In 1 Cor 16:1-4, Paul lays out some basic principles for giving money to the poor. The topic of giving to charity or to help the poor is rarely discussed; it is simply assumed that ‘good’ people will do this, but as always, the Bible gives us reasons to give as well as practical guidelines to help us. First and foremost, we have a giving God. Paul tells the Corinthians they ‘know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’ (2 Cor 8:9) God’s generosity towards mankind is one of the common threads of the Bible. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7) primarily because He is Himself a cheerful giver. He so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to save us (Jn 3:16); His generosity is expressed in countless ways (see James 1:17, Ps 84:11). We should give primarily because God gives!
Generosity and willingness to help those in need are, therefore, characteristics of God’s children because they are characteristics of God Himself. Christianity emphasises the fact that we respond to God’s love, grace and mercy by being loving, gracious and merciful ourselves; there is a direct correlation between God’s nature and our behaviour, if God’s nature is imparted to us. The Old Testament makes it clear that God cares profoundly for the poor and helpless and gives us clear instructions about how to help them (see Deut 14:22-29, Deut 15:7-8, Deut 24:22-24, Lev 19:9-10, Jer 22:3, Amos 2:6-7, Prov 19:17, Ps 82:3-4); our response to God’s generosity is to be generous ourselves. It’s another way we can imitate God. (Eph 5:1)
The Bible is adamant that ‘the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it’ (Ps 24:1), reminding us that God is the creator and owner of everything (see also Ps 50:10-11) and that we are merely stewards of God’s creation (see Luke 16:1-13). This teaching revolutionises our attitude to money and belongings, reminding us that covetousness and greed are to be eschewed. Attitudes to giving are more crucial than amounts (see Luke 21:2-3): we are to give ‘as to the Lord’ (see Matt 25:31-46), giving thanks to God for all He has given us.
Paul’s concern is that the church in Jerusalem might be supported and blessed by the other churches he has helped to found. This passage is a reminder that we have a moral duty to help other Christians (see also Gal 6:10, Gal 2:10, Rom 15:27), as well as giving advice on the best ways to do this. Giving to help others (often known as ‘almsgiving’, from the Greek word connected to ‘pity’ or ‘mercy’) is a central tenet in every world religion, but Christians are urged to do so not simply out of a sense of duty, but willingly and gladly. If we’re reluctant to give financially to help others, it may be that we need to re-examine our hearts to find out why. God’s kindness leads us to repentance and becomes the springboard for all action and service. His kindness motivates our kindness; being kind, generous, loving and giving are fruit of God’s Spirit living in us. (Gal 5:22-23)