can never out-give God. In
Luke 6:38 we read, "Give and it
shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For
with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back
to you." We give so the Lord’s church can better
carry out its mission here on earth. The world must be evangelized,
and the church must be edified, and the needy must
be helped.
Giving is a command of God.
In 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 we read, "Now
concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given
orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also.
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something
aside, storing up as he may prosper that there be no collections
when I come." We see the giving here was to help
the poor saints in Jerusalem. Notice also they were to make
a regular collection every first day of the week.
Because of everything God
has given us, including His Son to die for us, we should be
anxious to give back to Him. In 2 Corinthians 8:12 we read,
"For if there is first a willing
mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according
to what he does not have." God expects us to give
what we are able to give. How can our love for God be
real unless it is expressed in our obedience and our giving?
Our giving is an expression of love, and act of praise, and
sacrifice to God.
How we give is an indication
of where our priorities are. Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21,
"Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where
thieves break in and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither moth and rust destroys and where
thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also." Where is your
heart?
Since we can’t out-give God,
we should at least be liberal in our giving. As we read in
2 Corinthians 9:6-7, "He who sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully
will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he
purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity;
for God loves a cheerful giver." Our giving
is to be planned. We should not give because we feel we have
to give. Nor should we resent that we need to give to please
God. We should be glad that we can give to the Lord.
We should never try to impress
other people with our giving. If we do we already have our
reward. Giving needs to be a private matter. We should not
seek recognition for the things we do. Jesus says in Matthew
6:1-4, "Take heed that you do
not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen of them.
Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore,
when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before
you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you,
they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father
who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."
We should seek the approval of God and not the glory of men.
Our giving should not only
include material possessions but we must first give ourselves
to God. We are told in Romans 12:1,
"I beseech you therefore, brethern, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
If we will first give ourselves to the Lord, we will have
no problem in being liberal in our giving. Our liberal giving
is part of worshipping God "in spirit and in truth."
Questions Lesson 14
Our Giving
(click on the button of the
answer of your choice)
1) (John 3:27) Everything we
have
We have obtained it ourselves without God’s help.
Some person has given it to us.
God has given to us.
2)
Nothing we have has come from God.
3) (Luke 6:38) When we
give
We will receive nothing in return from God.
We will receive from God much more than we gave.
We will receive very little from God.
4)
We can never out give God.
5) (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
Giving is
A command of God.
Something we can do if we want.
Not a command of God.
6)
The Lord's church is to make a regular collection every
first day of the week.
7) (2 Corinthians 8:12) When we
give
We should give grudgingly.
We should give because we have to give.
We should give willingly.
8)
God does not expect us to give as we have been prospered.
9) (Matthew 6:19-21) We
should lay up our treasures
In Heaven.
On the earth.
In the bank.
10)
If our treasure is in Heaven, our heart will be there
also.
11) (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
God loves
One who does not give.
One who gives grudgingly.
One who gives cheerfully.
12)
We should give grudgingly and because we have to.
13) (Matthew 6:1-4) How
should we do our charitable deeds?
To be seen of men.
For our own glory.
Not to be seen of men.
14)
We should give to impress people.
15) (Romans 12:1) What
should we do for God?
Nothing.
Give our bodies as a living sacrifice.
As little as we can.
16)
If we first give ourselves to God, we will have no
problem with giving liberally.
