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GIVING
Giving means to share or to impart. Paul exhorts those who minister in
earthly things or temporal things to do so as if they are sharing and to do that very
generously. God has set certain persons in the church who prosper, who are
blessed with material things, in order that they may share those blessings with the
whole church. There are two ways to give: 1) we can give by saying that this is
mine, but I am going to give it to you because you are in need, or 2) we can share
by saying that this is what God has provided in order that I may share it with
God's people. Paul said we are to share by saying that God has prospered me and
as a good steward of His abundance, I am sharing it with you. I am not giving it
to you, I am sharing it with you. It belongs to God and I am his steward. I am the
channel through which God would share what He has. Paul said he that he who
gives (shares) must do it with simplicity, or, literally, with liberality. Let him do it
bountifully. Thus, God sets givers in the church, those who have the function of
giving, and He blesses them with material things. Paul said that they who have
this gift should share liberally and bountifully.
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