It has been spoken too many times from the pulpit that we are to come into the house of God, referring to a building of brick and mortar as the house of God. The house of God is made up of the saints and Jesus its chief cornerstone. The people of God do not come to meet in the house of God, but they are the house of God coming together to meet in a building. Being in the building is not the blessing, being with the people of God is the blessing. Too many churches invest too much in brick and mortar and not enough in the true house of God.
When a church is in trouble, why do so many of them reach for law instead of God? When a church has financial trouble they too often turn to law, try to make the giving a lawful thing and bind their disciples to debt. Jesus came to free us not to keep us in bonds. Why do so many pastors tell their followers that giving is the road to financial freedom but do not see that it is true for the church also? Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to give your life for a friend and I call you friend and no longer servant.” We are not under a covenant of law, but of Spirit (of blood). Love is a fruit of that Spirit (love is a spirit that enhances feeling and not a feeling that enhances the spirit). Giving is out of love not law. It can be said in this way, “Follow the love of giving and not the law of giving.”
When you start talking about love, too many people think you are talking about an irrational or impulsive feeling. That is not love. Love is longsuffering and enduring not irrational and impulsive. God loves and carefully followed His plan for our salvation. Jesus loves and walked among us for our salvation. It is important that one understand love to understand walking in love. One cannot continually walk around in an irrational and impulsive daze that we too often call love. Giving out of that type of definition of love is too often a giving to get or giving selfish gifts. To say God blesses giving is not the same as saying give to get blessings. Giving, in the right attitude, is a blessing. In fact giving is a double blessing, one when you receive and one when you give.
Church, give and it shall be given unto you. Please do not give and then hold God in debt if you do not receive what you want. In the same manner, church, do not hold each other in debt when it comes to giving. Giving belongs to the individual and receiving is not the right of the church, but both giving and receiving are blessings from God. One is blessed in the giving and another in the receiving, but both are blessed and not to be blamed. Giving is not a tax. Giving is not of mans counting of wealth that is possessions, including money. It is giving of self that can also include ones possessions. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to give your life for a friend and I call you friend and no longer servant.” We work together as friends and not as bondservants.
The law of giving brings one back into law and sharpens the pencil of the accountant. Grace giving is giving out of love. Give to give and you will receive. Give to receive and you may be limiting God on what He can give to you. The church is Spirit and not brick and mortar. Just as the individual gives, the church also gives of what is received – pass on the blessings. In fact the church should follow the example of God and give first. This is love, not that we love God but that He first loved us. Follow that example. Too many times the phrase, “Bring your tithes and offerings into the storehouse of God,” is used to say bring your money into a brick and mortar building. The saints are the storehouse of God. Joined together in Spirit we are the Church of God, the body of Christ. Church, do not say, “If you have a need increase your giving” and then not do it yourself. The love of giving is a blessing. The promise of God is not a debt that He owes us or that we owe Him, but a blessing.