T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH C HURCH F INANCES (2) I NTRODUCTION The church of God is engaged in the greatest mission under heaven. Money is an absolute necessity in carrying on its work and hence the proper use of money becomes an important theme in the New Testament and assumes an important place in the life of a Christian. I NTRODUCTION The first sin in the Jerusalem church that we are told was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira in the matter of giving money to the Lord. Acts 5:1-4 Christians in making money must take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men and using the money they make must have the glory of God in mind. G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Stewardship. Christians are stewards Stewards are trustees Caretakers of what belongs to another. There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward. {Luke 16:1,2} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Must be found faithful as good stewards. Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. {1 Corinthians 4:1,2} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Must be found faithful as good stewards. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. {1 Peter 4:10} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Must one day give an account of our stewardship. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. {Romans 14:12} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Must not hoard for our own security. Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you? And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. {Luke 12:13-15} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES God does not allow us to take out all we want or feel we need and give Him what is left. First fruit offering. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. {Matthew 6:33} When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. {Leviticus 23:10} G ENERAL P RINCIPLES G OVERNING C HURCH F INANCES Not a question of how much of our substance we are willing to give to the Lord The problem is, how much of what the Lord has entrusted to me shall I keep ? The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do. So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." And the people were restrained from bringing. {Exodus 36:5,6} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Spiritual fellowship sharin g together. Done in love. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. {1 Peter 1:22} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Spiritual fellowship sharin g together. Done in love. That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ. {Colossians 2:2} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT In suffering. Bear one anothers burdens. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. {Galatians 6:2} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT In service. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. {Galatians 2:9,10} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Equality in bearing the financial burden of the churchaccording to ones ability. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack-- that there may be equality. {2 Corinthians 8:13,14} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Equality in bearing the financial burden of the churchaccording to ones ability. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. {2 Corinthians 10:12} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Individual ability is the basis of personal responsibility. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food ; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink ; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. {Matthew 25:42,43} F ELLOWSHIP. C OORDINATION, M UTUAL P ARTICIPATION AND E FFORT Not in full fellowship if not doing our part. Widows mites... Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury. {Mark 12:42-43} D ISCIPLESHIP Must be a dedicated disciple. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. {Matthew 16:24} D ISCIPLESHIP Requires self- sacrifice and giving up the world. Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. {Luke 9:61,62} D ISCIPLESHIP Requires self-sacrifice and giving up the world. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. {Matthew 19:29,30} D ISCIPLESHIP This is where the rich young ruler failed ! If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. {Matthew 19:21,22} D ISCIPLESHIP Christ is our pattern. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. {Philippians 2:5-8} D ISCIPLESHIP Christ is our pattern. Measure yourself by this standard you can never give too much! For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. {2 Corinthians 8:9} L OVE. C ONSECRATION OF S ELF THE B ASIS OF G IVING Must first give ourselves to the Lord. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. {2 Corinthians 8:3-5} L OVE. C ONSECRATION OF S ELF THE B ASIS OF G IVING Must first give ourselves to the Lord. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. {2 Corinthians 8:8} Therefore show to them, and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. (8:24} L OVE. C ONSECRATION OF S ELF THE B ASIS OF G IVING Cannot serve God and mammon. No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. (Luke 16:13,14} L OVE. C ONSECRATION OF S ELF THE B ASIS OF G IVING Cannot serve God and mammon. No one can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)