A Biblical Mindset for Giving
The Oxford Dictionary defines a charity as “an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.” Numerous lessons on giving to the needy and aiding the impoverished may be found throughout the Bible. Through an analysis of these lessons and concrete instances, we may comprehend the Bible’s viewpoint on charitable giving.
According to Proverbs 14:31, “He who is generous to the needy honors [his Maker].” Similar instructions to give liberally to the poor are found in Deuteronomy 15:10–11, where God says, “You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” These passages highlight that giving to the poor is a means to worship God and acknowledge His likeness in everyone. As Ezekiel 16:49 emphasizes, refusing to assist those in need is viewed as a grave sin: “This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” As a result, Christians must expect that those in need will be generous.
Although the majority of passages in the Bible deal with donating directly to the poor, there are some cases when gifts are sent to a third party for distribution at a later time. Acts 4:35, for instance describes how the early church’s leaders gathered gifts from believers and gave them “to each as any had need.” Acts 6:1 refers to this practice as “the daily distribution” since it was so common. The disciples assigned seven men to make sure that no poor widow was forgotten during these daily distributions as the work progressed. This demonstrates how early Christians sent their offerings to the church, which in turn gave accountable people the task of distributing relief to the underprivileged.
Positive Effects of Generosity
In conclusion, the Bible makes a compelling case for aiding the underprivileged and destitute, either directly or via dependable intermediaries like the church or charity organizations. It is believed that showing generosity to people in need is a means to glorify God.
Paul described in his epistle to the Roman church how believers in Macedonia and Achaia used him as a middleman to send relief to the impoverished in Jerusalem. This is comparable to the current charitable donation model.
Contributions are also made in support of ministries and their staff. According to the Bible, God mandated that a part of sacrifices be given to the priests (Exodus 29:28). Women who followed Jesus contributed financially to his work (Luke 8:2-3). It was stressed by Paul and John that those in the ministry should have financial assistance (1 Corinthians 9:9–14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 3 John 1:6–8).
Giving can be done directly through a third party or through a third party through anyone you want, as long as the third party has your confidence. The church’s wealth were distributed by the disciples to persons of excellent character (Acts 6:3). As stated in 1 Timothy 6:18, believers need to be giving and willing to share, establishing giving as a regular habit.
This demonstrates the significance of donating to support ministries and the underprivileged while making sure that contributions are managed ethically.
📌FOR FURTHER STUDY
📖 Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition