As Christians, the Bible is clear throughout its pages that we’re called to give generously. Even in the book of Exodus chapter 35, we see the Israelites all generously giving the materials and time to build the tabernacle. If any of those people decided to withhold the materials they owned or the skills they had, the tabernacle wouldn’t have come together.

Move forward some in the Bible, and in Malachi 3:10-12, giving is the one thing God tells us to test him in.

In the New Testament God himself gave us his only son because he loves us so much, and that Son died on a cross for us. It sets a model that generosity in God’s people should be sacrificial. Here’s a small sampling of what the Bible has to say about giving and generosity.

Why should we give generously?

1 John 3:16-18

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

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Acts 20:35

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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Saved By Grace Outreach Ministry Inc. prays more about positioning your heart to be generous. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 Christians are called to give generously in response to the gospel of the Lord Jesus, based on their faith in God as their Provider.

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