Constant, self-denying benevolence is God’s remedy for the cankering sins of selfishness and covetousness. God has arranged systematic benevolence to sustain His cause and relieve the necessities of the suffering and needy. He has ordained that giving should become a habit, that it may counteract the dangerous and deceitful sin of covetousness. Continual giving starves covetousness to death. Systematic benevolence is designed in the order of God to tear away treasures from the covetous as fast as they are gained and to consecrate them to the Lord, to whom they belong. {3T 548.1}

[En stadig selvfornægtende offerglæde er Guds middel mod de tærende synder som kaldes selviskhed og begær. Gud har indført den planmæssige ofring til bedste for sit værk og for at sørge for de lidende og nødstedte. Han vil at det skal blive en vane at give, vor at det skal modvirke begærlighedens synd. Når vi giver til stadighed, vil begærligheden dø af sult. Planmæssig ofring er Guds middel for at tage rigdommen fra de begærlige så hurtig den er vundet, fordi han er den retmæssige ejer.]