Gospel-Motivated Generosity

One of the most misunderstood and abused topics in the church is the topic of giving.  Even the mention of this subject can raise some anxiety and some hesitation within us.  There are some of us who may have been hurt in the past, there are others of us who just feel as though our money should be “off-limits” for discussion, and there are others of us who struggle with trust.  So, knowing that there are many different feelings, beliefs, and personal experiences regarding the topic of giving, we would like to offer some clarity about our belief based on the Scriptures about Christian generosity.

Prosperity-Motivated Generosity vs. Gospel-Motivated Generosity

We do not believe that our generosity guarantees for ourselves financial or physical blessings.  This is not why we give.  This is not why we are generous.  If our generosity is motivated by securing some kind of personal profit, it ceases to be generosity.  To say it another way; we do not believe that our generosity places God in our debt.  (Romans 11:35)

We believe that we give because He gave. (John 3:16-17) We are generous because He is generous.  We do not give in order to receive.  Rather, we give because we have received.  (Romans 3:23-24)  We are created in the image of a generous God. (Genesis 1:26-27) Therefore, we bear His image through our generosity.

Ultimately, we believe that Christian generosity is motivated by the gospel.  While we were still dead in our sin, God demonstrated His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf. (Romans 5:8) Taking our sin, our death, our punishment, and generously giving us new life in Him. All we have is His. All we have has been generously given to us by Him.  Now, with our entire being, we live generous lives for His glory.  (Romans 12:1-2)

We believe that gospel-motivated generosity gives us the ability to see ourselves as managers of the resources that God has put in our charge. (Matthew 25:14-30)  Our motivation is Him.  We believe that our motivation to work hard and to give generously of our time, our talents, and our resources is for His glory, not ours.

My generosity does not place God in my debt.  God’s generosity paid my debt, and I am now a child of God. This is Gospel-Motivated Generosity.