The Church at Corinth Sent Some Questions To Paul “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me…” (1 Cor. 7:1) 7:1 – Question about marriage 7:25 – Question about virgins marrying 8:1, 4 – Questions about meat sacrificed to idols 12:1 – Questions about spiritual gifts 16:1 – Question about giving

1 Cor. 16:1-2 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Questions About Giving

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need Acts 17:25 Psa. 24:1; 50:10

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need So The Local Church Can Function Has work to do Evangelism (1 Tim. 3:15) Edification (Eph. 4:16) Benevolence (1 Tim. 5:16) Churches had Resources Sent money (2 Cor. 11:8; Phil. 4:15-17) Had treasury (1 Cor. 16:1-2 “storing”) Takes Money to operate

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need So The Local Church Can Function Shows Our Love & Apprec. To God For sacrifice of Son (John 3:16) Material blessings (Jas. 1:17) Spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3) Shows our subjection (2 Cor. 9:13) God is glorified (2 Cor. 9:12-14)

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need So The Local Church Can Function Shows Our Love & Apprec. To God Have Fellowship with Brethren

when referring to giving & use of money Acts 2:42 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Word used in 2 Cor. 8:4 when referring to giving & use of money Supporting Preachers is having fellowship (Phil. 1:5; 4:15)

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need So The Local Church Can Function Shows Our Love & Apprec. To God Have Fellowship with Brethren Obey a Command

1 Cor. 16:1-2 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

I. What is the Purpose? Not that God stands in need So The Local Church Can Function Shows Our Love & Apprec. To God Have Fellowship with Brethren Obey a Command Even though it is a command, it is viewed as a thrilling blessing (2 Cor. 9:7)

2 Cor. 9:6-7 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

II. When & How Often? Limited to All Kinds of the First Abuse Any time When need Weekdays Billing Limited to the First Day of Week 1 Cor. 16:1-2 Only day authorized!

1 Cor. 16:1-2 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

II. When & How Often? Limited to Every First All Kinds of the First Abuse Any time When need Weekdays Billing Limited to the First Day of Week 1 Cor. 16:1-2 Only day authorized! Every First Day of Week 1 Cor. 16:1-2

Every Week Argued: Not a need to take up a collection every week – only when there is a special need. Such was the case in 1 Cor. 16:1-2 Was a special need If argument is so, there is no pattern for raising money for evangelism Fail to recognize /distinguish the general authority for raising money from particular use of the funds (as in Corinthian case). If no regular contribution before 1 Cor. 16, was there regular weekly times of worship? (1 Corinthians was written before the events of Acts 20:7) Evidence of systematic giving (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 16 – their question shows they knew something about contributions) Does this mean that if a church takes up a weekly contribution they are acting without authority – doing wrong?

Every Week “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.” (ESV) “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.” (NASB) “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.” (NIV) “on every first day of the week, let each one of you lay by him, treasuring up whatever he may have prospered, that when I may come then collections may not be made;” (YLT)

Every Week “κατά occurs in its distributive sense to denote every (as in καθʼ ἡμέραν elsewhere).” A. C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1321).   “Κατὰ has a distributive force, every first day.” M. R. Vincent, Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 288). “The first day of the week is Sunday, and κατά is distributive so that we may translate: “Sunday by Sunday let each of you lay by,” etc.” R.C.H. Lenski, The interpretation of St. Pauls First and Second epistle to the Corinthians (p. 759).

Every Week Argued: To lay by in “store” means to put money aside “at home” to give later when a special need arises. No major translation put “at home” in the text. If funds saved at home, why is the 1st day specified? If set aside at home, there would be gatherings when Paul came! “Storing” [NKJV] (Gk: thesaurizo #2343 ). Vine: “Akin to thesauro ‘a treasury, a storehouse, a treasure.’”

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

Attitude: Giving of self III. How (Manner) Should One Give? Attitude: Giving of self (2 Cor. 8:5) Biblical Principles: As prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2) Bountifully - Liberally (2 Cor. 9:6) As purposed in heart (2 Cor. 9:7) Cheerful (2 Cor. 9:7) Sacrificially (2 Cor. 8:1-4)

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

How Much Do I Want To Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? As we Have Been Prospered (1 Cor. 16) No Specific Amount Given Determined by: How Much Do I Want To Give? Amount one makes - Income Other blessings (gifts, inheritance, etc.) Obligations & responsibilities Examples God gave his son (John 3:16) Son gave his life ( Rom. 5:8-9) Others gave sacrificially (Acts 4:32-ff)

IV. How Much Should One Give? Are You Giving…. As prospered? (1 Cor. 16:1-2) Bountifully – Liberally? (2 Cor. 9:6) As purposed in heart? (2 Cor. 9:7) Cheerful? (2 Cor. 9:7) Sacrificially? (2 Cor. 8:1-4)

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?

Reap As We Sow Gal. 6:7-9 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.

Reap As We Sow 2 Cor. 9:7-9 7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."

Examples of Those Didn’t Reap As We Sow Examples of Those Didn’t Rich Young Ruler (Matt. 19) Rich Man (Luke 16:19ff) Rich Fool (Luke 12)

Examples of Those Didn’t Possible to Rob God Reap As We Sow Examples of Those Didn’t Possible to Rob God Mal. 3:8

Questions About Giving I. What is the Purpose? II. When & How Often? III. How (Manner) Should One Give? IV. How Much Should One Give? V. How Serious is it?