2. God wants your heart before he wants your money.
2 Corinthians 8:5 (ESV)
5 They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Most Christians have a bent toward religion (God accepts me because I obey him). There is a great danger here especially when it come to giving financially to the local church. If we are not careful, we'll view it as buying God's favor (literally), which will breed begrudging submission, rather than joyful obedience. Joyful obedience always flows out of unearned favor wrought through the finished work of the Son of God in his righteous life, perfect death and fulfilling resurrection. Naturally we just want to give God some of our money so he'll "get off our back" and then we can do whatever we want. That natural tendency says, "God be my savior, but I'll be my own lord." But God's got something so much bigger and better for us. He says, "I want to be your savior AND Lord" and how you handle your money, specifically in your giving to the local church, indicates whether he is your God or you are your own god.
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