Why Should You Give Money to the Church?

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.

This passage is often overlooked but gives some important insights into how Paul taught on giving to the local church, and how that funded the mission of the entire church.  One of the principles is that the churches that have an abundance of resources should help other churches in need, in this case the church in Jerusalem.  This was another question the people had asked Paul about, and now he is giving them instruction on this important and practical matter.  He says something similar to the church in Philippi.  

First, he says to set aside a certain sum of money on the first day of every week (Sunday).  Paul advocates a systematic process of giving which ensures that collection will grow in a consistent manner.  Secondly, he advocates that they should set aside a sum of money in keeping with their income.  The Old Testament law commanded 10% to be set aside to give back to the temple, but note this is a different system in the New Testament.  First of all, there was no temple to collect for.  The church was pretty lean and mainly needed basic costs to be funded.  Later Paul advocates paying the key leaders in the church, especially those who taught and preached so they could focus on those duties.  Paul teaches them to be sensible about their giving, and not give more they can afford.  

As I have been a pastor over 20 years this is not altogether much different than the philosophy the churches I have served have had in regard to giving.   Paul teaches in another passage a principle of "generosity".  He teaches the Corinthians to be cheerful in their giving and not give out of compulsion but freely as God wants to be. For God, "loves a cheerful giver"!  And the motive for our giving is what Paul describes as, "the indescribable gift we have in Jesus Christ".  At the heart of all giving, financially and otherwise, is a response to the gospel that saved us when we were powerless to save ourselves.  The gospel saved us not according to our works but by God's grace through faith.  The same faith we are given to trust Christ for our salvation, is the faith we exercise when we give back our resources to God and fund the mission to reach all people for Christ.  

As you pray about and consider what you will set aside in your income to fund your local church, pray that it would be in response to the "indescribable gift" you have been given God in sending Jesus to save and redeem you.  Giving financially is one way we say thank you and offer back all of we are to God!