Understanding Christ’s word: “Give and it shall be given unto you…”

 “Give and it shall be given unto you…”

Often we quote this very famous Bible verse to highlight the importance of giving, but we often ignore the verses that come after these words of Christ which give them their context. Some “pastors” even use the verse to threaten believers with poverty or God’s withdrawal of His goodness if they do not give! First, see how Isaiah 64:6 describes  whatever giving or other righteous work that one does, takes credit for and puts up as the reason why God should bless, save or deliver—

“We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight…”

The false interpretation of Christ’s word: “Give and it shall be given unto you…” where some preachers use the verse to threaten believers with poverty stems from not understanding what it means to be born-again; to be in Christ Jesus.

Take a text out of its context and you will be left with a con. Here is the verse in its context:

"38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The MEASURE you use for others is the one that God will use for you.” 39 And Jesus told them this parable: “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch.... 43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

In essence, a good person will give good and receive good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of good. The MEASURE you use for others God will also use for you.

Likewise an evil person. Like the bad tree, whatever he gives. even though it seems good and is praised by everybody, it is still evil:

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil."

For his giving, the evil man can only give evil (even though it looks like a good thing to do) and will receive good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of evil which is the only thing that he can produce.

Now let's dig deeper to see the definition of "the good man" and "the evil man" according to God's word; very important is the meaning of "MEASURE" which I put in caps for emphasis in the verse:

"38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The MEASURE you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”

The word "measure" above is translated from the Greek word "métron" ("standard, measure") which HELPS Word Studies describes as:

"...the controlling basis by which something is determined as acceptable or unacceptable – preeminently rooting to the Lord Himself as His being is the only ultimate measure of truth."

If one expects to receive from God a measure of GOOD for his giving, then his own "measure" had better be GOOD aka acceptable and at the level of the Lord Himself! But Christ says-

"There is none good but God."

Only God is good. There is none righteous, no, not one. By default, all of mankind was destined to produce only evil and so receive a full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of EVIL for any work. No matter how good or righteous a person thinks he is because of his measure of "good" behaviour, this is how God sees his good works, including giving in order to get God to bless:

"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight." Isaiah 64:6.

That right there is the "measure" of man and all of his human striving for godliness (to be like God) in God's estimation. Reminds one of a certain couple who attempted to do so in Eden. Whatever righteous works he produces, it is an abomination to the Lord that only results in multiplied evil.

As it is with the rest His teaching in the gospels, Christ gives us Luke 6 where He says - "Give and it shall be given unto you.....The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”- He gives us these words to show us the futility of trusting in the measure of human effort/arm of flesh in a bid to get God to bless and to cause us to see our utter need for His saving Grace- undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour. Always, man falls short. No matter how "good" a man's measure seems to be, there is none good but God. And only from good can good proceed.

Man's measure is evil by default, quite worthless and even dangerous, since -- "The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.” This is why a seemingly kind boss could reward a hardworking employee with a new vehicle yet the employee crashes the car and even kills himself with his entire family after taking it for dedication in his church. The measure is evil.

This is why phrases such as "Mo ti şe ore dá ràn" aka Yorùbá for "I did good and got into trouble for the good that I did" exist. This is why bad things seem to happen to "good" people.

This is why some who indulge in that horrid "trade-by-barter" and "menstrual rag" abomination of "giving" in order to get from God who gives us all things FREELY with Christ (Romans 8:32)— this is why such can give money or whatever to nudge God into getting them a job and then, the stress and "opportunities" available at that job contributes to almost taking their life. This happened to yours truly. Before Grace found me, I foolishly thought that it was my measly 10k hiring agent service fee that I "gave to God"- the same God who gives us ALL things FREELY with Christ - that made Him bless me with a job! May the Lord open our eyes to see Grace aka undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.

Beloved, in Christ, God blesses, gives us an abundance of Grace (unmerited favour) to give and to do exploits, then He rewards His children in Christ for the giving, good works and godly living which He gave us Grace to do to begin with. This is His Way. Christ all the way, so no one can boast that "I sowed my car and got a jet"!

Beloved, Christ is the only GOOD Measure. The difference between good people/Christians and evil people/"the world" - it is not the amount of sins a person is committing or human moral standards aka "measures."

CHRIST who SAVES FROM SINS is the ONLY difference.

The morality, diligence and generosity of some atheists and non-Christians aka "the world" will put many churchgoers to shame. Just attempt to steal something from any market in "the world" and see what the world will do to you. Try to commit murder, dishonour your parents, commit adultery, covet, bear false witness, and you will see what the majority of "the world" aka non-Christians, many of whom are pretty religious, will do to you.

The system of the world is based on following the knowledge of good and evil for morality/righteousness and its measureof giving or doing anything that is deemed good is based on HUMAN EFFORT aka the arm of flesh - the same system that Satan sold to Eve in Eden. She and Adam used their "measure" to try to attain to good (be like God) and for their efforts, received "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over" of sin and death. Only the Good can produce or bring forth good/godliness. And there is none good but God.

But see God's Way for us to attain to His definition of GOOD/RIGHTEOUS and HIS MEASURE of us when we UTTERLY depend on Christ in whom we receive from God the GOOD version of "a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold" which He freely gives to us in Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

In Christ, utterly dependent on Him as our Righteousness and Strength and stopping our silly efforts to save ourselves from sin and death, the above is our MEASURE before God: Righteous aka Good like God the Righteous.

Christ is the only Way through which our measure is acceptable to God. This is the only brand of "good/righteous" that is acceptable to God and for all who believe and receive Him, Christ has become our Measure. Our Standard. Only the one who agrees with God by acknowledging that of himself, his measure is utterly rotten, that of himself, he can neither produce any good nor "play his part" but looks to Christ as His utter Righteousness and Strength; his MEASURE, only this one is good like God. Recall:

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Recall:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

With Christ as our Good and our Measure, whatever we do, whether it is praying, GIVING, evangelising, driving, breathing, everything- we knows that it is Christ our Lord and our God that came down from heaven to live in us that is doing it all, so by Grace alone, we cannot counsel anyone in that "God will not come down from heaven to type for you and bathe your kids and play your part" manner. Believer, He did come down. Christ lives in us. We no longer live. In Him, we get to bear "much fruit." We are to labour to enter that rest of believing that Christ has finished the work of our salvation. We have nothing to add to it. We no longer live. Christ lives in us. And as surely as Christ says so in John 15:5, alive in and in union with Him, we get to bear much fruit (produce works of faith) --

“I am the sprouting vine and you’re My branches. As you live in union with Me as your Source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from Me you are powerless."

We bear much fruit the same way a beloved child grows a beard according to the kind of his loving Father. We were born complete when we became BORN-again. Utterly dependent on Christ, He says fruitfulness will stream from within us. But many churchgoers are yet to understand the weight and power of the Word of the Almighty concerning how we get to bear “much fruit" and so try to help God make His word come to pass through human striving at doing works of the law to prove their faith aka keeping the Law or dependence on human effort at obedience. Akin to buying a weave for a beard. Such are still alive in themselves. Like the seemingly godly and overly religious Pharisees, such have been separated from Christ-

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's Grace.” Galatians 5:4.

This “trying to help God" has its root in the belief that God's plan for us cannot succeed (the child cannot grow a beard!) without our making it so by some forceful, human/arm of flesh-driven effort on our part, like Uzzah who thought the Ark of God would fall thereby breaking its contents (including the Law) if he didn't do something about it with his own “Uzzah” (meaning Strength in Hebrew.)

Uzzah thought he could keep the law from being broken by his human effort. But all have sinned and the wages of sin is death. Uzzah had no idea that even his breathing in and out was purely a matter of God’s mercy so he presumed himself able to do the good work of keeping the law from being broken by his arm of flesh- just as some churchgoers do today. Uzzah died for his seemingly worthy attempt. The letter kills.

At different times, people have tried to give me credit for being a dedicated Christian, generous, a good parent or for being a diligent, even "overzealous" employee and even tried to say that this is why God blesses me. But I know who I am of myself and apart from Christ in me- I am the worst of sinners. The most selfish! I would be wallowing in sins and utterly lacking in good deeds were it not for the Grace of God (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) - Christ Himself- working in me. I cannot number the benefits that the Lord loads me with daily but by Grace and only by Grace, far be it from me to chalk His many benefits in my life down to money that I gave to the needy, my witnessing for Him, my non-existent self-effort at being a good person or my good deeds. None of these things would I be able to do by my own human effort (arm of flesh.) Grace does it all. These things are evidences of salvation, not conditions. When your believing is right, right living will follow.

For all the exploits that we get to do in His name which the world can see, we cannot boast in that horrid "I sowed my car and gave money to the needy and God gave me a jet" manner. Christ who does it all in us, through us and for us gets all the glory.

Beloved, by God's Grace, we give good not of ourselves or our own measure but through Christ THE Source of Good knowing that "It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me" and so get to receive the GOOD version of the "full measure, shaken together, pressed down and running over" that Christ promises to all who believe in Him. Know that apart from Christ, our own human MEASURE falls short and can only yield evil, no matter how sinless a person's life seems to be. God loves a cheerful giver so He makes a cheerful giver. So ask Him to show you True Grace today.

Luke 6:38 says "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Beloved, it is impossible for us to deceive ourselves in the matter of the MEASURE with which give or live right:

If we knew and believed that Christ is our Measure and that it is Christ in us doing our giving and not our own might and power, it would be difficult for us to point accusing fingers at others who are still struggling with selfishness, a lack of good deeds and other sins or threaten them with judgment and devourers if they don't change. Rather, we would see how helpless man is to overcome sins and produce good works and like Moses who pointed the suffering Israelites to the bronze serpent, point such to Christ who saves from sins and transforms the sinner who truly believes to live right and bear much fruit, as it is written of Him in Titus 2:14-

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Beloved, by God's Grace, let's look away from self and trust in Christ as our Good and our Measure who yields the good version of "a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold" for us. Only then can we live and give right.

The blind cannot lead the blind. A "no good" person cannot offer anything good to another "no good" person. Only an abundance of evil proceeds from here. Both will fall inside a ditch. Had a "kind" stranger attempted to help the prodigal son by giving him help when he was being child-trained in the pig-pen, he would have delayed remembering the goodness of the Father. Like me and my 10k payment to God, the job might come, but with full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over of wahala as was my experience. Thank God for His saving Grace. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing, not even give in order to get a full measure of good in return.

Believer, there is no good in man of himself. Christ is our Good. Our Measure. By God's Grace, let's keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, knowing and believing even as we produce an abundance of good works, that it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. This is His Way: He gives us the willingness and the ability to give and then rewards us for what He did in, through and for us. He gets all the glory. In Christ, there is no escaping His goodness and mercy.

When your believing is right, right living will follow