1 Corinthians 16:1-4
The Collection for the Lord’s People
16 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
Giving is an act of faith and love. In John 3:16, it says that God so loved the world that he gave his son. It is impossible to love and to not give. In this passage, Paul is teaching this new church how to be healthy. He has spoken about order in services, spiritual gifts, and now he talks about the offering. His teaching on this is remarkably simple.
- He expects every Christian to give.
For Paul, this isn’t an optional part of our faith. He does not say that you should pray about what God wants you to give. He says that you need to have a system in place so that when the leaders come to collect, it will all be ready and in place.
- Our giving is proportional.
Paul states that the sum that we set aside to give should be relative to our means. Some people say, ”I will give, when I have more money.” However, the truth is that you will never have enough money for everything that you want. God is not asking your to give a certain amount. He wants your heart. The standard amount that the Bible speaks of is a tithe. This is ten percent of our income.
- Our giving is regular.
Why would Paul say that they should collect it not the first day of the week? Because that was when they would meet together for worship. So, they would bring a percentage of their income and give it to the church. This would be used to support the church ministry and to look after poor Christians.
How has being generous shaped your growth as a Christian?
What does this look like for you today?
