Free will Giving

Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV) 

Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

The above verse does not say how much to give, all you need to do is give whatever amount you wish, and God will bless you for it.

When we come to the New Testament giving is explained as follows:

Mark 12:17 (NKJV)

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Jesus also emphasized the promise of a blessing associated with giving “Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.” Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 9:6 emphasizes the benefits of a cheerful giver who does whatever is purposed in their heart.

2 Corinthians 9:5-7 (NKJV)

5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Giving has always been based on the same principles. It is our responsibility to pay our taxes and fulfil our financial obligations to our families and local church.

Additionally, what you give will be returned to you in equal measure. It is also important to remember that we should give cheerfully, not because of necessity.

Paul praises the Corinthian church (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) for giving everything despite their poverty, expressing his admiration for them. Their giving was more than they should have given and they only did so because they had already given themselves to the Lord.

Selfishness in the world today

The world today is drowning in greed, with many people consumed by self-indulgence. Our focus on feeding ourselves has left us blind to the needs of others. As a result, we rarely reach out or extend a helping hand. Instead, we justify our materialism by developing a theology that supports it.

This is where the prosperity gospel steps in, claiming that Jesus wants us to be healthy and wealthy. Such teachings provide a convenient excuse to satisfy our selfish desires. These movements have attempted to replace the guilt of greed with a theology that baptizes it. By promoting the idea that material blessings are a sign of God’s favor, they validate self-centeredness and turn greed into a virtue.

Instead of confronting the sin of selfishness, the prosperity gospel has twisted it into something that appears righteous. This not only distorts Scripture but also blinds people to the true gospel—a message of humility, selflessness, and service to others.

If we are to stand against this trend, we must return to the truth of God’s Word. The Bible does not call us to accumulate wealth but to glorify God through love, generosity, and self-denial. Only when we abandon these false teachings and embrace sacrificial living can we truly reflect Christ’s character in a world consumed by selfishness.