In yesterday’s email, we saw how Paul was writing to the
(wealthy) Corinthian believers, and telling them the example of the destitute
Macedonian church in supporting the poor believers in
There are some more great principles we can learn as Paul continues his letter.
2 Corinthians 8:6-9
6 So we urged Titus
that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you
this gracious work as well.
Obviously, Titus had previously tried to raise this money from the Corinthians, but had stopped promoting and receiving it. Paul is now sending Titus back to complete the offering.
I love how Paul calls it GRACE. The word not only describes the gift, but the manner it which it should be given. All giving should be by grace, not by law!
7 But
just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in
all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this
gracious work also.
Notice the order of the things Paul mentions here. First comes faith, knowledge and love, and THEN comes the giving! True Christian giving is a result of understanding the grace of God, and then your giving becomes a reflection of God’s grace. So many people today get this backwards! You don’t give, and then receive the grace of God; you give as a result of understanding the grace of God that you have received.
8 I am not
speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of
others the sincerity of your love also.
Paul is not commanding them to give! If Paul could not command these believers to give, then no person today can command you to give! There are many things the Word of God commands us to do – assemble together for worship, pray, love one another – but Christian giving is NOT commanded! Christian giving can only be the RESULT of the motivation of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t take this principle as an invitation for a free ride. You must understand that as you grow spiritually, and recognize the grace of God in your life, you WILL be motivated to give. When God motivates you to give, you are not free to ignore it!
Next Paul gives them the ultimate example of giving, our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For
you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for
your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
The more you understand what Jesus gave you, the more you will have true motivation to give.
Let’s skip ahead a little bit in Paul’s letter for one more principle.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6 Now this I say, he
who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows
bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must do
just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
It’s all about the attitude first. It is what you have purposed in your heart that matters to God. Here’s the principle – if you are motivated to give, then God will provide what you should give! Remember, He’s the one that has provided you every sufficiency, so He will provide you an abundance for giving:
8 And God is able to
make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
The key to understanding Christian giving is to understand this principle:
You never give so that God will bless you; you give because you understand how God has blessed you.