But this I say, He which soes sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 

     There is no better indicator of growth in the new life than in the area of giving.  This passage deals

with the attitude one should have in his giving--it should be cheerful.  When giving is cheerful, it will also be generous.  The important rule of thumb is not how much is given, but how much is left after the giving.  God is not primarily occupied with the amount of the gift, but with the motive that lies behind it.  All the money in the world belongs to God.  My gift to Him does not make Him any richer; it makes me richer spiritually because of the realization that everything I have is His and that I'm giving because I love Him and want to give.

     The formula to giving is found in (1 Corinthians 16:2) where three principlels can be seen:

1.  my giving is to be regular, "Upon the first day of the week";

2.  my giving is to be systematic, "let every one of you lay by him in store";

3  my giving is to be proportionate, "as God has prospered him."

     Failure to give of the money which God has given is a serious matter.  The person who fails to honor God with his money actually robs God. (Mal. 3:8), not because it improvishes God but because it denies the God-ordained means for the support of His work and His ministers.  For the child of God who honors God with his money God promises abundant blessing (Mal. 3:10; Luke 6:38)  and the provision of his every need (Phil. 4:190.  Giving then is a key to growth in the new life.