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Quite often the words of Jesus in Luke 6:38 are used to encourage
believers to give generously.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be
poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Among
the most prominent of such preachers at one time was Jim Bakker of
the PTL ministry. In the 1980s, he raised many millions of dollars
from Christians for his religious empire. Based on his interpretation
of Luke 6:38, Bakker promised investors that God would bless them financially
many times over in this life on earth if they gave to support the
ministry
of PTL.
In 1987
a well-known scandal over broke out over Bakker’s use
of PTL funds, and eventually he was sent to prison. While in prison
he experienced a profound change of heart and mind. Eventually he wrote
a book entitled I Was Wrong in which he publicly repented of his attitude
toward money and how he raised funds from God’s people using
Scripture.
I
Was Wrong: Excerpt From Jim Bakker's Autobiographical Book
Now let
us examine the context of Luke 6:38 so that we can properly interpret
Jesus’ teaching.
Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great,
and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful
and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn,
and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken
together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the
measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
The context
is clearly not about finances, but rather loving one’s
enemies and being merciful to them. If we do not judge or condemn them
but rather forgive them, then our Father will do likewise for us. He
will not judge us, He will not condemn us, and He will forgive us.
As we do for our enemies, he will do for us. “Give, and it will
be given to you.” “For with the measure you use, it will
be measured to you.”
Therefore
Luke 6:38 should not be used as a basis for encouraging people to
give. Other Scriptures which are often cited
to encourage
God’s people to give are taken from 2 Corinthians 9.
2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also
reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things
at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good
work. 9 As it is written:
“ He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures
forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also
supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the
harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be
made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity
will result in thanksgiving to God.
Here Paul
the apostle describes giving to God’s work as sowing
seed. Whoever sows generously will also reap generously, and conversely.
But what is it exactly that we shall reap? Verse ten tells us that
God will “increase our store of seed” and “enlarge
the harvest of our righteousness.” According to this, therefore,
we will reap more seed which of course is to be sown again, and
also reap a greater harvest of righteousness. What is this “harvest
of righteousness”? We shall see. Then verse 11 tells us that
we can be generous on every occasion since God will
increase our store of seed in this life.
By sowing
seed, therefore, we will reap even more seed to sow in this life.
And what is the eventual result of all this sowing? It is an enlarged
harvest
of righteousness for us. What does this mean, and where will we see
it?
Paul gives the answer in his first letter to Timothy.
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not
to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain,
but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay
up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age,
so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Here we
discover the meaning of the “harvest of righteousness” to
which Paul referred in 1 Corinthians. When wealthy believers give generously
to God in obedience, they are laying up treasure for themselves
in heaven. This will be a firm foundation for them in the coming age,
where they will take hold of the life that is truly life.
This is
the scriptural basis for giving to God. We should not see giving
primarily in terms of giving to get more back from Him on earth,
but rather giving as laying up treasure in heaven. Our primary goal
in
giving
should ultimately be to reap a greater harvest of righteousness---and
accompanying reward---for ourselves in the coming age.
It is reasonable to conclude that this applies not only to wealthy
believers, but to every believer who is called to give to the work
of God.
Let us give therefore not primarily to get back in this life, but
rather to reap a harvest in the coming everlasting age. Whatever we
get back from God in this life will be used up and gone. But our harvest
in the coming age will be eternal. Therefore let us not be shortsighted
and think only in terms of giving for the sake of short-term earthly
gain.
This is
not returning to salvation by works. No, it is by grace we have been
saved, through faith---not by works, so
that no one can boast.
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10).
God has prepared some believers to do good works like supporting the
work of His kingdom. When we obey and do these good works, there is
a reward for us in the coming age.
Revelation
22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My
reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what
he has done.
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