» Our Motivation for Giving pt. 1

                  Due to serious abuse in the past (and present), giving has become a hot-topic issue in the church today. However, we cannot allow the misuse of men to destroy the intent of God. The argument has become “to give or not to give” but that was never the question, the question for Christians is not “if” we give but “why” we give. As is often the case, by clearing up our motive, the action we need to take will become clear as well. There is no better teaching on the proper motivations for giving than the one Paul gives (mainly by example) in Philippians chapter 4.  At this point in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he takes a moment to thank them for their generosity, in so doing, lays out some great principles on giving to ministries.

10-But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11-Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:12-I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.13-I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.    

                  Aside from a great lesson on contentment, Paul here deflates the majorities’ number one reason for giving: Need. In the modern church, need has settled in as the driving force compelling us to open our wallets. You will find no such plea in this letter or frankly, in any part of Paul’s ministry. This is Paul who refused the Corinthian Church to give him anything, in order to preach the gospel without hindrance (1 Cor 9:12). Although he told Timothy that it was right for pastors to be paid (1 Tim 5:17,18), he refused payment. He states his reason here, he had learned the secret of contentment was not in material things but in the strength that Christ supplies.                  The main reason that giving cannot be based primarily on need is twofold. First, there is always a need. We live in a world full of needs. Secondly, there is never a need. We serve a God who created something out of nothing. Surely if He really wanted to He could drop bags full of freshly minted bills from heaven. This does not mean, however, that we should not give. The issue again is not if we give, but why we give and here Paul goes on to lay out what our true motivation should be.

14-Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.15-Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.16-For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.    

                  We see the first reason for giving in vs. 14 in which he says that the church “shared in his distress”. Notice here that he did not say “lighten his distress.” We need to understand the difference between those two statements. It is one thing to give until we lighten the load of a minster but it is a completely different thing to share in his distress. The Philippians didn’t give in a way that brought Paul out of his affliction. Instead they gave in a way that brought them into the same affliction. They willingly suffered so that Paul would suffer less. As Christians we are called to fellowship (to share in common), not just in the blessings of Christ, but also in the sufferings of Christ. (Phil 3:10) As Paul puts it to the Corinthians, when one member suffers, the whole body should suffer with it. (1 Cor 12:26)  To be continued…