From Fear to Fullness

Below is an article from Pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church that gives some further reflection on what we heard at Wellington Presbyterian Church this past Sunday from God’s Word. It is entitled, The Spiritual Importance of Giving. It is well worth prayerfully reading to help us move from fear to fulness by abandoning an ownership mentality for that of a steward...

The Spiritual Importance of Giving, Tim Keller

At Redeemer Presbyterian Church, we believe all of life can only be properly understood when viewed through the lens of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only when we understand our material possessions in light of Christ's sacrificial love for us that we can truly have a healthy relationship towards our material possessions.

Only by seeing that Christ gave up everything so that we could inherit the riches of heaven will we be transformed into individuals who are both joyful and generous. Paul summarizes this idea in 2 Corinthians 8:9: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." Understanding the riches we have already received in Christ liberates us from the need to make an idol of our possessions and motivates us to invest our wealth, talents, and time in the eternal kingdom of God.

THE "HORIZONTALNESS" OF CHRISTIAN GIVING

Giving, stewardship - let's be frank - money, is not something I am very comfortable talking about. I was warned when we first came to New York that New Yorkers would let you tell them what to do about anything-sex, marriage, career, whatever - before they'd let you tell them how to handle their money. Combined with my natural bent toward being a people pleaser, I took that as a "prime directive" and have talked as little about the Biblical teaching concerning money as I possibly could (much to the despair of the church's Stewardship Committee, I might add!). Last year I didn't even give a stewardship sermon.

However, this past year I started to become convicted that I was avoiding a subject that the Scripture was very direct about, so I began a study of what the Bible really had to say. I was deeply impressed by the "horizontalness" of giving. I always thought of this as a "vertical" category - one more duty of the Christian life alongside of evangelism, prayer, mercy, discipleship, and so on. I have begun to realize, on the contrary, that generous giving is horizontal - it "cuts through" all other duties. Radical generosity is at the heart of everything we are called to do and be as Christians.

THREE "LENSES": CREATION, FALL, REDEMPTION

If the teaching on giving is so comprehensive, how can we get a handle on it and see its dimensions? The Bible tells us that whenever we look at the world, or anything in the world, we know three things about it: 1) It was created by God; 2) it is currently distorted and polluted by sin; and 3) redemption is available through Christ. If we look at our money through each of these three "lenses", what do we see?

THREE THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS Through the Lenses

First, since all things are created, our money is God's. "We have only given you what comes from your hand." (I Chron.29:14). Because of creation, our money does not belong to us, and we must not act as if it does. That means Christians must live as stewards, honoring God through their giving. If our money was ours, a lack of generosity would be merely stinginess, but since it is not, non-generosity is really robbery (Mal.3:8; cf. I Chron.29:17). So we learn that, when it comes to money, Christians must be like stockbrokers investing.

Second, since all things are distorted by s i n, our money is now a "Master". "You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke 16:13). Because of sin, money has a power to master and delude and control us, and we must not act as if it doesn't. That means that Christians choose to live a simpler lifestyle, using their giving to liberate their hearts. If our money did not have this power, a lack of generosity would be merely stinginess, but since it does, non-generosity is really slavery (Mark 10:21-23). So we learn that when it comes to money, we are like slaves escaping.

Third, since all things can be redeemed by Christ, our money can be a channel of grace. "Men will praise God for...your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." (2 Cor.9:13). Because of Christ's redemption our money is both the result of grace and is now a channel of grace, and we must not forget that it is. That means Christians must live modeling God's grace, using their giving to change lives. If we do not use our money to access this opportunity, a lack of generosity would be merely stinginess, but since it does, nongenerosity is both a lack of vision and heartless (II Cor.8:8). So we learn that when it comes to money, we are like brothers and sisters s h a r i n g. Only when the world sees us being astonishingly generous with our money will it believe that God has been generous to us (cf.Acts 2:45, 47). There is no more concrete and effective way to spread God's grace than to model the grace of the one who became poor for us.

THREE MOTIVATIONAL DYNAMICS: Through the Lenses

First, the "lens" of creation shows us that Christians are obliged to give. Matt.25:14-30 shows us that God gives us our resources, not simply to hold on to (like the wicked servant) but to invest in causes the Master loves and brings him joy (Mt.25:19-21). The Bible tells us that the causes that the Master loves are the spread of his kingdom (cf.Exodus 35-36; Acts 4:32; 1 Cor.16:2), the poor (Matt.6:1-4; 25:31ff.), and individuals with needs, both Christian and non-Christians (Gal.6:10; Luke 10:25ff). A steward is like a stockbroker, who must send God's money out generously but strategically. So why give money "away"? Because a) it is the only way to be a just steward, and b) it is the only way to be a wise steward. The only "wealth" you can keep is that which bears fruit for God - it is the only investment the dividends of which last eternally (Matt.25:23, cf.v.30; Luke 16:9- 11).

Second, the "lens" of sin shows us that Christians need to give. In the account of the rich young ruler, Jesus calls him to give away all his wealth, but this is not an absolute rule. In Luke 19:1-10 he accepts Zaccheus' offer to give only 50%. Why? Jesus calls us to give until the power of money in our lives is broken. At Sinai we see that money is not so much an "idol" as it is the way we always serve the real idols of our heart (cf. Exod.32:2-4, 33:4-6; 35:22). We always spend our money most readily and painlessly on the things we most put our hope in (Matt.5:21). Idols of status, approval, control, and power all use money to dominate us, though in radically different ways. Some people's idol of approval makes them spend money on beautiful homes in order to enter certain "circles". Other people's idol of control makes them amass large savings and investments while living frugally and stingily. Some people's idol of power makes them give money to causes and people they wish to control. Others need money to cover over deep feelings of inadequacy. So why give money away? Because it is the only way to a) identify, and b) starve out the real masters of your life.

Third, the "lens" of redemption shows that Christians want to give. In Acts 4:31 we see that when the power of the Spirit comes down on the disciples, assuring them of God's love (cf.Matt.3:16-17; Rom.8:16), they begin to give their money away with joy and enthusiasm (Acts.4:32-37) - with "boldness". If you believe you are saved by your good deeds, you will be too insecure to give ("will God really take care of my needs?") and too proud ("I earned what I have!"). But if you believe you are a sinner saved by grace, you will see everything you have as an undeserved gift (I Cor.4:7), and you will want to model the free grace Jesus gave to you. Thus in Luke 6:30-36 Jesus says that the sign that you know God has been merciful to you (though you were wicked and ungrateful v.35) is that you are generous with money to all kinds of people (v.34,36). The grace of Christ actually creates a pressure to give, a compulsion from inside far greater than any coercion from the outside (2 Cor.9:6-7, 13). So why give money away? Because it is one of the best ways: a) to change lives, b) to build community, and c) to live out the truths of who you are in Christ.

THREE PRACTICAL GUIDELINES- Through the Lenses

We keep saying that giving must be "radical" or "generous" or "bounteous" - but how do we define that practically? First, the lens of "creation" shows us that we must give the tithe. Imagine that a client went to a stockbroker and said: "Invest my money and only give me 10% of the dividends - you can keep the rest." That would be quite a deal - but that is what God gives us. In Luke 11:37-42 Jesus approves the Pharisees for tithing very little bit of their wealth, yet condemns them for doing it mechanically, without creativity and inner passion. So the tithe is the general guideline.

Second, the lens of "sin" shows us that we must give the excess. I Tim.6:6-9 and other texts simply tell us that the power of money is such that it will convince us we don't have enough for our needs, but we must see that we really do. There is always an excess, if we stop letting our idols delude us that we cannot live without more wealth.

Third, the lens of "grace" shows us that we must give the sacrifice. 2 Cor.8:1-15 says we have not given enough until it hurts. For many of us, even the tithe does not make a difference in the way we live or feel. We must give until there is a sacrifice.