GIVING BACK TO GOD THAT WHICH IS HIS

GIVING TO GOD AS A GOOD STEWARD

The bottom line is that it is impossible to give to God what we do not have. We are God’s creation and Christians have been bought by the blood of Christ. God created all things, thus they are His. In addition, he gave His only begotten Son that we might be redeemed. Neither we, or anything that we have, can really be called our own, but the Lord has made us stewards responsible for using that which is His. We must use it in a way that is acceptable to Him. The book of Malachi says of the Jews, (Malachi 3:8,9) "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." The following few verses speak of the blessings on the faithful.

1. Hebrews 7:5 "They that are of the sons of Levi, who received the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law"

A. In the Old Covenant (Law) the priests were supported by the tithe.

B. This was often a portion of the sacrifices brought to the temple.

C. This was given by "command". (For this reason, it could be said that they were "robbing God" when they withheld this."

2. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A. "Eternal life" is a gift, not a right.

B. The right to life was lost through the sin of Adam. Death was one of the punishments for sin.

C. This gift of God, made possible through the death of Christ, places on us all the more the realization of the cost of that salvation; a debt that is truly "priceless". All the money in the world can not buy it.

3. II Corinthians 8:5 "And this they did, not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."

A. What is our first gift?

B. What is the first gift of all? (John 3:16) God gave His only begotten Son.

C. After that, what can we give?

D. Does the giving generously of our material blessings, absolve us from the need to

give of ourselves?

4. I Corinthians 16:2 "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."

A. What was the special occasion for these offerings of which Paul is speaking here?

B. What does he mean to "lay by in store"?

C. On what basis were they to select these gifts?

D. Is it necessary to assume that these were really "tithes."

E. Could they have been more than a tithe?

F. Barnabas, Annanias & Saphira? (Examples)

.5. (Read 1 CorInthians 16:2, then circle the correct answer.)

A. We should give to the church only on special occasions..

Yes No

B. We should give to the church weekly.

Yes No

C. The church should raise most of its money by bazaars, cake eales, etc.

Yes No

D. Each person should give the same amount to the church

Yes No

E. How much we give to the church depends on how much we earn.

Yes No

F. Each person should pay dues to the church, as we would do to a club.

Yes No

6. II Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

A. What does Paul mean by "as he purposeth in his heart"?

B. Comment on "not grudgingly, or of necessity"

C. If we truly love the Lord, we will want to give. Comment on the saying, "Where our treasure is, there will be our heart as well."

7. Matthew 6:4 "That thine alms my be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."