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Third of Seven Presentations Give Generously By Rev. Edward W. Wood, Executive Director of Stewardship Ministries From Genesis Chapter one through the book of Revelation the Bible is filled with examples of giving. The premier verse is John 3:16 (KJV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Amplified Version says, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” The King James Version uses the word “give” 1,427 times; New International Version – 1,392; The Message – 1,157 and the Amplified Version 1,599 times. To give is an established Biblical principle. The word “generous” brings a special meaning to giving. The principle of “generous giving” appears through out the Bible. The New International Version uses the word generous 17 times; The Message 88 times; The Amplified 18 times; Contemporary English Version 22 times and the New American Standard Version 11 times. When the adverb “generously” is attached to the verb give, it takes on a whole new meaning. Giving generously produces multiplication. The word generous according to the Webster Dictionary means liberal in giving; kindly; open handed; giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation. Giving plus generous equals multiplication. A study of the scriptures confirms that God’s expectation of His followers is “generous giving.” Generous giving opens doors that lead to blessings. “Give generously to him (a needy brother) and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and everything you put your hand to.” (Deutronomy 15:10 NIV). The Bible gives evidence that giving generously is an intentional act by the followers of God. When a need is presented, God’s people automatically respond. “Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously” (2 Corinthians 8:2 CEV). The Bible is very clear that it is not an option but an expectation of God’s people. Paul said to Timothy, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (I Timothy 6:18 NIV). Christian giving is to be a matter of generosity and not as grudging obligation (2 Cor. 9:5). To fully understand the Biblical principle of giving generously there is another interrelated subject that must be understood because it often gets confused with giving generously.
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