It is good that the bible provides some guidelines on how to best honor God with our material resources. The list of biblical guidelines that follow are not exhaustive by any means, but provide a good start for us. I trust you will all read them carefully and take them to heart so that we honor God more fully.

New Testament guidelines for giving

Give Generously. “…be generous and willing to share. In this way (you) will lay up treasure for (yourself)… for the coming age”
1 Timothy 6: 18,19

Give Regularly. “On the first day of every week, each one should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.”
1 Corinthians 16:2

Give Joyfully. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7

Excel in Giving. “But just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge… see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
2 Corinthians 8:7

Give Worshipfully. “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.”
2 Corinthians 8:5

Give Proportionally. “Each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.”
1 Corinthians 16:2

“Stewardship is nothing less than a complete lifestyle, a total accountability and responsibility before God. Stewardship is what we do after we believe, that is, after we give our love, loyalty, and trust to God, from whom each and every aspect of our lives comes as a gift.”

What about ownership?

A very unique aspect of Canadian law is that we are not granted the right of ownership, we receive the right of tenancy only. God’s economy is very similar in nature, we do not own things, but are merely entrusted with the stewardship of God’s resources.

The scriptures are clear that God owns everything. The most forthright proclamation of this can be found in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” Nothing is excluded from God’s domain. What God said to ancient Israel in Deuteronomy 8:18 applies to us today as well, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

No doubt King David had this truth firmly embedded in his mind when he said in 1 Chronicles 29:14, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hands.” The King of Israel made this statement after all the resources for building God’s temple had been supplied by God’s people.

The key is that giving generously to God’s work is only returning to Him what belonged to Him all along.