The Bible consistently commends generous giving — to God (tithes and offerings), to the poor, to fellow believers in need. God 'loves a cheerful giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7). Generosity is presented as both a duty and a means of spiritual freedom — releasing the grip of money on the heart.
Giving is central to biblical Christianity. The Bible commands giving in multiple contexts. (1) Giving to God through tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:8-10. (2) Giving to the poor. Proverbs 19:17 — 'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD.' Deuteronomy 15:11 — 'thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor.' (3) Giving to fellow believers in need. Acts 4:32-35 records the earliest Christians sharing freely. (4) Giving to support gospel ministry. 1 Corinthians 9:14 — 'the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.' (5) Giving to support family. 1 Timothy 5:8. The New Testament establishes principles for giving. 2 Corinthians 8-9 is Paul's most extensive treatment. Key principles: (1) Proportional — 'as God hath prospered him' (1 Corinthians 16:2). (2) Voluntary — not under compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7). (3) Cheerful — 'God loveth a cheerful giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7). (4) Sacrificial — the Macedonians gave 'beyond their power' (2 Corinthians 8:3). (5) Regular — 'upon the first day of the week' (1 Corinthians 16:2). The biblical view of giving has several distinctive features. (1) Giving is for the giver, not just the recipient. Acts 20:35 — 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Generosity frees the giver from the grip of money. (2) Giving honors God. Proverbs 3:9 — 'Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.' (3) Giving demonstrates faith. The widow's two mites (Mark 12:41-44) were the smallest gift in the temple — and the greatest in God's eyes. Faith-driven giving from limited means is praised. (4) Giving uncovers idolatry. The rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22) discovered that his wealth had become his god. (5) Giving aligns with the gospel. 2 Corinthians 8:9 — 'though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.' The Christian gives because Christ gave first. Specific biblical instructions about giving. (1) Give to your local church first. (2) Care for the poor (Proverbs 14:31, 19:17). (3) Care for fellow Christians in need (Galatians 6:10). (4) Give in secret when possible (Matthew 6:1-4) — without showing off. (5) Give cheerfully — God loves the cheerful giver more than the grudging one (2 Corinthians 9:7). (6) Give sacrificially — beyond what is comfortable. The Bible warns against grudging giving, giving for show, or giving as a substitute for genuine love. 1 Corinthians 13:3 — 'though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor... and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' Giving without love is empty. Love produces giving; giving without love does not produce love.
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.”
“And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites... Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.”
“Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret.”
Build a sustainable rhythm of giving. (1) Start where you are — even small percentages grow into faithful patterns. (2) Give to your local church first. (3) Care for the poor. (4) Give in secret when possible. (5) Give cheerfully — examine your heart, not just your check. (6) Give sacrificially when called — the widow's mites are the model. (7) Combine giving with genuine love — without it, giving is empty.
The Bible commands generous care for the poor. Proverbs 19:17 — 'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.' Matthew 25:35-40 — Jesus identifies caring for the poor as caring for him. Deuteronomy 15:11 — 'thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor.' Care for the poor is not optional charity but Christian obligation rooted in God's character.
The Bible does not specify a New Testament percentage. The Old Testament tithe was 10% (with additional offerings). The New Testament commands proportional, voluntary, cheerful, sacrificial giving (2 Corinthians 8-9). Most Christian teaching: the tithe (10%) is a starting point baseline. Some Christians give exactly 10%; others use it as a floor and give more; some struggle to reach 10% and grow over time. The amount matters less than the heart — 'God loveth a cheerful giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Yes — Jesus said so in Acts 20:35. The blessing of giving has multiple dimensions: (1) Spiritual freedom from the grip of money. (2) Joy of participating in God's generous heart. (3) Eternal reward (Matthew 6:20 — 'lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven'). (4) The relational good of contributing to others. The blessing is not primarily material in this life; it is relational, spiritual, and eternal.
2 Corinthians 9:7 — 'God loveth a cheerful giver.' The Greek word for 'cheerful' is hilaros — from which we get 'hilarious.' God delights in giving that overflows with joy, not giving that drips with reluctance. The cheerful giver reflects God's own character — God himself gave from love and joy, not obligation. Grudging giving accomplishes the technical act but misses what giving is for. The cheerful giver participates in God's heart; the grudging giver merely fulfills a duty.