369 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 3 - Part 1 - Book 31 - The Concept of Giving

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 1 * BOOK 31 THE CONCEPT OF GIVING IN THE AGE OF GRACE You will remember that in our last lesson we introduced the idea of giving from Paul's writings, and the purpose of it. I think it's amazing that Paul deals with giving for almost three chapters - 7, 8, and 9. We get so many phone calls from people asking, "Well how am I supposed to give my tithes and offerings?" Just read what Paul says always from Romans through Hebrews, and you will never see the word tithe one time. Paul never uses the word because it is no longer appropriate. II Corinthians 8:7a II Corinthians 8:7a "Therefore as ye abound in everything, in faith,..." We have to begin with doctrine, and doctrine comes by faith. When you put faith + doctrine then you're going to have experience. Well it's not going to fly, God's not pleased with that, because we've got to start with one of the major gifts of faith. That ability and that power that is God given, that we can believe what God says. Now remember believing what God says is the whole basis of studying and understanding the Word of God. We're not going to bring into operation things that God told Israel to do back in the Old Testament. Remember what was for Israel is completely different from what Paul tells us in the Church Age. II Corinthians 8:7 see that ye abound in this grace also." What Grace was he talking about? Verse 8: II Corinthians 8:8 Always take into account how many times Paul will say, "Now I'm not speaking this by commandment." In other words the Lord hadn't told me "Paul, you tell the people this." It's the Word of God. Now verse 9: II Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, thought he was rich, (oh how rich? How poor? Philippians 2:6,7a "Who, (speaking of Christ Jesus in verse 5) being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (because He was God, the God of creation, the God who owns everything in the universe) 7. Slave. How much material goods did a slave have? The Almighty God Himself in the Person of Christ became a slave in so many words. Now reading on: "...was made in the likeness of men:" Philippians 2:8 II Corinthians 8:10,11 What's Paul driving at? For a whole year they had been talking about getting these collections ready for the poor saints in Jerusalem. So Paul says, "Let's get busy and complete it." Now verse 12. Remember this is all in regard to Christian giving, and notice there's not a word in here of him naming ten percent. He never says a tithe. II Corinthians 8:12 II Corinthians 8:13 "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:" Paul is telling the Corinthians that the men who are probably headed up by Titus, are men of integrity, they don't have to worry about turning over their offerings to them because they will get every penny of it to Jerusalem where it's supposed to go. In other words what was Paul actually doing on behalf of the Corinthian believers? Now verse 3. II Corinthians 9:3 Now I think Paul is using a little psychology isn't he? II Corinthians 9:5 Now verse 6. II Corinthians 9:6 So Paul is talking about sowing a crop of grain. If you're going to be tight with your giving, if you're going to hold back when you have the ability to give, then God will kind of hold back on His blessing. And that's exactly what Paul is teaching here. I do not claim that if you give a $1000. dollars a year, then God's going to pour you out $3000. By faith I can do certain things and realize that God is going to respond, but I can't be foolish. Fantasy would say, "Well I'm just going to give that ministry $500. because I just feel that God's going to turn back and give me $50,000." Now verse 7. II Corinthians 9:7 (legalism) Now reading the verse again. II Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: (legalism, or because somebody has laid it on you) for God loveth a cheerful giver." Now if you have a marginal Bible the word cheerful in the Greek meant "Hilarious." How many people go to church on Sunday morning, and lay that offering on the plate with a hilarious attitude? If you don't want to give, and if you can't give hilariously, God in so many words says, "I DON'T NEED IT, AND I DON'T WANT IT." But for a believer to give as God has prospered and do it joyfully, and give it to a place where the Word is honored, where the Gospel is proclaimed for salvation. (I Corinthians 15:1-4 or Romans 10:9-10) then God will give you the direction, and God will show you how much to give and where to give it. Malachi 1:1 "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel ( not the Church in the Age of Grace) by Malachi." #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible