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Christian Giving"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)Giving of ourselves for the care of others is such a fundamental part of being a Christian that James considers it fully half of the definition of religion. Christ never ceased to teach about the importance of giving, and so great was His desire to give that He became a sacrifice for us, so that we would not be subject to the same fate. With such a Lord as this, we may rest assured that He will not have left us in the dark when it comes to how and when we are to give. Since there are instructions that apply to giving, our responsibility is to examine them and make certain that we are following them properly. See attachment
1. Individual charity is by far the broadest and most effective form of giving in our arsenal, andis obviously intended to be the most frequently employed. So long as the cause is good andjust—that is, not contrary to the name of Christ in any way—we are free to give however wewish to whomever we find in need, regardless of their membership in the church and oftenespecially with concern for our enemies. We are free to dispose of our wealth and charitableservices as we please, in a manner worthy of Christ. Giving in this case might include thedonation of money to someone looking for a meal, but it could just as easily be an invitation toshare that meal with you. Handing out clothes to the homeless, studying the Word of God with acoworker, or simply being a companion in a time of need are other examples of personal givingthat we can accomplish. See the following list of passages for more. What is a more powerfulweapon for Christ than the love that we show to others, or what better refreshment for a wearyChristian than to receive it from another?
