Philanthropists are individuals who strive to create a better world by investing their time and money in those who are in need. While philanthropists are typically considered to be wealthy individuals who have the means to support the less fortunate, it is important to note that being rich is not a prerequisite for being a philanthropist.
Philanthropy can take many forms beyond financial contributions, including kind acts, kind words, moral support, and overall commitment. It is worth mentioning that people often believe that by helping those in need, they can potentially change their own unfortunate circumstances. Many religions promote charity as a means to uplift those who are marginalized and encourage individuals to contribute financially to those in need.
The Bible Verses That Encourage Generosity
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV)
The verses show Paul’s desire to collect money from a group of believers in order to help those in need, resulting in him converting the unconditional love of God into conditional love. He proposed an investment where people would receive all their needs from God in exchange for practicing good deeds. Paul cleverly manipulated people who were reluctant to help others, causing them to believe they could cancel their debts to God through monetary contributions.
This practice still occurs in churches today, reflecting a shift away from the grace of God and towards a legalistic approach. This inadvertently places followers of Jesus in a similar situation as other religions that rely on good deeds to change their destiny. This shift in the Christian religion disregards the grace of God that was revealed to people at Calvary.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.Isaiah 58:9-11 (NIV)
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
These Old Testament verses emphasize the importance of sowing kindness in people’s hearts rather than solely focusing on gathering money, which appears to be aligned with Paul’s teachings. God teaches a stable principle of His ways, aiming to bring people from darkness to light. The emphasis is on changing wicked hearts, urging people to refrain from pointing fingers and speaking disrespectfully. Speaking in ways that tarnish someone else’s reputation is considered a great sin in God’s eyes.
Therefore, God seeks to amend people’s hearts by assuring them of never-ending Light and Living Water. The message is not that charity alone can change people’s destiny, but that a change of heart enables them to do charity without grudges or conditions. Ultimately, the core teaching is to embrace God’s unconditional love.
Does Charity Give Eternal Life?
In Matthew chapter 19, Jesus meets a wealthy young man searching for eternal life. Jesus advises him to both adhere to the commandments and donate his possessions to help the less fortunate. This underscores the significance of prioritizing love for God over material wealth, the prime theme of God’s commandment. Despite the young man’s belief in his own worthiness, he falls short of attaining eternal life due to his attachment to his riches. The material possessions given to us do not guarantee eternal life, but they can often distract us from reaching our ultimate purpose.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
Salvation is a free gift, but eternal life requires us to earn and deserve it. The Holy Spirit is given to protect our initial salvation and help us grow in love to deserve what we have received. While our good deeds do not earn salvation, they contribute to maintaining it. Ultimately, Jesus is the priest who will present us without blemish to our Father, regardless of our efforts.
God Cares About Philanthropists
When individuals who have been saved by God’s grace roll back to try to earn their salvation through good actions, it is concerning to consider those who solely rely on their own good actions to achieve salvation. God’s concern extends to everyone, and it serves as a revelation to those who believe in performing good deeds for salvation to comprehend God’s fervour in rescuing them.
A man named Cornelius, who believed that his good actions could help him attain salvation, heard an angel tell him, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been noticed by God” (Acts 10:4). It is not surprising to witness God’s compassion in accepting the prayers and good actions of someone who had not yet received His grace. Many people may be led to believe that deriving satisfaction from their own good deeds is the key to attaining salvation.
During Cornelius’ lifetime, it was commonly believed that the commandments of God only applied to Jews, and Gentiles did not have the opportunity to connect with the divine. Consequently, Gentiles would often resort to idol worship and performing virtuous acts in order to sustain themselves spiritually. Paul often addressed the Jews who thought that they are not sinners as Gentiles. He did this so that they do not rely on their self-righteousness but understand that no one is justified by doing good deeds or adhering to the law.
We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law because, by the works of the law, no one will be justified.
Galatians 2:15-16
God educated Peter, a Jew, to address the dire need of Cornelius. God’s attention was drawn to Cornelius due to his good deeds, to save him from perishing in his self-righteousness. Not understanding the real concern of God. many go astray to depend on their self-righteousness thinking that it pleases God. Our self-righteousness never pleases God but it bothers Him.
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind, our sins sweep us away.
While Peter was explaining to Cornelius and the people who gathered at Cornelius’ house about God’s love, he mentioned that God gave His Son to save us. They understood that it is not their good actions but rather that the sacrificial lamb who took their place on the Cross is the only way for them to be saved. As soon as they understood this truth, they received salvation through God’s grace, and the Holy Spirit was given to them as a sign of their salvation.
Thought To Ponder
Mother Teresa’s impact on society was significant. As a religious icon and philanthropist, she dedicated her life to caring for the poor in Calcutta, India. Despite her kindness and compassion, she was not afraid to take a stand for what she believed was right. While philanthropists like Mother Teresa express God’s love to the millions of underprivileged individuals, many fail to grasp the love of God that has saved them in the first place. Instead, they view these philanthropists as role models for their own personal satisfaction and think that salvation can be attained through good deeds.
The God who aided Peter in looking after Cornelius’ difficult situation is alive. He wants to guide us in leading many good people to Jesus’ Cross. Are we prepared to work with Him in rescuing at-risk souls who depend solely on their good deeds? Let’s not just be content with being saved ourselves, but rather let’s work towards fulfilling God’s desire, to save everyone who calls upon Him.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:12-13
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