Right Motive For Righteous Actions - Helping Others (2)

Matthew 6:1–4 NKJV

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by 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.

7 principles to guide us in nonhypocritical giving

Giving from the heart is investing with God. Luke 6:38

Luke 6:38 NKJV

Give, and it will 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.”

Genuine giving is to be sacrificial (2 Samuel 24:24; Mark 12:41-44).

2 Samuel 24:24 NKJV

Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Mark 12:41–44 NKJV

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Responsibility for giving has no relationship to how much a person has (Luke 16:10).

Luke 16:10 NKJV

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

Material giving correlates to spiritual blessings (Luke 16:11-12).

Luke 16:11–12 NKJV

Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Giving is to be personally determined from a righteous and generous heart (2 Cor. 9:7; 2 Cor. 8:1-2).

2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 8:1–2 NKJV

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

We give in response to genuine need (2 Thess. 3:10).

2 Thessalonians 3:10 NKJV

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Giving demonstrates love, not law (not based on percentages).