The document discusses giving as a Christian economic transformative tool. It argues that giving, whether directly through one's own works or indirectly by supporting others, can help facilitate the gospel and liberate people from spiritual or material bondage. Giving is associated with blessings, prosperity, and spiritual growth. The document examines whether relationships exist between giving and poverty, poverty and faithfulness, prosperity and spiritual growth. It concludes that giving more than 10% of one's income attracts God's blessings and that miserly giving risks poverty, while generous giving leads to prosperity.

1. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SANGOTEDO
PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY:
GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC
TRANFORMATIVE TOOL
A Sermon By Bro. Ben Edoja

2. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• It will be expedient to simplify the theme and topic
for ease of comprehension and also to give it a more
concise theoretical or ideological framework. Thus
practical Christianity is Christianity in practice or in
action: as was the case in Antioch by the early
Christians (Acts 11:26). Giving for the work of God is
anything you give or do and believe in your heart
that God alone will reward you.

3. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• The work of God can be individualized to
cover all activities that relates to the
salvation of one’s soul as well as the souls of
as many that come into contact with or
having dealings with us. Giving for the work
of God is anything you do directly or
indirectly, based on faith in God that will
stimulate other people’s faith and or facilitate
the gospel or liberate men from spiritual or
material bondage

4. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• The work of God is very important and we will count
ourselves privileged to be involved and the reward is
the blessings of God that maketh rich and adds no
sorrows: (Proverbs 10:22) This is the work Jesus did
in his earthly life Jn4:34 and more plainly expressed
in (Matt 11:2 & 5). when John demanded to know
whether he is the one to come
• Reading carefully the works of our lord Jesus, they
can all be classified into two categories (a) Physical
benefits (b) Spiritual benefits.

5. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• What then is giving for the work of God? It
must then be giving that can be categorized
into the two groups above either directly as
in you doing it or indirectly as in supporting
others to do (Mt25:35&36): It is important to
give what is appropriate and in accordance
to the situation That is what Saint James
called faith backed with works (James 2:15&16).

6. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
In espousing the theory of giving we will set out five
questions for determination:
• (1) Whether or not a relationship exists between
giving and physical poverty?
• (2) Whether a relationship exists between physical
poverty and faithfulness?
• (3) Whether or not physical prosperity is required
for spiritual growth?
• (4) Whether or not whatever is cheerfully given
attracts blessings?
• (5) Whether or not Christians can give less than the
one tenth of their income?

7. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• Whether or not a relationship exists between giving
and physical poverty?
• The Old Testament which is necessary for our leaning
(I Cor 10:11, Gal.5:4) in its concluding book the book
of Malachi stated plainly to the children of God – the
Jews that when a tenth of their produce is offered
for the maintenance of God’s house or the temple
workers he will offer them blessings beyond their
imagination and also help to preserve them. (Mal.
3:10)

8. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• The new testament prescribed two levels of
returns from giving: miserly attracts miserly
returns and bounty attracts bounty (Luke 6:38,
II Cor 9:6) The proposition in the heart (II
Cor9:7) will enable the giver to evaluate and
determine what level of giving will be
necessary and sufficient to cause open
heavens.

9. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• It can be concluded from the scriptures that a
strong relationships exist between giving for
God’s work and poverty. You may be hard
working yet your increase hardly endure
because the increase is not insured, The
devourer is ever feasting on your hard work.

10. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• Whether a relationship exists between
physical poverty and faithfulness?
• There is this misgiving that except one is as
poor as a church rat he or she may not be a
faithful Christian .This position is anchored on
Christ’s statement that it is easer for the
camel to pass through the needle’s eye than
a rich man entering the kingdom of God
(Mt.19:24).

11. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
• First let me say that needle meant is not the
sewing needle but a small opening when the
main gate of the city have been shut in the
night and herdsmen who arrived late may
have to force themselves and their animals
through this eye of the needle into the city.

12. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
Can somebody who can not feed be a faithful
Christian? The answer to this question is offered by
Saint Paul in his epistle to Timothy (I Tim 5:8). Flowing
from this it is apparent that poverty can cause denial
of faith and can make the worshipper of God worse
than an infidel. I must add that all human vices to wit:
armed robbery, kidnapping, prostitution etc are
deeply rooted in poverty. Lazarus was poor but have
his daily bread from the crumbs from the rich man’s
table. It was a steady supply. He has no responsibility.
Joseph of Arimathaea was rich and yet a worthy
disciple of our Lord Jesus.

13. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
His personal tomb serves as rest place for the body of Christ
(Mt.27:57-60), Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon etc are all
wealthy men. The case of Solomon was instructive because he
ask for that which is spiritual he was rewarded with spiritual and
material blessings (Kgs3:9-13), This tally with the submission of
our Lord Jesus when he said we should seek the kingdom of God
that is to be part of the body of Christ and its righteousness the
tenets of Christianity giving and benevolence inclusive and all
other benefits will be confer on us (Mt.6:33). From the
foregoing there it is clear that there is a nexus between poverty
and faithful Christian life.

14. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
Whether or not physical prosperity is required for spiritual
growth?
• Two scriptures amplify this position (Phil. 4:19, III Jn 1:2)
They talk of limitless material blessings. Saint John places this
as the highest of his wish for Christians that they prosper and
be in health even as they prosper in their soul. It is also an
attestation of your faith. Saint Paul adds that we should be
confident that God which has begun a good work in our life
will perform it till the day of Christ Jesus (Phil.1:6).

15. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
Whether or not whatever is cheerfully given attracts blessings?
• There are other terms tied to the cheerful giving: In (I Cor.
16:1-2) we will notice that giving was an order, secondly it
must be proportional to prosperity. Furthermore as in (II
Corith 9:7) it must be worked in the heart and this
proposition must exceed the giving of the Pharisees which
offer a tenth of their prosperity to God (Mt. 5:20).
• Therefore cheerfulness is among other conditions necessary
and sufficient for proper giving.

16. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
Whether or not Christians can give less than the one tenth of
their income?
• Our lord Jesus commended one hundred percent giving the
widow’s mites (Mk.12: 43 – 44) Saint Paul begs us to give
ourselves wholly to God as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) It will
take great faith to give ourselves totally to God. The early
Christians gave 100% (Acts 4:32,34,35), From the above it is a
settled law that that giving whatever is involved must exceed
those of the scribes and the Pharisees in other words it must
be greater than 10% of our income. Any thing less is greed
and may lead to poverty.

17. GIVING AS CHRISTIAN ECONOMIC TRANFORMATIVE
TOOL
Benefits of Giving
• The benefits of giving cannot be overemphasized: It is
recommended (Acts 20:35), whenever you have the
opportunity do good (Gal 6:10) it is sinful not to do good
• James 4: 17
Bro. Dr. Ben Edoja