Biblical Principles for Giving

1. Giving manifests God’s grace in our lives: “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1). 
 
2. Giving is the privilege and responsibility of fellowship with others: “begging us with urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints (2 Cor. 8:4). 
 
3. Giving involves oneself before one’s substance: “…but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5). 
 
4. Giving is a sincere proof of one’s love: “I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also” (2 Cor. 8:8). 
 
5. Giving should be governed by the principle of equality: “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little” (2 Cor. 8:12-15).
 
6. God’s blessing is proportionate to one’s giving patterns: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6). 
 
7. Giving is voluntary worship from a cheerful heart: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). 
 
8. Giving guarantees the provision of God in your life: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). 
 
9. Giving is an act of faithful worship that results in righteousness: “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God” (2 Cor. 9:10-11). 
 
10. Giving glorifies God before others as a tangible testimony of the gospel: “For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God (2 Cor. 9:12).