八。为要奉献好让教会传扬耶稣的福音
奉献是基督徒具体的行动之一表示告诉神他爱他，以及他关心教会的善工。好的奉献出于爱心和信心——对神的爱和信心，对人的爱和关心。对属灵的基督徒来说，捐献是一件非常快乐之事。可惜！不少基督徒既不明白又不欣赏捐钱之乐。
在马其顿的基督徒的确明白捐献的快乐。使徒保罗形容他们说：“我可以作证，他们是按着能力，并且是超过了能力，自动地再三恳求我们，准许他们在供应圣徒的事上有分。他们超过了我们所期望的，照着 神的旨意，先把自己献给主…”（哥林多后书8:3-5）。
请注意：马其顿的基督徒：愿意参与捐款善工。他们恳求使徒允许他们捐款。但是，他们预先把自己献给主耶稣，所以他们愿意捐款。他们属灵的“捐款”产生了金钱的捐款。他们爱主之心使得他们愿意与那些有需要的基督徒来分享他们的财产。捐款的动机乃是爱—爱神，爱人。
这些马其顿的基督徒明白主耶稣所说的，“施比受更为有福”（使徒行转20:35）。
但是，有个问题！有些人不乐意捐献；也有人不想奉献钱。
我曾经听过人家批评他时常去的教会说他们一天到晚不讲别的，只向弟兄姐妹要钱。也有别人开玩笑说，传道人对教会弟兄姐妹说，“有好消息，也有坏消息。好消息是教会所需用的钱都在这里；坏消息是我所说的‘这里’就是你们的口袋里”。
是的，教会需要钱，但是教会存在的目的不是钱；钱也不是教会最主要的东西，更不是它最重要的需要。所谓“奉献”的意思不只是指钱而言。神更加想要的不是人的钱财乃是人的心。
请想想看。钱财、物质、万物都是神所创造的；所以神需要什么呢？神把生命、气息、万物赐给万人；神需要人手为他服侍吗？不可能。（请参看使徒行传17:24-25。）因此，神藉着圣经告诉我们说，“因为树林中的百兽是我的，千山上的牲畜也是我的。山中的雀鸟我都认识，田野的走兽也都属我。如果我饿了，我也不用对你说；因为世界和其中所充满的，都是我的”（诗篇50:10-12）。
奉献是基督徒的喜乐，而不是他的负担。奉献是基督徒的特权，而不是他的应付款。捐钱是基督徒参与传福音的工作的机会，而不是他购买“天堂快车”车票。基督徒有责任支持教会的开支，包括救济慈善工作，印刷文物，购买、装修、打扫聚会所，给传道人和其他的工作人员发薪水等。
为了大家的方便，保罗教导哥林多城的基督徒说，“关于捐献给圣徒的事，从前我怎样吩咐加拉太的众教会，你们也要照着去行。每逢七日的第一日，你们各人要按着自己的收入抽一些出来留着，免得我来的时候才现凑”（哥林多前书16:1-2） 。今天，大多数的基督徒认为此经文教导我们每当主日，要收奉献支持教会的善工。
如果教会的领导人叫弟兄姐妹把口袋打开要他们“拔出”钱就好像牙医拔牙一样似的，他们错了。如果弟兄姐妹把心和口袋完全封闭不奉献，他们也错了。如果教会不把所奉献的钱用在属灵、救济、传福音、教会事工上，他们错了。如果弟兄姐妹不以奉献为乐，他们也错了。换句话说，弟兄姐妹要先把心，先把自己奉献给主耶稣，之后奉献金钱不会是个问题。教会用这笔钱传福音荣耀神，弟兄姐妹会感到高兴，愿意奉献更多。教会的领导人要以爱心，要保持温柔和谦虚的心，把教会传福音的计划告诉弟兄姐妹，请他们支持参与。这样，使徒保罗的劝勉就会实现：“各人要照着心里所决定的捐输，不要为难，不必勉强，因为捐得乐意的人，是神所喜爱的。神能把各样的恩惠多多地加给你们，使你们凡事常常充足，多作各样的善事”（哥林多后书9:7-8）。
基督徒为什么要参加每周日敬拜聚会呢？因为明白这真理的基督徒参与主日敬拜聚会就可以获得乐意捐款的快乐。
Why Christians Attend Worship Every Sunday
08: To Contribute Money for the Propagation of the Gospel
By Edward Short
The contribution of funds is a concrete action by which Christians expresses their love for God, and their interest in the work of the church. It stems from love for and faith in God, and from love and concern for mankind. For spiritually minded Christians, contributing of one’s funds is a very happy experience. Unfortunately, the contribution is a much misunderstood and under appreciated activity.
The Macedonian Christians, however, certainly understood the joy of giving. The apostle Paul described them in this way: “For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints—and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord…” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).
Notice some things about the Christians in Macedonia: They wanted to be involved in the contribution, and they petitioned the apostles to allow them to take part. First, however, they gave themselves to the Lord Jesus, and this spiritual “contribution” in turn caused them to want to make a financial contribution. They desired to share their monetary possessions with the Christians who were in need. Thus we see that the motivation for financial contribution is love—love for God and love for mankind.
These Macadonian Christians understood what the Lord Jesus meant when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
There is a problem, however. Not everyone contributes willingly, and some people don’t want to contribute much at all.
A lady complains about the church she normally attends—she said that all the preacher there ever does is ask the congregation for money! Sometimes other people make similar jokes about their church. For example, it’s said that a preacher once told the congregation that he had some good news and some bad news. “The good news is that all the money that this church needs is right here! The bad news is that the money is still in your pockets!”
Yes, it’s a fact! The church needs money. But the purpose of the church isn’t money. Funding isn’t the most important thing in the church, and it isn’t the church’s greatest need. The word “contribution” refers to more than money. What God wants most is not a person’s money but his heart.
Think about it. Wealth, material items and all things were created by God; so what does God need from us?! God gives to all men life and breath and everything; so, does God need to be served by human hands? Certainly not. [See Acts 17:24-25.] Therefore, God tells us in the Bible, “For every wild animal in the forest is mine, and cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the fields is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all that is in it is mine” (Psalms 50:10-12).
The contributing of funds to the church is a joy for Christians, not their burden. The contribution is a privilege of Christians, not their “dues.” It’s an opportunity to participate in the spread of the gospel, not a ticket purchase to ensure passage on the Heaven-Bound Express. Christians have responsibility to support the expenses of the church, such as benevolent works, printing, church purchases, building repairs and cleaning, salary for the ministers and other workers, etc.
For the general convenience of everyone involved, Paul taught the Christians in Corinth, “Now concerning the collection for the saints: You should follow the directions I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Today, most Christians believe this Scripture implies that every Lord’s day a contribution should be collected to support the good works of the church.
If church leaders make the church members open their billfolds, purses and checkbooks, and extract money like a dentist extracts teeth, they are wrong. If the church members completely close their hearts and their billfolds, and refuse to contribute, they are wrong. If the church does not use the contribution for spiritual, benevolent, evangelical and church edification purposes, the church is wrong. If Christians don’t find joy in giving their money, they are wrong. In other words, a Christian brother or sister should first give his/her heart and his/her self to the Lord, after which he/she will have no problem giving his/her money to God. It makes Christians very happy when the church uses these funds to propagate the gospel and to glorify God, and they become anxious to contribute even more. In an attitude of love, humility and meekness, church leaders should tell the local church members their plans for spreading the gospel and ask them to support the plans. In so doing they will effectuate Paul’s exhortation that, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
Why go to church? Because Christians who understand these truths assemble in worship on Sundays and find the special joy that comes from cheerful giving.