In Paul’s closing comments to the church at Corinth, which are recorded for us in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24, we see the Apostle address the churches failure to love and serve one another. And in these verses, we see Paul reveal for us the first of three different ways that Christians act unchristian by failing to support one another in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4:
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.Paul begins this final section of his letter to the church at Corinth by addressing the first of three ways that the members of the church at Corinth were acting unchristian by failing to support one another. When Paul talks about the collection for the saints, he is referring to churches involvement in a special offering for the church of Jerusalem, whose members were suffering as a result of a famine in the region.
And while other churches were following Paul’s instructions to invest their treasure to meet the needs of the church in Jerusalem, the church at Corinth was failing to follow through on their commitment. And in the same way today, Christians act unchristian when we fail to support one another financially. Paul responds by revealing three timeless principles when it comes to supporting one another financially through the investing of our treasure in the kingdom mission that God has given us as a church.
First, we are to invest our treasure regularly. As part of their worship gatherings on Sunday’s, the members of the church were to respond to God’s generosity by reflecting that generosity through regular giving as an act of worship. As followers of Jesus, we are to thoughtfully place aside a portion of what God has given us in order to invest that portion into God’s kingdom mission so that it can be used to love, serve, and support others.
Second, we see that we are to invest our treasure proportionally. As followers of Jesus, we are to invest our treasure into God’s kingdom mission to love, serve, and support others in direct proportion to what God is providing for us financially. In times of prosperity or in times of difficulty we are to reflect God’s provision by providing for the needs of one another through our giving.
Third, we are to invest our treasure in a way that is above reproach. Paul wanted a representative approach to presenting their offering to the church at Jerusalem so that everything would be fitting, or proper. Paul desired that the financial gift would be handled in a way that was above reproach, where no one could point a finger of accusation as to how the finances were handled.
And today, as followers of Jesus and as a church, we are to strive to invest the treasure that God has given us regularly, proportionally, and in a way that is above reproach in order to advance and support God’s kingdom mission and one another.
So, how are you partnering together to support God’s kingdom mission financially? Are you investing the treasure that God has given you in a way that helps support environments where people can explore faith and experience community? Are you investing the treasure that God has given you in a way that helps support environments where Christ is reflected and revealed locally and globally?
Tomorrow, we will look at a second way that Christians can act unchristian by failing to support one another.
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