by
PRINCIPLES
OF CHRISTIAN
cbarlei L
GIVING
Dr. Feinberg is Dean of Talbot Theological Seminary
1:17 we read, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no varia tion, neither shadow that is cast by turning.” From these Scriptures we see that God is the Maker, the Cre ator, and the Giver of all. You and I as believers are God’s agents. Romans 14:12 reads: “So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Paul is speaking to believers in this passage. The accounting will include our entire stewardship in this life. We are told in I Corinthians 6:19-20, “Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is'in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.” We are accountable to Him alone. The third principle is this. Covet ousness is to be guarded against. One great man of God in the Early Church said that he heard men confess to all manner of sin, but rarely, if ever, did he hear anyone confess that he was guilty of covetousness. Covetousness, we are warned, is a very serious thing. Our Lord Himself said in Luke 12:15, “Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life con sisted not in the abundance of the things which he possessed.” Here is a profound truth, and the reason for the warning is given by Paul in Co- 15
T he C hristian public is often in confusion and doubt on the vital matter of giving, yet the Word of God is unusually clear on this important theme .Some general principles are in order here. First of all, we need to re member that giving is part of a larg er and all - comprehensive subject, namely, that of stewardship. Biblical stewardship recognizes the Lord’s ownership of all, whether it be time, talents or money; agreement by us to that commitment; and then the use of the same in conformity with the will of God. The Apostle Paul tells us through the Spirit of God when speak ing to the Corinthian believers in I Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, th a t. a man he found faithful.” In our stewardship God wants us to be faithful. Secondly, the basis of all steward ship lies in the fact that God is the Maker, the Creator, and the Giver of all. There is no more important Scripture in all the Bible on this theme than Genesis 1:1, “In* the be ginning God created the heavens and the earth.” All is made by Him. God is the Maker and the Creator. Psalm 24:1 tells us the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. He is the Maker and Creator of all and in James
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