One term that is used to describe how we should give
to support church work is the
term “liberal” or “liberality.” The word is used to describe giving generously
or freely in contrast to being stingy.One term that is used to describe how we should give
to support church work is the
term “liberal” or “liberality.” The word is used to describe giving generously
or freely in contrast to being stingy.Consider the Bible teaching about giving liberally or generously.
James 1:5, describing how God gives wisdom to those who ask for it, says God gives liberally to all men. The ESV says God gives generously.
Matthew 7:7-11 – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. God is generous or liberal in giving us the things we need when we ask Him.
Romans 8:32 – He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? The ultimate demonstration of God’s generosity is that He did not withhold even His own Son, but sent Jesus to die as the sacrifice for our sins. If God made such a generous gift, who can doubt that He will give us whatever we need?
So the question for us is how should we respond to God’s generosity? If we really appreciate what He has done, will we respond with stinginess and selfishness, or will we respond with liberality and generosity?
2 Corinthians 8:1,2 – The giving of the Macedonians abounded to riches of liberality (generosity – ESV).
Romans 12:8 – He who gives should do so with liberality.
Other people need the gospel preached to them so they can have forgiveness of their sins, a true relationship with God, and the hope of eternal life even as we have received because of God’s goodness.
When we truly and sincerely understand and appreciate the great sacrifice God has made to provide for our needs, how can we help but give generously and freely to support the work He has given us?
[2 Corinthians 9:11,13]
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2018; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.