Stewardship & Generosity
Biblical stewardship and generosity are central themes throughout Scripture, with money and giving referenced approximately 2,300 times from Genesis to Revelation - more frequently than even salvation itself. Understanding these principles is essential for followers of Christ as they navigate their financial responsibilities and opportunities for worship through giving.
Money as a Window to Worship
Jesus teaches us that our finances reveal something profound about our hearts and priorities. In Matthew 6:19-21, He provides both a restriction and a redirection for our financial thinking (Why do we give?, 4:04).
The restriction comes in verse 19: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." Jesus warns against placing all our financial resources in earthly investments because they are both destructible and uncertain (Why do we give?, 4:52). As Proverbs 23:5 reminds us, "When you set your eyes on it, it is gone, for wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens."
The redirection follows in verse 20: "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." This isn't about avoiding earthly financial planning, but rather ensuring we're also investing in eternal things that have lasting value (Why do we give?, 5:44).
The key principle comes in verse 21: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Our financial choices reveal our devotion and show what we truly worship (Why do we give?, 6:39).
God's Worthiness of Our Best
Just as we would honor distinguished guests with our finest offerings, God deserves far more. The prophet Malachi addresses this truth directly when confronting people who were bringing defective sacrifices to the Lord (Worthy, 3:21).
In Malachi 1:6-8, God challenges His people: "A son honors his father and a servant his master. Then if I'm a father, where is my honor? And if I am your master, where's my respect?" The passage reveals that they were presenting "defiled food" upon God's altar - bringing blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice. God pointedly asks, "Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you or would he receive you kindly?" (Worthy, 3:35)
The word "worship" literally means to proclaim or demonstrate worth - "worth-ship" - showing value to proclaim worth, to demonstrate worth (Worthy, 5:11). When we worship something, we fall down before it, demonstrating that it has more value than we do. However, the people were worshipping without cost, bringing to God what was actually worthless to them (Worthy, 5:43).
Biblical Foundations for Giving
Scripture presents giving not as a burden but as an act of worship. Paul describes the Philippians' financial gift in Philippians 4:18 as "a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God" (Why do we give?, 7:53). This shows that our finances provide an opportunity to engage in worship of our God and King, extending beyond just verbal declarations of faith.
Worship through giving isn't restricted to musical expression alone, though that remains an important element of Sunday gatherings. Rather, how we steward, invest, and utilize our money also constitutes worship (Why do we give?, 8:44).
The Standard God Requires
Leviticus 22:17-22 establishes God's standard for offerings: "For you to be accepted it must be a male without defect from the cattle, the sheep or the goats. Whatever has a defect you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you... it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it" (Worthy, 6:35).
God commanded His people to "bring your best, bring what's unblemished, bring what's most valuable, bring your firstfruits, trust me with the rest of the crops, bring what is absolutely most precious to you because that demonstrates how much you value me" (Worthy, 7:15).
God didn't need their burnt offerings - He was the source of all things. What He wanted was their hearts (Worthy, 7:32). The sacrificial system was designed to shine a light on their hearts, to expose false loves they might have chased after, and turn their hearts completely back to the Lord.
Worship as Sacrifice
True worship requires sacrifice. As King David declared when offered free land for a sacrifice, "I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing" (Worthy, 20:10). This principle reveals that meaningful worship involves giving up something of value to demonstrate how valuable the Lord is to us.
God doesn't need our time, money, or talents - He's not in deficit. But we need to give because we need our hearts realigned (Worthy, 20:43). God constantly tests our hearts for things that may have begun to wrap their tentacles around them - whether possessions, wealth, time, talents, or relationships that might be squeezing out our love for God. In His grace and kindness, He removes these things from our hearts so that we will live in truth and wisdom (Worthy, 21:06).
Giving Destroys Idols
Our financial choices reveal what we truly place on the pedestal of our hearts. As Colossians 3:5 teaches, "greed amounts to idolatry" (Give to Break Idols, 7:13). When we hoard or spend our money in ways that communicate trust in something besides God, we engage in idolatry.
Often the issue isn't that money itself becomes our god, but rather what money represents to us. We may use our finances to try to purchase security, love, social approval, or power - things that only God can truly provide (Give to Break Idols, 7:25).
Common Financial Idols
Love and Acceptance: We might spend money on the right clothes, appearance, or status symbols, believing these will secure the love and approval we crave (Give to Break Idols, 17:00). However, this only provides a pale imitation of the perfect love God offers through Christ.
Security: Some accumulate wealth far beyond reasonable needs, believing financial resources will eliminate the need to trust God for the future (Give to Break Idols, 24:00). While planning for the future is wise, placing ultimate security in money rather than God constitutes idolatry.
Power and Control: Money provides a measure of influence over circumstances and people. However, when we pursue wealth primarily for the power it affords, we're attempting to usurp God's rightful position as ultimate ruler (Give to Break Idols, 21:56).
Giving as Liberation
Generous giving serves as a powerful tool for breaking these idols. When we intentionally give away resources, we're making a conscious declaration: "God, I choose to trust you instead of whatever I can buy with money. I'm going to trust you instead of trusting in whatever I think will bring me security, power, love, or approval" (Give to Break Idols, 6:40).
This act of giving forces us to confront what we've placed on the pedestal of our hearts and redirect our worship toward the one true God who alone deserves it.
Spheres of Financial Devotion
Scripture outlines several key areas where believers are called to express devotion through their finances:
Family First
1 Timothy 5:8 establishes that we're called to provide for our own household. Employment serves the purpose of stewarding God's resources to care for those He has placed within our responsibility (Why do we give?, 11:38).
Care for the Poor
Jesus teaches about giving to the poor earlier in Matthew 6, calling believers to invest financial resources in the broader community where resources are lacking. This involves providing help, benefit, and resources where there are unmet needs (Why do we give?, 11:54).
Support for the Local Church
Scripture clearly calls believers to support the local church where they worship. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 discusses supporting elders who work at leading and teaching, while 1 Corinthians 9:14 states that "the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel" (Why do we give?, 12:28).
Moving Beyond Obligation to Devotion
Rather than asking "How much do I have to give?", believers should consider what their giving communicates about their relationship with God. The question of minimum amounts can denote low worth toward what we're giving to and misses the heart of why we give in the first place (Why do we give?, 13:16).
Our financial choices always communicate something about our level of devotion and investment in God's work. Just as the amount spent on a gift in dating relationships communicates the value placed on that relationship, how much we give reveals what we think about our relationship with God (Why do we give?, 14:53).
Grace-Based Giving
For those who don't yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the gospel message is clear: God isn't asking for financial resources first. Instead, He offers the free gift of salvation through Christ's sacrifice. As 1 Peter 1:18-19 explains, we are "not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (Why do we give?, 15:20).
This relationship with Christ began at great cost, but the cost was paid by Him, not us. For those who know Jesus Christ, giving flows from gratitude for this extravagant gift rather than from obligation (Why do we give?, 16:27).
The Gospel demonstrates the ultimate example of sacrificial giving. God gave everything - His most valuable possession, His own Son. The Father was about to sacrifice what was most valuable to Him, and the fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit would be fractured. God gave something far more valuable than we can even conceive of (Worthy, 24:49). Jesus gave His life so that we could have this debt of sins wiped out forever, and there's nothing we can do to pay it back - it's too valuable (Worthy, 25:15).
Practical Application
Believers are encouraged to take extended time in prayer, asking God what He would have them do with their finances. This applies to all life stages - even college students who may have more disposable income than they realize (Why do we give?, 19:17).
It's crucial to shape biblical convictions about money before having significant amounts, as it becomes much more difficult to establish proper priorities once wealth is accumulated (Why do we give?, 20:06).
Economic challenges provide opportunities to re-evaluate financial decisions and seek God's guidance for moving forward, asking whether He would have us reinvest in new ministries and opportunities (Why do we give?, 20:55).
Through biblical stewardship and generous giving, believers can ensure their finances become a window that reveals worship of the true and living God rather than the temporal things of this world. As we recognize God's infinite worth and His incredible sacrifice for us, our response of worship through giving becomes not a burden but a joyful expression of gratitude to the One who is truly worthy of our best.