Many persons hearts are right, but they need to be educated in "this grace" of giving.
With few exceptions, those I have heard on the question did not teach, but indulged in fault-finding, abuse, begging, or driving. These methods repel and offend. Systematic beneficence should be taught as a privilege, duty, grace, and source of blessing, making it attractive like other parts of the Gospel.
Do not slander those who have riches. I have become tired and grieved, again and again, when hearing people misrepresent and abuse the rich in general, because of some miserly person they have known or read about. Among the noblest of earth are many who are rich. The rich are as generous as other people, but one stingy rich man will provoke more contempt and comment than ten men in ordinary circumstances that are as tight as the bark to a tree. A person does not need to be rich to be miserly.
I believe that wealthy men and women and people generally are much more generous now than in other days. Do not disparage the generous contributions of the wealthy by saying, "What is that to him!"
Some prate about what others should give and what they would give if they had the wealth of somebody else. Satan also was very generous with what did not belong to him as he said to Christ, "All this will I give Thee ( Matt 4:9 ). Be generous with your own.
To have riches is no sin. The Bible teaches us :
1. Righteousness tends to wealth and honor ( Prov 3:16 )
2. Poverty leads to more sin and crime than does wealth ( Prov 30:7-9 )
3. Christ promises and bestoys earthly treasures and other secondary blessings to those who "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." ( Matt 6:33; 1 Kings 3:12-13 )
4. Some of the best Bible characters were rich; such as Abraham, David, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat and Joseph ( Matt 27:57-60 )
5. The rich are directed how to use their money ( 1 Tim 6:17-19 )
6. Wealth properly earned and used is an honor to a person and a testimonial of worth ( Prov 10:4 )
With some the wallet is the last to be converted and the first to backslide, but those who truly honor God with their open wallets, God, according to promise, honors and prospers ( Prov 3:9-10 ).
Various questions about systematic-giving arise.
1. What proportion of our income should we give?
The Lord has appointed one-tenth as the minimum amount each one should give ( Lev 27:30-32 ). This law is not ceremonial, and so, like the law of the Sabbath, it remains uncancelled, and needed not to be re-enacted in the New Testament. Christ, however, sanctioned the law of giving a tenth, for when He was referring to tithes, etc., He said, "These ought ye to have done." ( Matt 23:23 )
If one-tenth were given under inferior light and privileges, surely we should not give less. If you are not giving one-tenth, ask, "Am I not robbing God?" Have you any warrant for fixing a less amount?
Sin costs more than one-tenth. You cannot afford not to give a tenth. Israel became bankrupt and captives because they withheld their tithes ( Mal 3:8-12 ). Would you rather have 90 per cent and God's approval than 99 per cent and run your own schedule?
Some say, "Give until you feel it." That is nonsense. Give systematically and you will enjoy it.
Do not ask, "How little can I give, but how much?" Ask not merely, "What should I give; but what should I retain?
Do not give by haphazard, or by impulse, or as others, or grudgingly; but give systematically, cheerfully and as you have prospered ( 2 Cor 4:7 ).
Do not try to excuse yourself from enjoying the privilege of giving systematically by saying, "I can't afford it," "Others don't do it," or, "I am always giving." Remember God is always blessing, and you should obey Him.
2. "If a person has no income, how much should he give?"
If one has no tithe to give he should recognize God by "freewill offerings."
3. After giving a tenth or more, we should recognize that which remains is the Lord's gift to us, to be held and used by us as His stewards according to His will. All of us should adopt a definite scale of "freewill offerings."
Riches properly used and distributed :
1. Exhibit grace ( 2 Cor 8:7-9 )
2. Draw us nearer to God ( 2 Chron 17:5-6 )
3. Make to us friends ( Luke 16:9 )
4. Are deposited in heaven ( 1 Tim 6:18-19 )
5. Ensure greater prosperity ( Mal 3:10; 2 Cor 9:6-11 0
6. Are pleasing to God ( Acts 10:4; Gen 28:22 )
7. Produce wealth of soul ( Prov 11:25 )
8. Impart special happiness. Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" ( Acts 20:35 ) Happiness is not secured so much by getting and having as by giving.
Riches unduly sought and hoarded :
1. Are uncertain and short-lived ( Prov 23:4-5 )
2. "Hurt" the owner ( Eccl )
3. Deceive ( Matt 13:22 )
4. Fill with pride ( Ezek 28:4-5 )
5. Become putrid and condemn the holder ( Jas v 1-3 )
6. Keep from becoming a Christian ( Mark 10:23-24 )
7. Lead to false trust ( 1 Tim 6:17 0
8. Bring Christ's pitying rebuke, "Thou fool" ( Lk 12:20-21 )
9. Ensure "destruction and perdition" ( 1 Tim 6:9 _
Our wallet, or our generosity is a gauge of our piety ( Lk 16:9-10 ). Our contributions are an index of our appreciation of the gospel of grace. All good and happy people give generously and find joy in doing so. Not to delight to give generously is to be out of harmony with nature, the Bible, the good of earth, angels and God.
1. Be generous to the poor. Many special promises and reasons encourage us to do this. Christ became poor for us. That which is given to the poor is loaned to the Lord ( Prov 19:17 ). Do not suppress compassion or simply express it by tears or good wishes ( 1 Jn 3:17 ). To the tears of a stingy man say "This enterprise cannot be run by water-power; money is needed." Tears and prayers have their place, but will not serve in lieu of money.
2. By precept and practice do your part towards giving your minister a generous support, that he may in turn, be just and generous. Do not be like the men who pray "Lord, keep our minister humble, and we will keep him poor."
3. Have your will made while in health, and change it as necessity may require. Persons neglecting to do this have often caused confusion, adminstering, lawsuits, heartache, loss and strife. Do not leave all your property to your family. Don't leave Christ and His Church out of your will. What is done for the Church and humanity, Christ considers as done for Himself ( Matt 25:40 ).
4. Be generous during all your life. Some we know and respect not only have generous bequests in their wills, but they also in life enjoy the happiness, honor and blessing of building, in whole or in part, hospitals, churches, and poorhouses, besides endowing colleges, supporting missions, helping the poor, educating the needy, and doing good generally.
Be your own executor and so distribute your surplus money while living. Would not this be infinitely better than to pile it up beyond all possible needs, and then sit on it till you fall off dead, and so deprive yourself of the happiness and reward of giving.
If you are wealthy scatter your property for the Lord while you can, for if you do not, your children and others will likely as is generally the case, scatter it for the devil.
Need I say, give generously? Your own better nature says give. The Bible, by its precepts, proverbs and promises says give. The example and honored names of the good and true say give. The life, death and dishonor of the selfish and stingy say give. Humanity, in our own and heathen lands, with its poverty, sickness, ignorance and sin, holds out beseeching hands and cries give. Jesus Christ our Saviour, by His incarnation and nativity, by His agony and bloody sweat, by His cross and passion, by His precious death and burial, by His glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, says Give! Give!! Give!!!
Brother Love
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