Chapter 5
D. Unscriptural Results.
1. Pride is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
2. Debt/surety is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
Note: When people try to say that faith-giving is promising to give to God an amount of money which you presently cannot see or do not have, that is NOT faith-giving, but is by definition a different financial term called surety, and the Bible clearly WARNS us to NOT BECOME SURETY.
Surety = “a formal engagement (as a pledge) given for the fulfillment of an undertaking;
guarantee; a basis of confidence or security.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)
Listen to the many warnings about becoming surety.
a. Proverbs 6:1-5 says, “My son, if thou be ____________ for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art ____________ with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the __________ of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and ______________ thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.”
Note: If you have become surety for a financial matter, you are snared with the words of your mouth (you have entered a trap). The Bible tells you to go as quickly as possible and get out of that bad situation.
b. Proverbs 11:15 says, “He that is ____________ for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.”
c. Proverbs 17:18 says, “A man ________ of understanding striketh hands, and becometh ____________ in the presence of his friend.”
Note: Some will argue that Faith Promise Giving is not becoming surety for a debt. Please look back at the definition of surety on the previous page, and then notice the following statements from those who teach Faith Promise Giving. It is clearly surety for a debt — a debt to God. Here is a typical definition of Faith Promise Giving: “A Faith-Promise is a PROMISE to give, based upon a person's faith in God's provision. In making a Faith-Promise, a believer looks to God ‘in faith’ asking Him how much he/she should PROMISE TO GIVE and then committing to give as God provides.” (emphasis added) (Globe Missionary Evangelism http://www.gme.org/giving-fpg.shtml) When a person makes a faith promise, it is indeed a PROMISE to God. What if you do not fulfill it?
d. Ecclesiastes 5:1, 2 says, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy __________, and let not thine heart be __________ to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” e. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 says, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: ______ that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not ______, than that thou shouldest vow and not ______. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an __________: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”
Note: What has made CREDIT CARDS so popular with both BUSINESSES and BANKS? Think of the many headaches associated with credit cards. People often charge more on them than which they can make the payment, and they end up declaring bankruptcy. Credit cards are frequently stolen, and items are purchased with them before the customer can call his/her bank. Added to this, each store loses a little profit on each credit card sale, as a service fee to the bank who holds the card.
Considering all of the above (and more negative aspects of credit cards could be given),
why would any bank or store get involved in such a system? Because PEOPLE BUY MORE
on credit, than they do with cash. In the end, the stores SELL MORE when people buy on credit,
so they MAKE MORE MONEY overall on sales. The banks also do well, because people do buy
more than they can pay off at the end of the month. That means that those people are charged
interest on the unpaid balance (usually a high rate of interest), which brings the bank profit. So despite the
bankruptcies with which the bank must contend; overall, they still make out very well on the credit card system.
Now read Oswald J. Smith’s statement again. “I would never go back to the cash offering. With a cash offering I could only get a very little, but with a Faith Promise Offering I can get much. In our Annual Missionary Convention we never get more than $7,000 in cash, but we get a quarter of a million or more in Faith Promises.” (A Faith Promise Offering, by Oswald J. Smith)
Oswald J. Smith found a gold mine (humanly speaking) when he introduced giving to
missions on the credit plan. “You do not have the money today? That is okay, just give
to missions on credit. Tell your local church that you will commit to a debt for missions
for the next year, and they will spend that money right now. You can just pay them back
on monthly terms.” Do churches actually collect all the money that people promise to give?
No. Statistics reveal that it is common for churches to collect only 75-80% of the money
promised, so they factor in those losses in their budget. But they still find out
that they can bring in much more money on credit, than on cash.
Faith Promise Giving and its promise or pledge cards is no different than the Promissory Notes given to banks in years past when taking out a loan. Promissory Note = “a note containing or conveying a promise or assurance.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)
Note: We are told that financial problems are one of the biggest causes of marital trouble. Because of that, we teach people to get out of debt. We tell them, “Do not buy something, unless you have the cash. If you cannot use a credit card and pay the bill at the end of the month, then cut up your credit cards so you do not have the temptation to use them.”
Does it not seem very inconsistent to then tell those same people to promise to give God
an amount of money which they do not have? It is very hypocritical to teach people it is
wrong to commit themselves to buying things for which they do not have the cash, and
then turn right around and pressure them through preaching to commit themselves to
promising to give God an amount of money which they do not have. It is no wonder that
Christian homes are said to be breaking up at the same rate of the world today. We are
using the same financial schemes that the world uses; thus putting Christian families
under the same financial pressures in the church, as they face in the world.
D. Unscriptural Results.
1. Pride is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
2. Debt/surety is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
3. Unethical emotional appeals are a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
Illustration: A pastor visited another fundamental, local church in his area during the last night of their Faith Promise Missions Conference. The speaker was a veteran missionary, and he closed his message by telling a story about a native pastor who was giving a tremendous Faith Promise Offering. The point was clear in the Missions Conference, “If this poor, native pastor can promise to give money that he does not even have, what is wrong with you rich Americans sitting in the pews? You need to also promise to give money that you do not have!” That emotional story really brought in the Faith Promise Offerings (Pledges) in that meeting. In fact, the amount was so high, that when the pastor of that church received the tally to announce at the end of the service; he mentioned, more than once, that he doubted that much would ever actually be given.
The visiting pastor did not believe that the true Biblical definition of faith giving was promising to give God an amount that he did not have; but giving from what he did have, so he contacted the missionary speaker for information as to how he could give a gift to that native pastor. The visiting pastor was greatly grieved when he was contacted back (the missionary did not get in touch with him personally, but sent this information through another person). He was told that it would not be possible to give that native pastor a gift, because he was no longer in the ministry. He had been put out of the ministry. But the pastor was told that there were other worthy native pastors to which he could give a gift.
Do you see how that missionary speaker used a deceitful tactic to play upon the
emotions of the congregation? He was causing them to feel less spiritual than that
native pastor, for their lack of giving (and his tactic succeeded); when, in fact, that
native pastor was not spiritual at all, and was no longer even in the ministry. It goes
to show you how that when you try to raise money using worldly schemes,
it is real easy to become deceitful and unethical in the process.
D. Unscriptural Results.
1. Pride is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
2. Debt/surety is a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
3. Unethical emotional appeals are a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
4. Wrong statements/conclusions are emphasized as a result of the Faith Promise Giving system.
Note: Consider this statement made by a group promoting Faith Promise Giving. “Faith-Promise giving takes giving to another level. When making a faith-promise, a believer looks to God to give more. In effect the believer asks, "How much can I trust God to give through me?" This kind of expectant faith offers God an opportunity to pour limitless amounts of money into His work through His people. Without the restraints associated with known income and resources, the Faith-Promise expects God to supply to His children, large amounts of money which they in turn give to His work.” (Globe Missionary Evangelism http://www.gme.org/giving-fpg.shtml) If the reader is not alarmed at the statement, "How much can I trust God to give through me?", then something is wrong.
The truth is the exact opposite of that statement. The problem is not
whether you can trust God to give you enough money. The real problem is
“CAN GOD TRUST YOU with the amount of money that He has already given to you?”
a. Luke 16:10,11 says, “He that is faithful in that which is __________ is faithful also in ________: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”
Note: The whole faith-promise giving concept is exactly backwards. “Without the restraints associated with known income and resources, the Faith-Promise expects God to supply to His children, large amounts of money which they in turn give to His work.”
God is not going to bless His people with large amounts of money, if they are not
faithful in giving with the small amount of money that they already have. If they are not
faithful to Him with a small amount, then they would not be faithful to Him with a large amount.
“He that is faithful in that which is LEAST is faithful also in MUCH: and he that is unjust in the
least is unjust also in much.” Your income, howsoever small it may be, IS NO RESTRAINT TO GOD.
The widow gave two mites, and the Lord said that she gave more than those who cast in much.
GOD HAS NEVER BEEN LIMITED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH HIS PEOPLE POSSESS.
b. Was God limited by the small amount of food that His disciples could find in Mark 8:1-9? No, not in the least.
1.) Verses 1-3 say, “In those days the multitude being very great, and having ______________ to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to ______: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.”
2.) Verses 4-6 say, “And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many ____________ have ye? And they said, __________. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.”
3.) Verses 7-9 say, "And they had a ______ small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did ______, and were ____________: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about ________ thousand: and he sent them away."
God is not limited in the least by the small amount that His people possess.
He can take the smallest amount and multiply it, and have a huge abundance left over in the end!
c. Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to ______ ____________ in __________ by Christ Jesus.”
Note: It is GOD’S RICHES — NOT OURS that finance His work. And God is never hard-up for finances.
d. Psalm 50:10 says, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a ________________ hills.”
Note: If you think that God is limited in what He can accomplish because we do not have enough people writing down on a piece of paper how much money they would like God to give them, then you are greatly in error!
The Bible never teaches Christians to promise to give an amount of money to God which they do not even have
in their possession. We are NOT held accountable for what we would like to have, but what we actually have.
e. II Corinthians 8:12 says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man ________, and not according to that he ________ ______.”
f. The Bible goes on to say in the next two verses, “For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time ________ abundance may be a supply for their want, that ___________ abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:”
Note: Remember what God clearly says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” Jesus said that the poor widow gave more than the rich. She did not promise to give what she did not have — she simply gave of what she did have. In her case, she gave all that she had, and now had to truly live by faith.
F. Apparent Blessings.
Question: If Faith Promise Giving is unscriptural (the type that says you are not really giving by faith, unless you promise to give more than you actually have), then why does God seem to be prospering it so much? Churches that use that method often have huge mission budgets. Many sincere people are in churches where the Faith Promise Missions and Faith Promise Building methods are being used. They have taken part in the promises (pledges), and God has graciously allowed them to fulfill their commitments. In fact, God has seemed to bless them in their own needs and families. The question is, “Why has God blessed them for taking part in a system which is unscriptural?”
The answer is this, God is blessing them, not for taking part in an unscriptural system, but
for their sowing generously to His work. The reason that God is blessing those individuals,
is because they are NOT WAITING idly by for God to give them an ABUNDANCE so they can
give it back. They are giving sacrificially from what they have, and God is blessing them.
People can do that without unwisely and unscripturally promising to give God a certain
amount of money a year in advance. Anyone can, week by week, give prayerfully
and sacrificially to the Lord’s work, and be blessed because of it.
Note: There are many who refuse to look at the Scriptural facts dealing with this system, because they are blinded by its apparent overwhelming success. They are very inconsistent with their methods of deciding what is right and what is wrong. For example, what about the Charismatic Movement of today? If they are so wrong doctrinally (and they are), then why do they seem to be so blessed? They have huge church buildings. They control most of religious TV programming. They seldom seem to lack for finances. Many have thousands of people attending their churches. If Faith Promise Giving is okay because it brings in so much money, then why is not the Charismatic Movement okay as well?
The end never justifies the means. You may do something unscriptural,
and not see the full negative impact until years down the road.
1. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which ______________ right unto a man, but the ______ thereof are the ways of death.”
Note: Do not allow emotional stories and experiences to guide your life. Let the clear Word of God teach you.
2. 2 Corinthians 8:12 says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man ________, and NOT according to that he HATH ______.”
This verse ALONE proves that the Faith Promise Giving system is unscriptural.
When it comes to giving money, God accepts your giving FROM WHAT YOU
HAVE — NOT FROM WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE. God does not expect, nor
ask you to give or promise something which you do not even have.
Note: If you talk to a Charismatic very long, and show him what the Bible teaches, he is going to say, “I do not know about that (what the Bible teaches), but I know what I have EXPERIENCED!” Experience is his authority, not the Bible. Sadly, when it comes to Faith Promise Giving, many people who attend fundamental churches are living the same way. The Bible is clear on the subject, but they say, “I do not know about that (what the Bible teaches), but I know what I have EXPEREINCED!”
Determine in your heart to give the Biblical way. When it is time to give; or when a special need
arises, prayerfully consider what God has entrusted to you. Be willing to give as God leads; and
then live, by faith, trusting God to meet your needs. It is easy to say, “If I had a million dollars,
I would give half of it to you!” But it would be much harder to say, “I will give you half of what
is in my bank account right now!” God is not so much interested as to what you would do IF
you had a certain amount of money (He already knows what you would do, anyway). What He
is interested in is what you are doing with the money that you do have right now.
3. Luke 16:10-12 says, “He that is ________________ in that which is __________ is faithful also in much: and he that is ____________ in the __________ is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your ______?”
Note: God is not interested in what you would do for missions if you had a million dollars in your pocket. God is interested in what you would do for missions if you only had a dollar in your pocket, because that would tell the story as to what you would do if you had more. What many people mistake as the blessings of God upon Faith Promise Giving, is actually the blessings of God upon His people as they are simply generous in giving of what they have to Him.
4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “But this I say, He which soweth __________________ shall reap also __________________; and he which soweth ______________________ shall reap also ______________________.”
5. 2 Corinthians 9:7,8 says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace ____________ toward you; that ye, always having all ______________________ in all things, may abound to every good work:”
Note: How sad that worldly, high-pressure sales techniques have entered into the church today. God does not want people to give grudgingly or of necessity. God wants people to give cheerfully, because Christians are one day going to be judged on the sort of their works for Him — not on the quantity of what they have done or given.
6. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 says, “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what ________ it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a ____________. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer ________: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Money that is given of necessity or grudgingly is all going to go up in smoke
at the Judgment Seat. How much better to cheerfully give of what you have
today, than to make promises about giving tomorrow.
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