Does anyone know how Luke 6:38 is connected to giving money in to a mi

[Paul 84]

I have heard many TV evangelist preaching on Luke 6:38 saying this refers to giving to the ministry, sorry this is no big deal to me. But I heard a very godly minister in Germany preach this same statement which make it important now. This is what the verse says:

"Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom, For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

So on the surface it does seem to be speaking of giving money, but when I look at the whole passage of Luke 6:27-38 I not so sure if it not more about forgivensess and love. Does anyone have any ideas on this?

Signed confused Paul 84!

[Bryanfromiowa]

27 "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

So many people even pastors take one verse and read by itself it means something completely different. This is one of those cases. When I bakcup a bit and put it into contrext it takes on a different meaning. I think its saying, how we treat other people is how we will be treated.

[Evangelica]

27 "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

So many people even pastors take one verse and read by itself it means something completely different. This is one of those cases. When I bakcup a bit and put it into contrext it takes on a different meaning. I think its saying, how we treat other people is how we will be treated.

Agree. The standard, or golden rule is to treat another person as you would wish to be treated yourself (6:31) But if we love by the world's standards, namely giving love only to those who love us, we are still on the level of sinners (6:32-33) and no reward is offered, for we are operating on a purely natural level. The great reward is reserved for those who love when there is no hope of a return of love in kind or otherwise, when the gift of love is a pure gift.

[yesult]

I hate it when I hear that scripture quoted to encourage listeners to give to a certain cause. It can be teaching people to give to get. In otherwords to loan money to God. 'I will give you money God, as long as you give me more back'. It encourages selfishness and wrong motives, rather then just giving because you want to, to honour God and to bless and support a person or ministry.

And I agree. This verse doesn't mention money anywhere. It could mean time, prayer, support, encouragement. All sorts of things.

PS. And the scripture can be relied upon - because it's in the bible. But selfishness can not be. Lending is not giving. And if it worked the way that you can get the impression that it does through some peoples preaching - everyone who gives should automatically, very quickly get their money back with interest. If that was really true, all christians would be millionaires by now. (And the world would be christian.)

I believe it can also mean - give 'this' (fill in blank) and God will bless you back with spiritual, physical, relational, whatever blessings. I don't think it necessarily means that you'll always be given back exactly in type.

Edited March 15, 2009 by yesult

[Evangelica]

I hate it when I hear that scripture quoted to encourage listeners to give to a certain cause. It can be teaching people to give to get. In otherwords to loan money to God. 'I will give you money God, as long as you give me more back'. It encourages selfishness and wrong motives, rather then just giving because you want to, to honour God and to bless and support a person or ministry.

And I agree. This verse doesn't mention money anywhere. It could mean time, prayer, support, encouragement. All sorts of things.

PS. And the scripture can be relied upon - because it's in the bible. But selfishness can not be. Lending is not giving. And if it worked the way that you can get the impression that it does through some peoples preaching - everyone who gives should automatically, very quickly get their money back with interest. If that was really true, all christians would be millionaires by now. (And the world would be christian.)

I believe it can also mean - give 'this' (fill in blank) and God will bless you back with spiritual, physical, relational, whatever blessings. I don't think it necessarily means that you'll always be given back exactly in type.

What also happens is that the preachers who use it as such are not following the premise of it in that they get cold cash but the people who put in for it have to relate to providence to recieve theirs.

[Murse32]

I have heard many TV evangelist preaching on Luke 6:38 saying this refers to giving to the ministry, sorry this is no big deal to me. But I heard a very godly minister in Germany preach this same statement which make it important now. This is what the verse says:

"Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom, For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

So on the surface it does seem to be speaking of giving money, but when I look at the whole passage of Luke 6:27-38 I not so sure if it not more about forgivensess and love. Does anyone have any ideas on this?

Signed confused Paul 84!

Dear Paul,

You are correct in being weary on the preaching of this verse from the context they have chosen. Furthermore, you are wise to have read it in it's entirity. Luke 6:37-38 is the beginning of Jesus teaching about critizing others. is verse 38 specifically, He is using a picture of measuring grain in a basket. We can read throughout the entire gospels and see how Jesus spoke in figures of speech (John 16:25). He would do this normally to compare things that the people of that time era would understand.

The basis for this scripture though, is that if we love others, care for others...they in turn will do good to us. Now, let us think about this in the 10 fold or 100 fold theory so many falsely preach...

Notice how in verse 38 it says this: Give, and it will be given to you. THEY will pour into your lap a good measure....(NASB). Notice how it says "they". Have you ever given money to a person or church and gotten much much more back? Obviously this isn't God saying that HE will give you much more or it wouldn't say "they".

This vs. should be backed with do good unto others even when they do evil to you (paraphrased). In studying this scripture we should also look at Matthew 7:1-20. This scripture from Matt. mirrors that in Luke...it also starts off with "Do not Judge".

Now, am I saying that we shouldn't give to our ministers and our local churches in which we attend? absolutely not. I believe we should give to them. Do I believe we are bound by the law? NO! Jesus fulfilled the law. Why do we hold so dearly to the tithe laws that jesus fulfilled? Most don't fully understand the tithe laws anyway...they have been misrepresented and dissected so much, people believe they MUST give 10%. To anyone who is a 10% diehard...really study the levitical laws from the Torah...see just how much these people really gave and how it was used.

But to our local pastors and teachers...we should focus on Galatians 6:6. "Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches". Do not be deceived though, this doesn't mean you will get anything in return (monetarily speaking), you may receive knowledge and understand of the word though...how much is that worth to you? Also, keep in mind, pastors of churches...that is their full time job...If a pastor is doing right by God, it is a 24/7 job...they should be taken care of. This doesn't mean give your 10%....This simply means...give as you are lead. If you are lead to give 5$ one week...so be it. If the next you are lead to give $500...so be it. Just make sure it's with a giving heart...This is how the spirit works in us.

With love in Christ