Comments on: New Covenant Giving: Give Under Grace Not Commandment http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment Personal Finance for Life in the Kingdom Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Gilbert http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-15911 John Gilbert Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:30:18 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-15911 I believe 2 Cor. 9:6-8 is a fundamental verse for the new covenant believer to consider when giving. It satisfies ANY concern of how, when, and why we give. Verse 7 states everyone should give! No one is excluded from giving, because no exceptions have been listed. It is also important to note that no where in these verses are we told to withhold our gift. The amount of our giving does have an influence on the result produced from our giving, it is directly proportional. The size of our gift should be considered in the light of scripture. The grace of God is greater than any situation created by our giving. Therefore we will never lack anything which would prevent us from fullfilling the purposes of God for our life. Verse 7 qualifies how we should give with the word "according" which means "being in agreement" and the context is with regards to the purposes of our heart. We are told to be in agreement with the purposes, intentions, or goals of our heart. Finally it states the location of OUR giving. It is to come out of our own heart. We can not live someone life for them. We can only live our own life. Therefore our giving should only be directed by the purposes or intentions of our heart. To do anything less would cancel the reason why God loves a cheerful giver. A cheerful giver only gives what is in agreement with the intentions of his own heart. We are told not to give grudgingly! We are not to reflect an unwillingness to give. To do so would reflect the acceptence of the victory of the thing which opposed us in our heart. We are told here to also give without considering an unavoidable need or compulsion to do something (not by choice but by compulsion). Let us give with no regard to what the situation demands (protecting us from being decieved through fake or created situations people might conceieve to defraud us). When things oppose us in our heart we should be the one who is victorious! 1 Cor. 2:5, 1 JN 5:4, Acts 17:28, Phil 4:13 How we see God influences our faith and therefore our victory over that which opposes us. There is this tendency within the body of Christ for us to misunderstand and really not assign and attribute to God who He is; and as a result it robs us of who we are. We are created in His image and after His likeness. Our God is great. It is in His hand to make great and to give strength to all. If we minimize who God is, we minimize ourselves and make great the thing which oppose us. The truth of the matter is .... If we don't understand the greatness of our God, we will never understand the greatness He called us to; and as a result, we will make great that which opposes us. It is the way we choose to live (our very nature) which determines whether we gravitate toward a system of behavior using an absolute nature or a relative nature. Whether we act freely, unrestricted, and unconditioned led by teh Holy Spirit. Or by our carnal nature doing our own will instead of Christ will. Giving is something which is absolute in nature. Giving does not depend on external conditions for existence. Giving is something which is independant of relations, it is perfect and complete in itself. Giving is free,unrestricted, and unconditioned. We are told to own no man anything EXCEPT love. God is love! Owe no man anything except Jesus. (based on Gal 2:20) I believe 2 Cor. 9:6-8 is a fundamental verse for the new covenant believer to consider when giving. It satisfies ANY concern of how, when, and why we give. Verse 7 states everyone should give! No one is excluded from giving, because no exceptions have been listed. It is also important to note that no where in these verses are we told to withhold our gift.

The amount of our giving does have an influence on the result produced from our giving, it is directly proportional. The size of our gift should be considered in the light of scripture. The grace of God is greater than any situation created by our giving. Therefore we will never lack anything which would prevent us from fullfilling the purposes of God for our life.

Verse 7 qualifies how we should give with the word “according” which means “being in agreement” and the context is with regards to the purposes of our heart. We are told to be in agreement with the purposes, intentions, or goals of our heart. Finally it states the location of OUR giving. It is to come out of our own heart. We can not live someone life for them. We can only live our own life. Therefore our giving should only be directed by the purposes or intentions of our heart. To do anything less would cancel the reason why God loves a cheerful giver. A cheerful giver only gives what is in agreement with the intentions of his own heart.

We are told not to give grudgingly! We are not to reflect an unwillingness to give. To do so would reflect the acceptence of the victory of the thing which opposed us in our heart.

We are told here to also give without considering an unavoidable need or compulsion to do something (not by choice but by compulsion). Let us give with no regard to what the situation demands (protecting us from being decieved through fake or created situations people might conceieve to defraud us).

When things oppose us in our heart we should be the one who is victorious! 1 Cor. 2:5, 1 JN 5:4, Acts 17:28, Phil 4:13

How we see God influences our faith and therefore our victory over that which opposes us.

There is this tendency within the body of Christ for us to misunderstand and really not assign and attribute to God who He is; and as a result it robs us of who we are. We are created in His image and after His likeness. Our God is great. It is in His hand to make great and to give strength to all. If we minimize who God is, we minimize ourselves and make great the thing which oppose us.

The truth of the matter is ….
If we don’t understand the greatness of our God, we will never understand the greatness He called us to; and as a result, we will make great that which opposes us.

It is the way we choose to live (our very nature) which determines whether we gravitate toward a system of behavior using an absolute nature or a relative nature. Whether we act freely, unrestricted, and unconditioned led by teh Holy Spirit. Or by our carnal nature doing our own will instead of Christ will.

Giving is something which is absolute in nature.
Giving does not depend on external conditions for existence.
Giving is something which is independant of relations, it is perfect and complete in itself.
Giving is free,unrestricted, and unconditioned.

We are told to own no man anything EXCEPT love.
God is love!
Owe no man anything except Jesus. (based on Gal 2:20)

]]> By: Paul Williams http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-14875 Paul Williams Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:10:56 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-14875 If you mean tithing as described and regulated by the Old Testament, then it is nothing but a shadow of things to come as far as Christians under the New Covenant are concerned. If you mean tithing as described and regulated by the Old Testament, then it is nothing but a shadow of things to come as far as Christians under the New Covenant are concerned.

]]> By: Williams Babadeji http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-14872 Williams Babadeji Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:35:43 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-14872 Thanks for making me understand that Giving is a Gift. One more question. What of the issue of tithing and offering, is it a gift from God? Thanks for making me understand that Giving is a Gift. One more question. What of the issue of tithing and offering, is it a gift from God?

]]> By: Paul Williams http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-14863 Paul Williams Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:05:55 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-14863 Thanks for commenting! Yes, I would say it is a gift from God to share in the ministry of extending God's love through generosity. Thanks for commenting! Yes, I would say it is a gift from God to share in the ministry of extending God’s love through generosity.

]]> By: Williams Babadeji http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-14854 Williams Babadeji Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:11:01 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-14854 Thanks for the wonderful message. I have a question, "Is Giving a gift from God?" Thanks for the wonderful message. I have a question, “Is Giving a gift from God?”

]]> By: Paul Williams http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-11853 Paul Williams Mon, 22 Nov 2010 01:29:17 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-11853 Thanks for your comment, Chris. A lot of Christians don't realize that tithing (especially as it's taught in many churches today) isn't emphasized at all in the New Testament. I think Paul makes it clear in Galatians why - we can't hold on to the Law and cling to Jesus at the same time. I think the apostles would have found it unfathomable to enforce tithing on Gentile believers, and I'm sure Paul would have argued that it holds no curse for Jewish believers as well. I look forward to hearing from you again soon! Thanks for your comment, Chris. A lot of Christians don’t realize that tithing (especially as it’s taught in many churches today) isn’t emphasized at all in the New Testament. I think Paul makes it clear in Galatians why – we can’t hold on to the Law and cling to Jesus at the same time. I think the apostles would have found it unfathomable to enforce tithing on Gentile believers, and I’m sure Paul would have argued that it holds no curse for Jewish believers as well. I look forward to hearing from you again soon!

]]> By: Chris Mateyu (Rev) http://www.providentplan.com/386/new-covenant-giving-give-under-grace-not-commandment/#comment-11822 Chris Mateyu (Rev) Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:28:53 +0000 http://www.providentplan.com/?p=386#comment-11822 I must confess that I only realised that the new testament does not say anything on tithe today 20th Nov 2010 though Iam a minister and been born again 30 years ago. Really church doctrines are also confusing the church, making christians lake to focus on weighter matters of grace by instilling the fear to members to keep only this law of tithe but disregarding the sabbath law and other laws which are not for us but that we should live by faith and under grace obeying the Holy Ghost in giving generously. Surely learning does not end. Glory be to God. I must confess that I only realised that the new testament does not say anything on tithe today 20th Nov 2010 though Iam a minister and been born again 30 years ago. Really church doctrines are also confusing the church, making christians lake to focus on weighter matters of grace by instilling the fear to members to keep only this law of tithe but disregarding the sabbath law and other laws which are not for us but that we should live by faith and under grace obeying the Holy Ghost in giving generously. Surely learning does not end. Glory be to God.

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