Why God Wants Us to Give

Last week I talked about the fact that God wants us to give. But why does he want us to give?

One reason is obvious—to support his church and those who preach and teach the gospel, and to help the poor. But while those are important, there’s much more to it than that, as Jesus tells us in chapter 6 of Matthew’s Gospel.

The greatest commandment is to love God more than anyone or anything else.[1] A person who claims to love God, but who is unwilling to part with their money, at best has divided loyalties. And as Jesus pointed out,

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.[2]

Just like you cannot serve both God and wealth, you also cannot love both God and wealth, for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”[3] Giving to God teaches us to put God first in our lives by subordinating money to him.

Giving to God is also an act of faith, for when we do so we rely on God, rather than money, for our security and the necessities of life. That is why Jesus said that we should not worry about food or clothing, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.”[4]

But most of all, giving to God is something we want to do if we truly love God. Our natural inclination is to give to the people we love, both in material things and in acts of kindness and devotion. That is undoubtedly why gift giving is a traditional part of Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations. Giving to God is more than merely a duty or an act of obedience that we do begrudgingly. Giving to God brings us joy, because it fulfills a need that we have—the need to give back to the God we love. That is why Paul said, “God loves a cheerful giver.”[5]

So let us give to God and to God’s church, not just from a sense of duty or obligation, but because it brings us joy to do so.

[1]. Matthew 22:36-38; see also Mark 12:28-30

[2]. Matthew 6:24

[3]. Matthew 6:21

[4]. Matthew 6:33

[5]. 2 Corinthians 9:7