Christian: Give away your money

“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.” - Donald Arthur (D.A.) Carson (from here)

I do not want to create some form of legalism, but I do think if you call yourself a Christian there are some things that you believe that separates you from people who don't call themselves a Christian. With that assumption I would like to push this idea to say that your Christian belief should/must/has to effect your actions as well. Birds fly, fish swim and Christians read the bible, pray and repent. If your actions do not align with your belief, maybe you should think through your hearts desires.

Regardless if you think its a good idea or not, the Australian government is giving most people in this great country $900 in the hope that they will spend it to help the economy. If you call yourself a Christian you should give some of your money away. Like I said, I don't want to create some form of legalism, but just think what the Christians can do for this country or overseas if they gave a (few) hundred dollars away in one go to a worthy charity. And after all Christians believe that everything they receive is ultimately from God grace, so it is God's money.

We are not told how much we are to give instead "each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor 9:7) and "we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"" (Acts 20:35)

There are countless places you can give. Your local church, that online place where you download their sermons from, TEAR, CMS, Red Cross, charity: water, World Vision, a new church plant, someplace in your local area that is in need etc...

My point is: be a good citizen in both kingdoms and give away your money.

John Piper wrote a short blog entry called Economic Stimulus Payment & Christ when Americans received some stimulus money. He also wrote another very short blog post when he got his tax back. I recommend you read them both.