Tipping, Tithing, and Grace Giving: Implementing Grace Giving

Most of what I have shared previously unpacks the biblical basis for Grace Giving. See Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This final article will focus on the practical application of these biblical truths. Once you understand Grace Giving, how do you start doing it?

As a reminder, here is a quick review of biblical facts. These are fully presented in the previous articles, so I will just state them here without explanation.

• Material and financial giving to the Lord has always been a response to grace and an act of grace.
• The Jewish people under the Old Testament system were required to “tithe,” which means give 10%, of their material and financial possessions to the Lord. There were actually three tithes, so they gave more than just 10%. There is no requirement for New Testament Christians to tithe.
• The Old Testament followers of God also gave free-will offerings, which were voluntary contributions to show worship, devotion, and thanks.
• Jesus had a lot to say about giving, especially the motive for it.
• The New Testament church, described in the Book of Acts, practiced voluntary giving according to people’s individual ability. The offerings were received and distributed through the church.
• There are two objectives of grace giving presented in the New Testament: supporting Gospel work and helping people in need.
• The key word in the New Testament that is associated with financial and material giving is grace. The motivation for giving is not obligation or manipulation, but a willing heart.
• Every Christian should regularly practice the grace of giving.
• Biblical giving is willing, voluntary, responsive, and generous.

Practical Steps

Now let me suggest some practical steps for implementing Grace Giving.

Read over key passages and pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you. These include:

• Acts 2:40-47, 4:32-37, 11:27-30
• 1 Corinthians 16:1-4
• 2 Corinthians 8-9
• Philippians 4:10-20
• Hebrews 13:15-16

Have a discussion with anyone who shares your spiritual and financial decisions. In other words, if you’re starting a new financial practice, you should talk about it with your spouse, or future spouse if you’re engaged. For a child living at home, it would be good to talk through this with your parents. Grace giving is a serious financial commitment. The people in your life who are close to you and will be impacted by this decision should be aware of your thinking and plans.

Consider the biblical giving objectives of supporting Gospel work and helping people in need. Hopefully you are part of a local assembly of believers. This is the primary context in which biblical giving takes place. Have conversations with the leaders about the how funds are channeled to accomplish these objectives. Learn everything you can so you will be able to purposefully and prayerfully plan your giving.

Consider the needs of the ministry. These are often reflected in the yearly budget and in periodic financial reports. Look at the church’s budget as an indicator of what the ministry needs in order to accomplish Gospel work. Let this guide you as you determine how you will support it.

Answer the questions: What do I have? What can I give? This is where the difference between tithing and grace giving stands out. People who practice tithing simply calculate 10% of their income and put it in the offering. But there is no formula for grace giving. It isn’t wrong to use 10% as a guide for how much you give. But remember a couple of things. The Jewish people gave much more than 10% (see Part 3). And biblical giving is characterized, not by doing the least you can, but the best and most you can (see Part 4).

Look at what God has provided for you. Consider that He “is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Then prayerfully determine how much you can give in response to His grace. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Your determination may be one week at a time, one month at a time, or a year at a time. It may be less than 10%. It may be much more than 10%. It should be proportionately generous. It should be characterized by grace.

Make your practice of giving a priority, not an afterthought. Don’t start spending your money and wait to see what’s left over to give. Plan first what you will give and arrange your financial decisions in coordination with your plan.

Choose a start date. Decide when you’re going to start Grace Giving and put it on your calendar.

Set aside your gift. Designate or separate it somehow so it doesn’t vanish as you start paying your way through the week or month. As Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “Let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper.”

Offer it to the Lord. Consciously worship God in your heart and mind as you present your offering of finances to Him. Think of His grace as you practice grace toward Gospel work and toward needy people. Whether you are placing a check or cash in an offering plate, dropping it in a box, or giving online, think about what you are doing as an act of love, devotion, and thanks to God.

Look for additional needs and opportunities. No doubt you will observe or hear about special projects, evangelistic work, and needy people along the way. Prayerfully consider each one as an opportunity to practice the grace of giving.

Rejoice! Yes, God does “love a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). It delights God when we give, not because we have to, but because we get to. So make your giving an occasion for joy.

Special Situations

Many people have special situations that produce questions about giving. I’ll address some of those.

We all go through stages and phases of life that affect our ability to give. These may include income adjustments, children’s needs, school costs, health expenses, job change or loss. What do we do during these times? You are under grace. Keep practicing grace giving. Do what you can. Go back to the questions, “What do I have? What can I give?” and reevaluate based on your current circumstances. Give accordingly.

Some may question whether and how much to give while in debt. Here are a few suggestions.

First, meditate on and pray over this truth from Scripture: The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives (Psalm 37:21). Of course you should repay what you owe, but Christians should go farther than that. We are to reach a place where we are able to “show mercy and give.” In other words, we should work toward being in a financial position to be able to practice the grace of giving.

Second, make a plan for reducing debt. There are many helpful resources for overcoming the burden of debt. Here are a few simple points:

• Have a plan and a time period for eliminating debt.
• Include aggressive debt elimination payments (not minimum payments, not maintenance of debt lifestyle)
• Give what you can, when you can, even if it is a little bit.
• Evaluate your status each month.
• Intentionally change your lifestyle from “debt living” to “grace giving.” (Eph. 4:28)

Another special consideration is your view of people who prosper more than you. You might compare yourself to more financially prosperous individuals and be discouraged from giving yourself. But grace giving fits every individual. Direct your thoughts and make your own decisions, guided by the following principles:

• Recognize and rejoice in their gift of giving. (Romans 12:8)
• Recognize the varying distribution of talents. (Matt. 25:14-30)
• Do not envy. (1 Cor. 3:3; 13:4)
• Do not judge. (Romans 14:4, 10-13)
• Give from what you have. (2 Corinthians 8:12)

Conclusion

May I encourage you to take what I have shared on Grace Giving and personalize it? A good way to do this is to get by yourself and prayerfully and honestly respond to the following questions:

Have you received God’s gift of salvation made possible by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ? This is how you begin fully experiencing God’s grace.

How would you rate the level of appreciation you have for God’s grace in your life?

1. I hardly ever think about it.
2. I say thank you sometimes, and I feel grateful when something prompts me to think about how good God is to me.
3. Every day I am amazed that God loves me, has saved me, and blesses me. I know I could never attain who I am and what I have by myself. I am filled with gratitude. I want to continually give my whole self to God in return for what He has done for me.

Would you say you have a willing heart or an unwilling heart when you think about giving of your financial and material resources to the Lord?

Would you say that you “abound” in the grace of giving to the level that you are able
(2 Corinthians 8:7)?

Take a few minutes and meditate on 2 Corinthians 8:9. Thank God for His amazing grace. How is God prompting you to grow in the grace of giving? What decisions will you make? What steps will you take?