Gospel Giving — “The Lord’s Offering”

“And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.”                                                       (Exodus 35:21)

When they were permitted to erect the Tabernacle, their God given picture of Christ and the salvation he would accomplish by his obedience unto death, the children of Israel gladly brought their gifts with willing hearts, acknowledging that the gifts they brought were gifts of God’s providing and gifts that belonged to him. The gifts all came from people with willing hearts, happy to give; from people who knew that what they brought to the Lord was not theirs, but his.

The gifts varied greatly: Gold and Oil, Silver and Spices, Precious Stones and Wool, Brass and Goats’ Hair, Wool and Linen, Dyes for Blue and Purple and Scarlet, and Onyx Stones. The poor gave what they had to give. The rich gave what they had to give. And the gifts of the poor were just as meaningful and just as useful as the gifts of the rich.

The Word of God supplies us with an abundance of instruction about this matter of giving. All of 1 Corinthians 9 and 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9 are taken up with this subject. Yet, there are no commands given to the people of God, anywhere in the New Testament, about how much we are to give, when we are give, or where we are to give. Tithing and all systems like it are totally foreign to the New Testament. Giving, like all other acts of worship, is an act of faith and grace. It must be free and voluntary, or it is unacceptable. However, there are some plain, simple guidelines laid down in the Scriptures for us to follow. Here are ten things revealed in the New Testament about giving.

1.    Our giving should be planned (2 Cor. 9:7).

2.    Our giving must be free, voluntary, unconstrained (2 Cor. 9:7).

3.    Our giving must be motivated by love and gratitude towards Christ (2 Cor. 8:7-9).

4.    Our giving must arise from a willing heart (2 Cor. 8:12).

5.    Every believer should give to the work of the gospel according to his personal ability (1 Cor. 16:2).

6.    Every believer should give a portion of his goods for the cause of Christ (1 Cor. 16:2).

7.    Our gifts for the gospel should be liberal and sacrificial (2 Cor. 9:5-6; Mark 12:41-44).

8.    We are to give as unto the Lord (Matt. 6:1-5).

9.    This kind of giving is well-pleasing to God (2 Cor. 9:7; Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:16).

10. If we are willing to give, God will supply us with the ability to give (2 Cor. 9:10: Luke 6:38; Phil. 4:19).

Don Fortner

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