Woe To You Scribes And Pharisees - Part 9
We give because it is a joy to give back to God and to help others. It is part of our worship and that is what drives us.
Woe To You Scribes And Pharisees - Part 9
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness...”
The idea of giving is pretty clear in scripture. The followers of God are required to participate in God’s works among the people. When a believer gives to God, several things take place. First if all, the believer is taking part in the process of benevolence. That means that we are helping the church help those who are less fortunate. Our giving helps the poor.
But, even more, giving to God teaches us to be grateful. The believer recognizes that everything we have is given to us by God. Without Him we have nothing. Our giving allows us to give back to Him a portion of what He has given to us. We owe all to Him.
The key to giving, for the believer, is this: we don’t give because we are required to give, nor do we give because we expect something in return. We give because it is a joy to give back to God and to help others. It is part of our worship and that is what drives us.
The Pharisees were playing games with their giving. They were fudging numbers, rationalizing their unwillingness to give fully and twisting their laws to allow them to give less and less.
Jesus brought bad news for people who do that. God knows the heart. When we cheat God, we are the one that loses because we are blessed when we give out of love. We are robbing ourselves of His full blessing.
2 Corinthians 9:7
“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
There is no price tag on that. There is no dollar amount that pleases God. What God wants is faithful giving that comes from a heart of joy and love. That kind of giving puts God first.
