Home Giving
Faith full giving

Looking at four Scriptures

 Giving for the Christian is an act of faith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Give with real investment in mind. Take an interest in how well that money is working in God’s kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We want to honour God because we love Him.

Pity and duty?

Everywhere you turn people seem to be asking for money; charities appealing on TV, collection boxes at shop checkouts, good causes collecting door-to-door or in the street. They appeal to your pity to try to get you to empathise with victims and pester your sense of duty to a suffering world. But for a Christian the act of giving should begin with the giver not an appeal from, or on behalf of, those in need or want. For giving for the Christian is an act of faith. We are going to look at four scriptures which show this. I have picked out the specific phrases that I want to focus on but please look at the whole verse and context for yourselves.

Giving proves your faith

2 Corinthians ch9 v13 says, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves…” 

This verse is set in a couple of paragraphs of teaching by Paul on the subject of financial giving. I want us to see from this verse that giving is an outworking, or proof, of our faith. In the letter of the same name, James (chapter 2) makes the link between faith and what we do. Giving is part of what we do as Christians. Why? Because we are active in the world. We are partners with God in his work and we spend His money on His behalf in His world. Is your faith active in working with God? Then prove it by your giving.

Giving builds up your faith

Luke ch19 v26 informs us, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given…” 

This verse is part of a speech made by a character in a parable Jesus told. Jesus used parables to teach important points to his hearers. We can listen in all these years later and learn the same message. As it happens this parable is using the investment of money but the concept has a much broader application too. To everyone who has, more will be given. How does that work then? In the parable the characters are given some money before the giver goes away for a while. The recipients are to work that money well. Before he even starts, the giver knows who to trust the most money to and indeed he is proved right. The one who was given the most invests well and makes great profit. The one who was given least lives up to expectations and does nothing with the money. This is a building exercise. The one who does something with his money is more trustworthy next time to give an even greater amount to work with. It is the same with faith.

The Bible tells us that faith is a gift. It is not something that we work up once we decide to follow Christ. God gives it to us. How will we invest that gift? God wants, may I even say, expects us to make that gift work and grow. This parable from Luke that we have started with shows us that God will reward that investment. Do you want to see greater things happen in God’s kingdom? Then work that faith because that working, however small it may seem at first, will lead to bigger things. We are thinking about giving. Start giving—give some more because God promises growth. Don’t just give in a disinterested way to some far off charity. Give with real investment in mind. Take an interest in how well that money is working in God’s kingdom. Is it bringing real returns? Do you need to back it up with more? Do you need to follow that gift of money with action, with continuing prayer? Invest yourself with passion into your giving then it is a spiritual act, not a humanitarian one, and your faith will grow.

Giving exercises your faith

Proverbs ch3 v9 tells us to, “Honour the Lord with your wealth…” 

When I look up the word honour in the New Collins Concise English Dictionary there are many meanings. Some which apply in the context of the verse above are: to hold in respect. To show courteous behaviour towards. To worship. To confer a distinction upon. An outward sign of great respect, esteem. For those of us who are believers and who try to act in Gods will we are acting in faith when we do these things. But the verse tells us to do these things with our wealth. Does the way you spend and use your wealth honour God? Look at some of those dictionary definitions for honour, specifically thinking about money. Does the way you spend money show that you hold God in respect? Are your spending habits courteous to God? Do you worship—show the worth of—God with the way you use wealth? Do you confer distinction upon God with your income? Is the way you use money an outward sign of the great respect and esteem that you hold God in? Oooh, I know there is room for improvement in my life, have you seen some in yours?

When we honour God we are engaging in a faith activity. We want to honour God because we love Him. Honour God with your wealth and you are exercising that belief, that faith, every time you spend, save or invest.

We give to show that we believe God. He gives in return to show that we were right in that giving. 

Giving validates your faith

Luke ch6 v38 says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” 

In the first section above I said that giving proves our faith. It is an outworking sign that we believe in God. This verse also is a proof of our faith but from the other direction. It is a proof that our faith is valid because God in involved in our act of giving. We give to show that we believe God. He gives in return to show that we were right in that giving. We don’t give because we receive back—because actually with this motivation we don’t receive back as described in our Luke verse. It is when are generous “like God” that we move into this spiritual spilling over of God’s generosity. You give much because you know this is right and God says, “Yes” and in His excitement to encourage us, His generosity overflows as He shares with us in the joy of giving. We receive back blessing upon blessing. It is a case of, “You believe me first and then I will show you that you were right to have that faith”.

Give thanks today.

Christian giving is an act of faith. We grow, we learn, we are encouraged and we are strengthened when we dive in with our faith. Let us dive down deep.

(place holder)

Return to top       Return to Home Page

This article © Linda Faber 2006-2009.