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1 CORINTHIANS: MOVING FROM THE CARNAL TO THE SPIRITUAL STATE

Part XLI: Guidelines For Believers' Giving

(1 Corinthians 16:1-4 et al.)

I. Introduction

A. Old Testament believers were to give of their income to the Lord, and believers in the Church era are to give as well according to passages like 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

B. However, giving in the Old Testament differed somewhat from that of the Church era, and the passages above supply guidelines for giving in our dispensation, what we need to view for our insight and edification:

II. Guidelines For Believers' Giving, 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 et al.

A. We should regularly give to the Lord, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2a:

1. Paul was writing in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 about taking up a collection for needy believers in Jerusalem who were notoriously poor in the Early Church, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to 1 Corinthians 16:1.

2. He thus taught the Corinthian believers to deposit each Sunday in private funds income they received eventually to deliver it over to Paul when he arrived that he might deliver it to the needy, 1 Cor. 16:2a, e.

3. Thus, giving should be a regular practice of giving to the Lord out of one's income.

B. We should each give to the Lord, 1 Corinthians 16:2b:

1. Paul directed that "every one of you" (KJV) should be involved in giving.

2. He was writing not only to male heads of households, the major livelihood providers in their families, but also to whole households of believers, what also included women, children and slaves (1 Cor. 16:15), so every believer in the local church regardless of race, age, gender, social status, ethnicity, etc., was to give.

C. We should give in private to the Lord, 1 Corinthians 16:2c:

1. Paul directed each believer to store up "by, beside himself" (par' heauto, U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 618) what he had prospered, implying he was to store it in a "private fund," Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to 1 Cor. 16:2.

2. Jesus also taught that giving should be done in private (cf. Matthew 6:3-4), so we should give in private.

D. We should give in line with our prosperity and desire, not to tithe under the Law, 1 Cor. 16: 2d; 2 Cor. 9:6-7:

1. Paul revealed that giving was to be in accord to how one had "prospered" (euodoo, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., 1967, p. 324), in accord with what one already possessed (2 Cor. 8:12).

2. 2 Cor. 9:6-7 adds that the amount is to be set by the giver "not reluctantly or under compulsion" (NIV).

3. Thus, tithing, giving ten percent, though certainly acceptable if it is the choice of the giver, is not required for Christians as we are not under the Mosaic Law that required tithing (as in Lev. 27:30 and Deut. 14:22).

E. We should give without pressure from human leaders, 1 Corinthians 16:2e:

1. The apostle directed that no collections be made when he came, for taking up a collection in the presence of an authoritative figure such as an apostle could pressure givers in their donating, B. K. C., O. T., p. 546.

2. In alignment with Paul's 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV directive that givers donate "not reluctantly or under compulsion," giving is not to be made under pressure from human leaders.

F. We should give to entities with reputable checks and balances to insure good stewardship, 1 Cor. 16:3-4:

1. When Paul arrived, he would send the collected moneys with those reputable people the Corinthians knew and approved as trustees and auditors in the transporting of the moneys to Jerusalem.

2. Accordingly, we should give to entities that contain reputable checks and balances of trustees and auditors to insure good stewardship of our donations.

G. We should give to ministries involved in the proclamation of God's Word, 1 Cor. 16:1a, 4; 1 Tim. 5:17-18:

1. Paul's directive involved helping needy believers in Jerusalem, a worthy cause since these believers had given the Corinthians the Gospel via outreach through the apostles, 1 Cor. 16:1a, 4 with Rom. 15:26-27.

2. In addition, 1 Timothy 5:17-18 with 1 Corinthians 9:9-14 directs that those who minister the Word of God should be financially supported by those who personally benefit from their service to the Lord.

3. Thus, evangelists, pastors, missionaries, other messengers of the Word of God and those involved in support ministries that equip God's messengers to proclaim His Word (cf. Rom. 16:1-2) deserve support.

Lesson: Giving by Christians today should be done by each believer regularly, privately, in line with how he has prospered and set at the amount he desires and apart from any pressure by human leaders. The donations should be handled by reputable trustees and auditors to support those who proclaim or help to proclaim God's Word.

Application: May we each practice this wonderful, Biblical ministry of giving to the Lord.