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William (Bill) Bennett was Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan and apparently is now a talk-show host (though I’ve never heard his program, nor even heard mention of it outside this book).

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.

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. This article will stand somewhat alone, but is best understood within the context of the overall biblical teaching on giving.

Most Christians know that giving of material and financial resources as an offering to God and to support the work of ministry comes with the territory of being a believer. Many have been taught that tithing (giving 10% of one’s income) is the accepted way to give. A key point in this article series is that tithing fades from view and grace giving comes to the forefront in New Testament Christianity.

So the question is, what is “grace giving” and where is it taught in the Bible?

Read the series so far.

Today’s Christian gains big-picture understanding of what the Bible teaches about financial giving by learning the Old Testament background and foundational truths related to the subject. This was presented in the previous article. But the New Testament contains the full teaching that guides what we do in the church and in our individual Christian lives. Join me as we survey Jesus’ teaching, the practices of the newly-formed first century church, and the instructions given by the apostles.

Jesus’ Teaching on Giving

Some say Jesus spoke on the topic of money more than anything else. I haven’t personally verified this assertion, but I do know that He had a lot to say about giving. The following is representative of His teaching on this subject.