1 Cor 16:2
What Paul says about the particular situation he was
discussing - the collection for the saints in Jerusalem - contains some very
wise and practical directions which provide a sound general guide from the
apostle for financial practice in stewardship in the church for our day as well
as his.
The principles he sets out are:
(a) “On the first day”: This reference (with
the others which we find in the New Testament) indicates that the Christians
made a practice of meeting together on the first day of every week (i.e., on
the Sunday). Their giving is thus to be systematic, not sporadic, and it is
tied in with the regular Christian worship, which would provide an ongoing
reminder and motivation and stimulus for such systematic giving.
(b) “Of every week”: Their giving is not only
to be systematic but regular, and not occasional, or a matter of whim or
impulse. The carrying out of this instruction will require planning and preparation,
and will mean the incorporation of this Christian stewardship within the
framework of a household’s regular outgoings.
(c) “Each of you is to put something aside”:
Everyone is to be committed to this program of giving. It is not just for those
who feel like it, or who are richer than the rest, or who believe themselves
called to be liberal, as if there are others who may consider themselves
excused from participation. Whether the sum of money set aside is small or
large, each of them is to be involved in this project. The responsibility of
giving aid to the saints was an obligation which every one of the brothers in
the churches is to acknowledge and accept. So also today the same principle
applies: all the people of God have a responsibility of Christian stewardship
and as stewards should set an amount aside on a systematic and regular basis.
(d) “As he may prosper”: Their giving is to be
proportional to their means. The principle of proportional giving goes back
into the Old Testament, where people gave a tenth of their increase (the tithe)
to God. This principle of tithing is confirmed in the New Testament. That
Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek is mentioned in Hebrews (7:2) in a context
that indicates that this is viewed favorably. Their tithing is the only thing
for which Jesus ever commended the Pharisees: “These you ought to have done”,
Jesus tells them, “without neglecting the other, weightier, matters of the law:
justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23, cf. ESV and others). The
Jews in the church would recognize the tithe as their minimum obligation in
giving to God’s service under the Old Covenant, after which one could make an
offering (Malachi 3:8), and they would not think that under the New Covenant
they could please God by doing less as stewards of what he had
given them. The New Testament exhortations to generosity only make sense if
seen as exhorting Christians to do more than they would have done
as the people of God under the Old Covenant. Proportional giving exemplifies in
the material sphere the general principle that “Everyone to whom much was
given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48).
(e) “So that there will
be no collecting when I come”: Paul’s instructions will ensure that the matter
is handled in the best possible way, so that the congregation’s contributions
will all be built up and put aside pending Paul’s coming, rather than there
being need for a quick unplanned and unprepared-for collection when he arrives.
Translated into the circumstances of stewardship for today, this would indicate
a putting aside on a regular basis of a suitable proportion of our income so
that we have our tithe, our “Christian stewardship reserve”, available to
expend in whatever way in Christ’s service the Spirit brings to our notice.
Some part will indeed go on a weekly basis for the support of ministry in our
usual congregation, and some in regular support of evangelism, outreach, and
relief of need and missionary work around the world, and some will remain “set
aside” against the “arrival” of some Christian need to which we can then apply
what we have saved up for this purpose.
(This is one of the “Practical and Pastoral Reflections” upon
Paul’s Epistle, taken from
Ward
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