Godly Generosity

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Essentials

Study

5

Godly Generosity Introduction At first glance, the word godly in the title of this study may seem rather odd. Surely to be generous is to be godly. On closer reflection however we realise that whereas generosity is a good thing, not every act of generosity is necessarily godly. Jesus made this clear when he warned His disciples against doing acts of generosity in order to be seen and praised by others (Matthew 6vs1-4). What these words of Jesus remind us is that both the motive and the action matter to God. Godly generosity is generosity done for godly reasons and is good both for the giver and the recipient as well as glorifying to God. It was this godly generosity that Paul had in mind when he exhorted the Corinthian Christians to excel in the ‘grace of giving’ (2 Corinthians 8vs7). The passage in which this exhortation is found (see 2 Corinthians 8vs19vs15) deals with a collection taken among the largely Gentile churches of Greece and Asia Minor to help destitute believers in Judea. It does however provide us with some important principles for our own generosity as Christians today and thus will form the primary focus of our study.

Study Questions Read Matthew 6vs1-4. Answer the following questions from the text. 1. What should we guard against when we give?

2. What principles should govern our giving as disciples of Jesus?

Read 2 Corinthians 8vs1-9vs15. 1. What made the generosity of the Macedonian Christians surprising? Where did this generosity come from?

2. What primary reason does Paul give as motivation for Christian generosity?

3. What does this passage teach us about integrity in handling money?

4. What principles does Paul lay down for our giving?

5. What rewards do generous givers receive?

Think it Through What have you learnt from this study about: 1. Our motivation in giving?

2. Our responsibility to be generous?

3. The way in which we give?