Spiritual Stability through Generosity

Turn with me to the fourth chapter of the book of Philippians. We are bringing our study of this great letter to a conclusion. Though it is not a text about thanksgiving, it is a text about giving.

In verses 15-19 we will see Paul commending the Philippian believers for their generous gift that they had sent to Paul. In these verses we will notice several observations concerning Christian giving and how spiritual stability is achieved through giving. The first observation is found in the first part of verse fifteen where we see the purpose for Christian giving is the gospel.

I. The purpose for Christian giving is the gospel.

Philippians 4:15 “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.”

Notice the first part of verse fifteen, “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel” When Paul talks about the “beginning of the gospel” he is looking back some ten years back when he stepped out of the boat in Macedonia and made his way to the city of Philippi. It was there that he met a woman by the name of Lydia. Paul shared the gospel with Lydia and the Lord opened her heart and she was saved. That was the beginning of the gospel in Philippi, but it did not stop there. For we are told Paul and Silas got in trouble and were thrown into prison. It was in the Philippian prison that Paul and Silas were able to lead the Prison guard and his family to Christ.

When the gospel came to Philippi, the Philippian believers entered into a partnership with Paul, a partnership in the gospel ministry. This is true of all Christians. When you come to Christ you enter into a partnership with other believers, a partnership in the gospel ministry.

For ten years the Philippian believers were partnering with Paul for the sake of the gospel with their time, with their talents, and with their treasures. They gave of their possessions for the purpose of the gospel.

When the Philippians gave to Paul the recognized they were giving to more than just a man. They understood they understood that they were giving to the mission of spreading the gospel of hope to a hopeless world.

Giving for the purpose of the gospel encompasses more than just spreading the gospel. Giving to the gospel includes ministering to the body of Christ. It also includes ministering to those outside the body of Christ.

When you give to the church you need to know that you give for the purpose of the gospel. Next we see that the key principle is giving and receiving.

II. The key principle for generosity is understanding giving and receiving

Philippians 4:15 “15And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.”

The principle that we are to follow is the principle of giving and receiving. The Philippian believers followed this principle. In fact, Paul says that they were the only church that shared with him concerning giving and receiving. In we are going to follow this principle then we must understand what Paul means when he speaks of giving and receiving.

The words we translate “giving” and “receiving” are rare words in the New Testament. The word “giving” is used one other time in the New Testament. The word “receiving” only here. When you find these words used outside Biblical literature you find them used as business terms or accounting terms. You could translate these words “credit” and “debit.” Paul may have used these words to help the readers understand their giving for Paul will use another accounting term in verse seventeen. But the use of these words does not give us the full understanding of the principle of giving and receiving. The principle of giving and receiving is best understood when we observe the word “partnership”

The Greek word used here is “Koneneo,” which is the same root from which we get the Greek word “Kononia.” “Koneneo” is used eight times in the New Testament. When we look at some of the other places that “Koneneo” is used we begin to understand this principle of giving and receiving.

There are three other places that the verb “kononeo” us used that will help us understand this principle to follow. The first place that it is used that sheds light on our understanding is found in Romans 12:13 “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Here we are commanded to contribute or distribute to the needs of the saints.

It says in Romans 15:27 “For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.” This verse speaks of the Gentiles sharing in the spiritual blessings of Israel. If you look closely you will see that because Gentiles have received or shared in the spiritual blessings of Israel that we are indebted to minister with our material blessings.

Turn with me now to the Galatians 6:6 “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” Again, we see that giving is based upon what we have received. In this context it is the receiving the teaching of God’s word.

We can conclude that when Paul speaks of giving and receiving he speaks of our motive for giving. We give to the cause of the gospel on account of what we have already received from the gospel. Our giving should be motivated by what we have already received, not what we will receive.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9 Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” This is what we have recieved in Jesus.

Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we have become rich. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. We have been blessed through the grace of or Lord Jesus with an inheritance that is death proof, sin proof, and time proof. We have been blessed through Christ’s grace with a new kingdom, the kingdom of light instead of the kingdom of darkness. We have been blessed with a new family. The motive that we should have for giving to the gospel is that we have received so much from the Lord we should in turn give back to him for what he has already given us.

This principle of giving and receiving goes against a great deal of what you see on television. The television preachers tell you to give so that you will get something back. They tell you to give so that your debt will be canceled. That is not the biblical motive for giving. We give not to have our debt canceled, but because our debt has been canceled in Jesus. Christ has paid the debt of sin, death and judgment, he paid it all and all to him I owe. As give to the gospel, others are able to receive the same grace that we have received and are receiving. When we give to the gospel because we have received from the gospel, God blesses. God blesses when we give for the purpose of the gospel.

III. God blesses when we give for the purpose of the gospel

We see the blessing described in Philippians 4:16-18 “16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” ,

Paul reveals three blessings that take place when we follow the model of Christian giving that he just described in the previous verses. The first blessing is eternal.

a. Eternal Blessings

Notice what Paul seeks in Philippians 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” , Paul was not looking to bring blessing upon himself. Instead he wanted to bring eternal blessing that would benefit the ones giving the gift.

The word fruit is synonymous with good works or obedience. You could translate this verse “I seek the good work that abounds to your account,” or “I seek the obedience that abounds to your account.”

Paul saw the generosity of the Philippians as an outworking of God’s work of salvation in their lives. That is why Paul said in verse six of chapter one, “Being confident of this that he who began the good work in you will continue that work until the day of Christ Jesus.”

As the Philippians worked out their salvation in the area of Christian giving their obedience was being credited to their account. Paul has in mind here future blessing when he speaks of their account. One day the Lord is going to judge our works, and the works that are a result of our salvation will bring us reward. When we follow the model for Christian giving we produce eternal blessing for ourselves. The second blessing produced is what I call immediate blessings.

b. Immediate Blessing

In the first part of verse eighteen Paul writes Philippians 4:18 “I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied,” When we give to the cause of the gospel, we will in turn bring immediate blessings to those who will receive from our gift. Paul is making a declaration of a blessing that he has received on account of the Philippians giving to the cause of the gospel.

When you see people being baptized in this baptistery you are seeing immediate blessings because a person has come to Christ. When you see a person growing in Christ you see the immediate blessings. The third blessing is a divine blessing.

c. Divine Blessing

Notice how Paul describes the gift that he received in Philippians 4:18 “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” ,

Though the Philippians were giving to Paul and his ministry, Paul wanted them to know that ultimately they were giving to God. Their giving was a fragrant aroma, and acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to the Lord. When we give accordingly we bless God. We please god. When we give to the gospel because we have received from the gospel on a consistent basis, God is blessed. The final thing we notice about spiritual stability through giving is the promise of Christian giving.

IV. God promises to provide all our needs when we give for the purpose of the gospel.

Verse nineteen is another promise that God gives to his people, Philippians 4:19 “19And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” It’s a limitless promise

a. Limitless

Paul says, “And my God will supply every need of yours ” He uses the word “every” when he refers to God’s provision. This suggests that the Lord’s provision is a limitless provision.

To further understand the limitlessness of this promise we must observe the word translated “supply.” This same word is used in verse eighteen and is translated “amply supplied” or “full.” You can translate verse nineteen, “My God will amply supply or fill all your needs.” We need to be very cautious as we interpret this verse. It is very true that God will provide all our needs, but we are not the best judges of what we need. It does not say God will supply all our luxuries, but all our needs.

We must remember that God is the best authority on knowing what you and I need. What you and I think we need is always what God thinks we need.

This great promise is limitless, but it is also limited.

b. Limited

There are two limitations to this promise. The first limitation is found in the larger context in which this verse is found.

Paul is writing to a group of believers who were giving to the cause of the gospel. They were giving out of love for the Lord. They were giving because they had received so much from the grace of God. They were giving every opportunity they could.

Therefore, when Paul gives this promise he does so with the understanding that these people are faithfully giving to God. God will meet our needs as we give to him. As we minister for the sake of the gospel God ministers to us. We see this concept in the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

The Lord will supply your needs as you supply the needs for the ministry of the gospel. So many people say they can’t afford to give to the gospel, but the reality of this passage teaches us that we can’t afford not to give to the gospel. For as we give to the ministry of the gospel we can be assured that God will supply all our needs. In fact, it is only was we give to the ministry of the gospel that we an be assured that God will supply our needs.

Christians can limit the reality of this promise in their lives when they fail to give to the cause of the gospel. When you limit the reality of this promise in your life you will limit the blessings in store for you.

In a small church I pastured in Garland, Texas we found ourselves behind on our giving. So we decided to have “Catch up Sunday.” What we asked people to do was to give above their tithe or begin tithing. As God dealt with me on my gift, he told me that he wanted me to double my tithe. That night I went home and told Christy what God wanted us to do. This was one of those times where she really questioned my leadership. She knew and I knew that if we were going to double our tithe then we would have to make a lot of sacrifices in other areas of our budget.

The next day Christy got out the budget and started looking at the areas that we could sacrifice. When she finished the amount that we could sacrifice was the exact amount of our monthly tithe. That was God telling her to follow my leadership.

One of the areas that we had to sacrifice was in our grocery money. This meant that instead of spending a $100 dollars a week on groceries, we were only going to spend around thirty. This made grocery shopping very interesting.

But I am here to give a testimony about how my god supplied all our needs during time. It was amazing how many people gave us fruits and vegetables from their gardens. We had so much given to us that Christy had to freeze some.

There was one problem I thought I might have during this time, and it did. I ran out of deodorant and razors. I didn’t know exactly how I was going to make it four a whole month without these things. I was able to solve the deodorant problem. You know that they say, “Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.” Sure, I smelt like a woman for a month, but it was better than the alternative. This left me with the problem of a dull razor. Within a matter of days, I received in the mail a sample razor. God’s timing for sure.

But the most significant event during this time of sacrifice came on Catch Up Sunday. I went into my office at the church to find an envelope address to Christy and me. The individual wanted to give us some money. It was the exact amount of our tithe. I am here to tell you that when you give to the cause of the gospel you can be sure that God will give to your cause. He will supply all your needs and more.

The other limit to this promise is found in the promise. Paul says that God will supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The blessings of this promise are limited by the name of Christ Jesus. The only way the reality of this promise can be experienced is through the channel of Jesus Christ. This promise flows through Jesus Christ. Therefore, this promise is limited to those who are in Christ Jesus.

This promise is for those who have recognized their sinfulness, turned from their sinfulness and turned to Christ Jesus for salvation. Are you in Chris Jesus? Have you experienced the grace of God in Christ Jesus?