Lesson 37 Explore 2: What Does the Bible Say About Giving? Bible Verses About Giving
What Does the Bible Say About Giving?
The Bible’s answer
The Bible encourages giving that is done voluntarily and with the right motive. It shows that such giving benefits not only the recipient but also the giver.
(Proverbs 11.25: The generous person will prosper, And whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.)
(Luke 6.38: Practice giving, and people will give to you. They will pour into your laps a fine measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing. For with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you in return.”)
Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”
(Acts 20.35: I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way, you must assist those who are weak and must keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said: ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’”)
• When is giving beneficial?
• When is giving improper?
• Bible verses about giving
When is giving beneficial?
Giving is beneficial when it is done voluntarily. “Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart,” says the Bible, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” footnote.
(2 Corinthians 9.7: Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)
Heartfelt giving is part of “the form of religion” that God approves. footnote)
(James 1.27: The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.)
A person who generously helps those in need works hand in hand with God, who views such generosity as a loan made to him.
(Proverbs 19.17: The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, And He will repay him for what he does.)
The Bible teaches that God himself will repay the giver.-
(Luke 14.12-14: Next he said also to the man who had invited him: “When you spread a dinner or an evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors. Otherwise, they might also invite you in return, and it would become a repayment to you. But when you spread a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.”)
When is giving improper?
If it is done with ulterior motives. Examples include:
• To impress people.-
(Matthew 6.2: So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.)
• To receive something in return.-
(Luke 14.12-14: Next he said also to the man who had invited him: “When you spread a dinner or an evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors. Otherwise, they might also invite you in return, and it would become a repayment to you. But when you spread a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.”)
• To try to buy salvation.-
(Psalm 49.6, 7: Those who are trusting in their wealth And who boast about their great riches, None of them can ever redeem a brother Or give to God a ransom for him,)
If it supports activities or attitudes that God condemns. For example, it would be wrong to give someone money to gamble or to misuse drugs or alcohol.
(1 Corinthians 6.9, 10: Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom.)
(2 Corinthians 7.1: Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.)
Likewise, it is not proper to give to someone who is able to support himself financially but refuses to do so.-
(2 Thessalonians 3.10: In fact, when we were with you, we used to give you this order: “If anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat.”)
If it interferes with a person’s God-given responsibilities. The Bible teaches that family heads must provide for the needs of their household.
(1 Timothy 5.8: Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.)
It would not be right for a family head to give so much to others that he jeopardizes his own household. Similarly, Jesus condemned those who refused to provide for their elderly parents by claiming that all their assets were “a gift dedicated to God.”
(Mark 7.9-13: Further, he said to them: “You skillfully disregard the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Let the one who speaks abusively of his father or mother be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is corban (that is, a gift dedicated to God),”’ you no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother. Thus you make the word of God invalid by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this.”)
Bible verses about giving
“The generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
(Proverbs 11.25: The generous person will prosper, And whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.)
Meaning: Giving benefits not only the recipient but also the giver.
“The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, and He will repay him for what he does.”
(Proverbs 19.17: The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, And He will repay him for what he does.)
Meaning: God considers himself to be indebted to those who help the needy, and he promises to repay such generosity.
“When you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do... so that they may be glorified by men.”
(Matthew 6.2: So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.)
Meaning: We should not give just to attract attention to ourselves.
“There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”
(Acts 20.35: I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way, you must assist those who are weak and must keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said: ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’”)
Meaning: Heartfelt generosity brings happiness.
“Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
(2 Corinthians 9.7: Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)
Meaning: Giving that is done voluntarily pleases God.
[End of article.]