Giving Back to God

Giving is returning to God a portion of what is already His.

Psalm 24:1 CSB

The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord;

Job 41:11b (CSB)

Everything under heaven belongs to me.

Giving is an act of worship.

Philippians 4:18 CSB

But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

2 Corinthians 8:9 CSB

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Our giving reveals our heart condition

Luke 16:10–13 CSB

Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Not giving is robbing God

Malachi 3:8–10 CSB

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

God blesses us in response to our giving

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 CSB

The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

Our giving should be cheerful.

Our giving should be regular.

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 CSB

Now about the collection for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.

Our giving should be sacrificial.

2 Corinthians 8:1–5 CSB

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia: During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord, they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.

2 Corinthians 8:8 CSB

I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

Practical Steps:

Give something

Practice percentage giving

Aim for the tithe (tenth)

Try to out give God