THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

 

Chapter 21​

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A Giver Under the Old Covenant

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Text

2 Cor. 8:1-5 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.

 

2 Cor. 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

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​​​​Memory Verse

Luke 3:68  Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

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Introduction

Every government needs a constitution to regulate its people. When it is outdated, you do not patch it forever - you replace it with something better.

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When a person is saved, they do not change their face. They change their fate through faith in Christ. They do not change race; they change realm. They do not change their name; they make a name by living differently.

 

Giving did not disappear under the New Covenant. What changed is the approach. The method got an upgrade to reveal a deeper meaning and meet a greater need.

 

Objective
To see how giving under the New Covenant, led by the Holy Spirit, is distinct from giving under the law of Moses.

 

Presentation

 

1. Giving Under the New Covenant is Proportionate

You give according to your income and the real needs around you (2 Cor. 8:12; 1 John 3:17-19).

No material gift was required for ritual purposes anymore. When the tabernacle was built, Moses had to stop the people because they had brought more than enough (Ex. 36:4-7). That system had its place.

 

The Church’s work now is spiritual. Christ is not accessed physically (2 Cor. 5:16). We gather to share spiritual gifts and teaching (Heb. 10:25), not to manage material possessions that anyone can have at any time.

 

2. New Testament Giving is Mercy-Driven All the Way
Every act of giving under grace is a relief offering.

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Under the old covenant, you could eat in another’s field but not take food home (Deut. 23:24-25). Farmers were not to harvest the edges of their fields, so orphans, widows, and strangers could glean (Deut. 24:19-21; Lev. 19:9-10).

 

But Christ raised the bar. Acts of charity now carry greater weight because He endorsed them (Heb. 2:1-4).

 

Later teachers of the law started treating charity as though it could atone for sin, which is not the case. That is why Jesus had to correct them: “Be careful not to practise your righteousness before others to be seen by them … your Father sees what is done in secret” (Matt. 6:2-4).

 

Conclusion
Under Moses, giving was regulated, compulsory, and tied to land and law.

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Under Christ, giving is free, proportionate, and driven by love and mercy. The goal is still to care for people. But now it is the Spirit who leads, not the letter of the law.
 

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​​Evaluation Questions & Answers

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1. Besides giving proportionately, what else distinguishes New Testament giving?

   • It is led by the Spirit, not the law. It is voluntary, mercy-driven, and focused on real needs. It is not for ritual, not for show, and not to earn favour (Matt. 6:2-4).

2. In what way is giving under the first covenant different from that of the new covenant?

   • Old covenant: Regulated by law, fixed amounts, tied to land and season, compulsory for men 20+ with inheritance.

   • New covenant: Proportionate to income, led by love, flexible, focused on welfare and mercy (Gal. 6:10; 2 Cor. 8:12).

3. According to Numbers 7:7-9, what should be the yardstick of any giving?

   • Ability and need. The Levites were given carts and oxen according to the work they had to do. Giving is not one-size-fits-all. It should match the need and the giver’s capacity.

4. Why should individual or optional material giving be more encouraged than corporate and / or regulated material giving?

   • Because it keeps giving personal, heartfelt, and need-based. Regulated giving can become ritual and mechanical. Optional giving allows the Spirit to lead and makes sure help actually reaches the people who need it (2 Cor. 9:7).

5. Should giving meant for fellowship be used to help a stranded person before then? Why?

   • Yes. Meeting a real, urgent need comes first. Jesus put mercy above ritual (Matt. 12:7). If someone is stranded, helping them is worship. The point of giving is love in action, not keeping money locked for a future meeting.

 

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Prayer

Father, thank You for bringing us under the new covenant of grace. Teach us to give as You lead -freely, proportionately, and with love. Let our giving always be an act of mercy that reflects Your heart. Amen.

 

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