Promise: Offering Under God's Most Basic System
When I give with the heart: “I give when I want and when I can. As I never can and never want, I never give.”—Attributed to Arnaldo Enriquez, a Peruvian and former SAD Stewardship Ministries director. This is a statement Enriquez made while explaining about wrong motivations to give.
How Much
The Principle of the Purpose: 2 Cor. 9:7: “give as he purposes in his heart.” There must be a purpose (Gr. proaireomai), which means a decision is made before an established purpose.
The Principle of the Proportionality: Deut. 16:17; I Cor. 16:2: “according to the blessing,” or “as he may prosper.” The proportional system implies that the change in prosperity will bring a similar change in the amount given with tithes and offerings. They should be given “according to the blessing,” or “as he may prosper.”
When
The Principle of the Priority: Matt. 6:33; Prov. 3:9, 10: “But seek first...,” “... with the firstfruits...”—which means that what belongs to God (tithes and offerings) should be delivered before any other expense is met.
The Principle of the Regularity: Prov. 3:9: “with the firstfruits of all your increase”—which means, when there is an increase and every time there is an increase.
“If the plan of systematic benevolence* were adopted by every individual and fully carried out, there would be a constant supply in the treasury. The income would flow in like a steady stream constantly supplied by overflowing springs of benevolence.”—E. G. White, Testimony and Treasurer, p. 368.4.
“The Lord made a special covenant with men, that if they would regularly set apart the portion designated for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, the Lord would bless them abundantly so that there would not be room to receive His gifts. But if men withhold that which belongs to God, the Lord plainly declares, ‘Ye are cursed with a curse.’”—E. G. White, Counsels on Stewardship, p. 77.1.
To learn more about “Promise” and to commit to giving a percentage of your offering to God as your promise, please click HERE.
Source: Extracted from the Stewardship Ministries’ small-group activity brochure, “The Plan That Came From Heaven.”
