Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 6:38 KJV
I think Luke 6:38 is about replenishment. This is associated, I believe, with the verse in Proverbs 11:25 that says, "He who waters will himself be watered." I believe it is a Word of comfort to those believers whom God prompts to give to His church or to the needy, but are perhaps worried that their needs will not be met as a result. Those who give offerings to the church for the right reasons, according to God’s will - will be replenished.
But what I take objection to is that Luke 6:38 and other verses on giving have been twisted to mean, or subtly imply at least, that believers will be cursed financially, that they won't have enough to pay their bills and look after their children – if they don’t give money to the church when they don’t feel comfortable about it. This message is so out of tune with the message of grace.
Luke 6:38 says nothing about God not blessing you if you don't give or God cursing you if you don't give. To me, it speaks of God replenishing what He asks you to give. Some pastor’s would have us believe that Luke 6:38 is some sort of get-rich-quick scheme in that the more you give, the more that God will “pour into your bosom. But it is absurd to think this way as God has one plan for our lives, I believe. Our giving to the church cannot influence that positively or negatively. The way Luke 6:38 has been preached, or alluded to, is completely out of kilter with the message of grace. This was the reason why I was giving to the church...but not any more!
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