Is there a spiritual gift of giving / generosity?
The Bible has a lot to say about the topics of giving, generosity, and supporting God’s work financially. While the Bible does not specifically name “giving” as a distinct spiritual gift like prophecy or teaching, Scripture makes it clear that God uniquely enables certain Christ-followers in the grace of generous giving for the advance of His kingdom.
In this approximately 9,000 word article, we will explore what the Bible teaches about giving, generosity, and supporting ministry financially. We will look at related spiritual gifts, motivations, character qualities, commands, and promises connected to generosity in God’s eyes. My goal is to thoroughly answer from Scripture the question “Is there a spiritual gift of giving / generosity?”
Definitions
To start, let us define some key terms:
Giving – The act of freely and voluntarily transferring money or possessions to someone else, often to benefit a cause or meet needs.
Generosity – The spirit behind giving; a willingness to give liberally and sacrificially.
While not exactly identical, giving and generosity are closely tied concepts in the Bible. We give because we are generous. We are generous because of what God has given us.
Supporting God’s Work Financially – Using money and resources to aid ministry activities that fulfill God’s purposes on earth. This includes funding churches, missionaries, charities, schools, and other Kingdom work.
Spiritual Gift – A special ability given by the Holy Spirit to Christians for the purpose of building up the body of Christ.
Scripture connects all the above terms, so studying them together can give us a clearer picture of what the Bible teaches. Let’s explore relevant passages.
Bible Verses on Giving
The Bible contains over 2,300 verses on money and possessions, including many passages discussing proper motives and methods for giving. Here is a representative sampling of key Bible verses about giving:
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:25)
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Proverbs 11:24)
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27)
These and many other verses portray generous giving as the norm for faithful Christ-followers. God blesses and multiplies what we give to meet needs and spread the Gospel. Our confidence is to be in Him, not riches. Giving should flow from cheerfulness, not obligation. Generosity demonstrates the sincerity of our love and the reality of our faith.
Heart Motivations for Giving
More important than the outward act of giving is the condition of the giver’s heart. God cares why and how we give. We are not merely to go through the motions.
Acceptable motivations for giving generously according to Scripture include:
Gratitude – Giving as an expression of thankfulness for what God has given us (2 Corinthians 9:12-15)
Sacrifice – Following Jesus’ example of selfless giving for others (2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:5-8, 1 John 3:16-18)
Faith – Trusting God’s promises to provide and bless when we give (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Philippians 4:15-20, Luke 6:38)
Love – Giving to meet needs and promote others’ well-being (2 Corinthians 8:8, 1 John 3:17-18)
Worship – Recognizing that everything we have is from God (Proverbs 3:9, Acts 4:32-37)
Justice – Righting inequities; giving back to balance the scales (Proverbs 21:13, 22:9, 28:27, 29:7)
On the other hand, unacceptable motivations condemned in Scripture include:
Greed – Giving to get more in return (1 Timothy 6:5-10, Luke 12:15)
Compulsion – Giving grudgingly under pressure (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Pride – Giving to be seen and elevated (Matthew 6:2-4)
Guilt – Giving mostly to relieve guilty feelings (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The motivation behind giving matters greatly to God. We are not to give for selfish gain, to be lauded by people, or just to check a box. But we are to give freely and cheerfully out of sincere love and gratitude.
Character Qualities Associated with Generosity
In describing generous givers and gifts given to support ministry, the Bible connects and commends many character qualities. Generous people exhibit:
Joy – They give cheerfully and eagerly (2 Corinthians 8:2; 9:7)
Faithfulness – They keep their word to give as promised (2 Corinthians 8:3-5, 10-11; 9:2)
Liberality – They give freely, even lavishly, not sparingly (2 Corinthians 9:5-6)
Sincerity – They give from the heart, not under pressure (2 Corinthians 8:8; 9:7)
Righteousness – They give to do what is right and just (2 Corinthians 9:10)
Humility – They give lowly, not to be elevated (Matthew 6:2-4)
Sacrifice – They give at cost to themselves (2 Corinthians 8:2-3; Philippians 4:18)
Obedience – They give in response to Christ’s commands (2 Corinthians 9:13)
Love – They give to meet needs and bless others (2 Corinthians 8:8, 24)
Generosity should flow from transformed hearts that display Christlike virtues. Giving is not truly generosity if done grudgingly, compulsively, proudly, or selfishly.
Commands to Give to God’s Work
Scripture contains clear directives that Christ’s disciples are to financially support the ministry of the local church and the spread of the Gospel.
Jesus endorsed giving to support gospel ministry when He told His disciples, “the laborer deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7). Paul explains this further:
“Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:13–14)
Paul urges the churches in Galatia and Corinth to give regularly:
“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Paul commends the Philippian church that financially supported his missionary work again and again:
“And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.” (Philippians 4:15-16)
We even see the responsibility to give back materially to those who teach God’s word:
“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” (Galatians 6:6)
From beginning to end, Scripture instructs followers of Jesus to tangibly support gospel ministry with generous, sacrificial giving. It is a practical demonstration of love and partnership.
Blessings Connected to Giving
While we should not give just to get, God promises wonderful blessings to those who give freely and cheerfully to Him:
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:25)
“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Proverbs 11:24)
“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)
“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
God assures those who give generously to Him and His work will receive generous blessings in return — enriched relationships, joy, honor, possessions, and resources to keep giving. We can trust God to provide abundantly when we give freely.
The Grace of Giving
While God commands giving and promises blessing, we are utterly dependent on God’s grace to give generously, just as with any act of righteousness. Paul makes this clear:
“But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.” (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)
Even with giving, we rely on God’s grace and power to obey. On our own, we would be selfish, stingy, and self-serving. But God transforms us by His grace into generous givers who desire to excel in supporting His work.
Is Generous Giving a Spiritual Gift?
We have surveyed a variety of biblical passages on giving, generosity, and supporting ministry financially. Let us now return to our original question: is there truly a distinct spiritual gift of giving or generosity?
Based on the full counsel of Scripture, I would contend the answer is yes and no:
No – In passages like Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4 that list examples of spiritual gifts, we do not see “giving” singled out. Bible teachers differ on exactly how many gifts there are, but “giving” is not normally on the list.
AND
Yes – Throughout Scripture, we see that God uniquely and graciously enables certain Christians to generate wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), have a spirit of liberality (2 Corinthians 8:2), give sacrificially (2 Corinthians 8:3), excel in this grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7), and be rich in good works and generous (1 Timothy 6:18).
God clearly grants the ability, resources, and desire to excel in giving to some in the body of Christ for the benefit of the whole body. Whether categorized as a distinct gift or not, the reality is that God enables some in remarkable generosity. Good Bible teachers label this the gift of giving (Rom. 12:8) or distinguish it as a serving/supporting gift to the church.
So in summary, I would say generous financial giving is a grace and unique enabling from God, though not always classified as a separate spiritual gift. The exercise and fruit of generous giving is a special capacity granted by God’s Spirit to some members of Christ’s body to meet needs, support ministry, relieve suffering, and advance the Gospel. When Christians excel in joyful, grace-driven giving, that is evidence of God’s supernatural gifting.
What our study makes abundantly clear is that generous giving should be normal for all born again followers of Jesus, as we give cheerfully, voluntarily, faithfully, and obediently with pure motivations out of God’s grace and by His strength. For some, this grace manifests in extraordinary capacity, resources, and openhandedness towards God and His Kingdom. Whether general grace or special gift, generous giving brings great glory to God.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while generosity and giving to God are required of all believers, God uniquely graces and gifts some in the body of Christ to possess both the motivation and means to give abundantly, even lavishly at times to support ministry. This special enabling is not exactly identical to gifts like teaching or prophecy, yet it functions similarly to build up the Church and spread the Gospel through releasing resources. We might classify it as an enabling or supporting gift essential to God’s work. No matter what we label it, Scripture makes it clear that along with other spiritual gifts, God grants the grace of giving to some in unusual proportions and we all benefit. We must seek to steward God’s gifts faithfully whatever generous portion He imparts to each of us.