Let us consider one final passage in this study on giving as an avenue of worship on the first day of the week. It is sometimes suggested that the only example we have of the early church “giving in worship” involved meeting the benevolent need of the brethren in Jerusalem. However, such is not the only time we read about congregations giving to the Lord.
Read Philippians 4:14-19 closely. Paul told the church, “You shared in my distress” (v. 14). The word “shared” is from the verb form of the word “fellowship” in Acts 2:42, which we saw involved, to some extent, the matter of giving. Now, notice the word again in the next verse: “No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only” (v. 15). “Giving and receiving” is accounting phraseology similar to “debits and credits”—the Philippians received contributions from other congregations, then “sent aid once and again” (v. 16) to Paul. Was “the gift” (v. 17) they gave merely a quick “pass-the-hat” collection to help Paul out? Hardly! Paul wrote that he had “received…the gifts you sent,” describing the gifts as “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (v. 18). Is there a more expressive way of depicting this as an act of worship to God?
From the very beginning, giving to God has been considered an act of worship. In Genesis 4, “Cain brought an offering…to the Lord” (as an avenue to worship God). “Abel also brought of the first…and the Lord respected Abel and his offering” (4:3-4). “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice…God testifying of his gifts” (Heb. 11:4). Worship!
The New Testament instructs Christians (us) regarding the matter of giving. If it is a commanded obligation that each Christian is responsible to give to the Lord, how and when do we fulfill such? From the passages we have studied, we see that the early Christians gave to God every first day of the week and continued to do so steadfastly. (There’s the “when.”) The early Christians gave liberally (cf. 2 Cor. 8:1-9:15) from their own prosperity into the treasury for the good and growth of the Lord’s cause. (There’s the “how.”)
Is “giving” on Sunday an avenue of worship? Every piece of evidence in our New Testament pattern emphatically affirms this to be true. We are told that liberality in giving is a test of “the sincerity” of our love for God (2 Cor. 8:8, 24), who Himself “loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). As an expression of our sincere love for the Lord, let us keep His commandments (cf. John 14:15) and give to Him, as an avenue of worship, every first day of the week!