Giving And Alms

by Joel Ramshaw (2022)

Some Christians think they are saved by faith alone and do not have to give or make any sacrifice in order to retain salvation. This is against the clear teaching of scripture. We all have to give in some way, whether in service/minister or by giving financially. Failing to do so results in forfeiture of Christ's gift of salvation. Giving and finances is the second most common topic Jesus preached about (after the kingdom of heaven).

Luke 11:41 "Give alms [charity] of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you."


Luke 19:8-9 "Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;"


Mark 10:17,21 "17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”...... 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”


Matthew 25:41-46, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

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Another example is the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man only gave of his leftovers and crumbs to the poor. As a result, he was sent to hell for his selfishness, despite thinking he was inside the covenant of salvation.

This concept is also mentioned in the Apocrypha as well, although it is not as authoritative:

Tobit 12:9, " For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life,"


Sirach 3:30, "As water extinguishes a blazing fire,
so almsgiving atones for sin."

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From a variety of sources therefore, we can conclude that almsgiving to the poor or to ministry is a necessary part of maintaining salvation (for those who are able to). This is especially true for those of us who have been rescued from deeper sins. Salvation is not by “faith alone,” that is a nonsense manmade doctrine which was only invented by cherrypicking out of context verses from certain parts of Paul and John and ignoring the rest of scripture. “Believing” in Jesus means believing and following his words. Believing and not following provides no salvation for the soul.


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