The Grace of Giving

August 26, 2009 by EnnisP
Filed under: Giving

“Grace” is a popular topic. Christians and non-Christians alike love it. The hymn, Amazing Grace, is still one of the best-known songs around and is sung regularly in all kinds of settings, in and out of church, even in bars. Once the tune is struck, everyone sings along, some with tears but all with joy. Very few need to be reminded of the words and we all identify with the hope this song and the word it features brings.

But, like all words in the English language, it is subject to shifts in meaning. The word gets used in many different contexts and with each new setting comes new connotations. It has now become the catchword for all Christian ideas. A “shibboleth” of sorts, identifying the user with a certain class, region, attitude or era and the real meaning is lost.

There are endless applications and nuances: grace period, amazing grace, effectual grace, social grace, falling from or into grace, resistible and irresistible grace, grace of God, grace note, law and grace, grace spurned and, of course, grace giving.

Most of these phrases are not found in the Bible. Some have no immediate connection to the Bible. Some suggest ideas that are mostly imagined and some misuse the word completely.

“Grace” has also become the response to every question not easily answered. When an issue gets confusing, grace it. It won’t clear the confusion but it will settle the argument. Grace is now the accepted curtain behind which all rational questions are chucked.

Take, for example, the phrase “grace giving.” What can that possibly mean? “Grace” is defined as “undeserved favor” and usually refers to anything God does for us that we obviously do not deserve. Even when humans are gracious it is only toward other humans and only because God’s grace made it possible. Humans can never do anything graciously for God. There will never be a time when He doesn’t deserve what we do. There will never be a time when we can do what He does deserve.

On the surface, however, “grace giving” sounds like something humans are giving to God which He does not deserve and in some cases, according to popular explanations, it translates into “no giving required.” If your budget happens to be tight its OK to keep your money and that qualifies as giving under grace.

Yes, you read that correctly. Grace giving sometimes becomes no giving. So, once again “grace” has been employed to cover up something that does not make sense. It is hard to tell who is being gracious to whom or how but that has become one popular teaching.

When you understand the words properly, “grace” and “giving” used in the same context can only refer to:

The great privilege of giving to causes that honor God and
This privilege is afforded only because God graciously allows it.

That is, it is only because God is gracious that He extends to us the privilege of giving. It is a privilege we don’t deserve. That, of course, means giving represents an opportunity…from God.

When we have the opportunity to give…

To “think about it” would be to question God’s wisdom, motive and character.
We should be elated He allows it (not too mention commands it) and consider the lack of explanation a compliment to our intelligence.
We should take advantage of it rather than grouse although God will accept offerings from disagreeable contrary souls.
Joyously giving in spite of limited resources demonstrates character on the part of the giver. The impoverished Corinthians are examples of this. They gave in spite of their limited resources because they understood the nature of grace and knew what to do with an opportunity. Using them as an example to suggest there are conditions under which we shouldn’t give is illogical in the extreme.
And giving nothing at all is worse than contrary, it is unbelieving. ‘Nough said.

God has graciously allowed us the opportunity to give and we can and should check the budget before doing so but only to see how we can work it in not to determine if we will.

Unfortunately, New Testament thinkers of modern times have turned grace into license. They speak of grace as if it mysteriously materialized at the cross and eliminated the need for individual responsibility. Never mind the fact that grace was very relevant in the Old Testament (Noah found it) some people give the impression that grace provides very special privileges to believers from the moment of the Cross, onward. Commitment and consistency are no longer required for the New Testament believer.

BTW, Grace for Noah spelled hard work. After he found it (he got it only because he looked for it) he spent the next 120 years single handedly building a flotation device, the Ark, large enough to save his family and the animal species of his day. He got that job because God was gracious.

If you want to withhold your offerings, go ahead. I doubt you’ll be hit by lightning and you’ll still receive many of God’s universal blessings but I would suggest you don’t lie about it. No guarantees there.

I would also suggest you don’t use grace as an excuse. Put the blame where it belongs: fear, mismanagement, materialism or unbelief. It is better to be admittedly insecure than willingly ignorant and when you get your head and heart right the opportunity to give, by God’s grace, will still be there.

What do you THINK!AboutIt?

In Tithing, Douglas Leblanc provides much more than a narrow discussion on a traditional issue. It isn’t the same old arguments presented the same boringly technical way.

Instead, and probably because he is “no theologian or exegetical writer,” Douglas has found an intriguing way to cut to the real heart of the issue. He shares the experiences of eleven different couples and one lone Monsignor, all of whom endorse tithing for a very similar reason: selflessness.