MINISTRY THROUGH GIVING

2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-15

NASB

7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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; 9 as it is written,

“HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR,

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS [a]ENDURES FOREVER.”

10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the [a]saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your [a]contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

9:9 [a]Lit abides  9:12 [a]Or holy ones  9:13 [a]Or sharing with them 

NLT

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[*] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.

Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[*]

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity[*] in you.

11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving —the needs of the believers in Jerusalem[*] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift[*] too wonderful for words!

[9:7] See footnote on Prov 22:8.   [9:9] Ps 112:9.   [9:10] Greek righteousness.   [9:12] Greek of God’s holy people.   [9:15] Greek his gift.  

Perhaps you recall the parable Jesus told Simon the Pharisee to help him understand why it was appropriate for a weeping woman, known to Simon as a prostitute, to anoint Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and kiss them (Luke 7:36-39). The parable (Luke 7:40-47) frames a simple situation: Two people owe the same creditor, but one owes a lot of money and the other owes only a small amount. If the creditor forgives both debts, which person will be more thankful? Which will love the creditor more? The point Jesus made is that a great amount of forgiveness —the grace Jesus had shown to this weeping woman —results in a great outpouring of love —the woman’s response to Jesus. The joy of forgiveness is one that results in lives full of grace towards others.

This principle of acting in response to God’s grace with an outpouring of love is one that guides Christian conduct in every area of life. A mindful response to what the Lord has done for us results in a gracious and willing attitude to help those around us, especially fellow believers. It should not surprise us then that this principle of God’s overflowing grace underlies Paul’s thinking when he speaks to the Corinthians about their giving.

As we turn our attention to the last part of 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul deals with the application of giving, we read a description of the manner in which we are to give. It says, in effect, that we need to put into action the principles characterized in others’ examples and in response to God’s abundant blessings. The one who claims to live obediently by faith in God does not ignore this vital area. In other words, living by faith includes giving by grace. As a response to what God has done for us, we should bountifully and cheerfully give back to Him. In 2 Corinthians 9:7-15, Paul encourages us to pass on God’s grace to others in tangible ways.

— 9:7 —

In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul draws upon an agricultural metaphor to illustrate the spiritual truth that scant sowing makes for a scant harvest. Generous sowing, however, makes for an abundant harvest. Paul takes this general principle and makes it personal, even individual (9:7). Notice that Paul addresses “each one.” There are no exceptions. Everybody must be involved in financial stewardship and contributing to the ministry in some way.

This giving must also be intentional, not haphazard. The Greek term for “purposed” means to choose beforehand or decide ahead of time. A believer’s financial planning should originate not from external pressures but from “the heart.” Gracious giving results from heartfelt resolve. If it does not spring from the heart, it is given “grudgingly or under compulsion.” But when giving comes from a heart full of cheer, it will not only feel rewarding for the giver, but it will also inspire others with the joy of giving.

Look closely at those five final words: “God loves a cheerful giver.” The Greek word for “cheerful” is hilaros [2431], from which we get our word “hilarious.” This doesn’t mean God loves a ridiculous giver, or a funny giver, or a giver who doesn’t take giving seriously. It means that God desires our giving to generate the same exuberant joy in our hearts as a lively celebration or a hearty laugh. If you can’t give with a smile, then you are not giving from the heart.

When I look at how giving has been treated in the church today, I feel most of us have been ripped off! So many churches have taken the joy out of giving. They have prescribed certain percentages or pushed hard for certain amounts. That sounds more like the drudgery of the Law than the joy of grace. According to 2 Corinthians 9:7, giving should be fun! I don’t know about you, but I don’t find it fun to be virtually handed a bill and asked for a check. Hard sells aren’t fun. High-pressure salesmen aren’t fun. Giving to meet some arbitrary goal isn’t fun. You know what is fun? Giving in response to God’s grace, giving to others out of love and joy, and giving to a ministry vision we believe in. That’s cheerful giving. I know it doesn’t make sense that a human being would give like that —generously without prescription, voluntarily without compulsion —but, frankly, that’s grace giving.

— 9:8-11 —

Paul moves the focus from the immediate giver to the ultimate Giver. We can give liberally, without worry, because God can make His grace abound to us so we will always have enough (9:8). Never forget: We can never out-give God. He will never appear to us one day and say, “Well, child, you’ve tapped Me dry. There’s no more left.” As regularly as you dispense your resources in generous giving, God can replenish them and refresh you with divine grace. This principle of God’s liberal provision creates confidence in the giver.

To undergird his argument, Paul quotes from Psalm 112:9 and alludes to Isaiah 55:10 (2 Cor. 9:9-10). Keener explains Paul’s rhetorical strategy here:

In 9:9, he quotes Psalm 112:9, which in context refers to the generosity and vindication of the righteous; having given to the poor, their righteousness endures. Yet God is the supreme benefactor on whom these generous benefactors also must depend; thus in 9:10 Paul recalls Isaiah 55:10, which speaks of God as the one who gives seed to the sower (i.e., to those who scatter in 9:9) and bread for food. As they kept giving, God would keep multiplying their seed so they could give more and multiply their harvest of righteousness.[150]

The storehouse of all good things belongs to God (Jas. 1:17). From that infinite source of blessing, He can replenish all the seed we sow, whether that seed is material or spiritual. God not only will supply the seed, He will also multiply it (2 Cor. 9:10). The ultimate purpose of God’s liberal provision to His people is to produce thanksgiving (eucharistia [2169]) to God (9:11). Ultimately, everything returns to God’s glory, that He would be praised and thanked for His blessings.

Think about the last time you received a wonderful, surprising gift. Your need was great, but you chose not to advertise it. Nobody knew about it except you and the Lord. You waited on God and patiently surrendered to His provision and timing. Then God marvelously supplied through a surprising source. You had never expected it, yet there it was. Remember your response? Thanksgiving. “Oh, how I thank You, Lord!” That’s the kind of praise the Lord always deserves from us in response to His ministry of grace.

Let’s return for a moment to the specific historical situation in Paul’s day. The people in Jerusalem were desperate. Cut off from the rest of the world, they had no ability in themselves and no hope of relief from others. They turned their attention to God and God alone, the One who could do miracles. Then one day, as they teetered near the brink of implosion, a delegation arrived in Jerusalem —a small group sent by Paul, representing dozens of churches and hundreds of Gentile Christians unknown to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. They laid before the elders of the Jerusalem church a large amount of money, enough to purchase food and to supply relief for months to come. What a spectacle of God’s astonishing provision! It would be a testimony to the scoffing Pharisees of the wonder-working love among those who comprise the Christian church that this gift should come even from among the “unclean” Gentiles.

— 9:12-15 —

This bountiful gift naturally would bring a joyful response from the recipients. Paul encourages the Corinthian church to give by helping them see that giving evokes a reciprocal blessing. Those who give joyously and graciously, seeking no credit for themselves, glorify God (9:13). The result? The entire process inundates heaven with a high tide of praise, surging at the feet of the Lord (9:12).

Notice that everybody involved is blessed. First, the giver is blessed by the joy inherent in giving and by the promise of reward from the hand of God. Jesus once said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). One form of blessing to those who give is that they receive the benefit of the prayers of the recipients on their behalf (2 Cor. 9:14). Second, the recipients of the gift are also blessed. They receive a solution to their problems and relief for their affliction. Third, God is also blessed, as the recipients overflow “through many thanksgivings to God” (9:12). They will glorify God because of the givers’ obedience (9:13). They don’t fail to attribute to God the ultimate responsibility for the blessing.

Paul closes this chapter with a sudden outburst of gratitude to God for His grace: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (9:15). The perfect picture of grace God has placed throughout Scripture is Jesus Christ hanging on a rugged cross. Can you turn away from such a picture of love, such a picture of giving, such a picture of amazing self-sacrificial grace? Can you look at such a picture and not be changed, not be compelled to give yourself to Him, not be compelled to give to others in the way He gave Himself to you?

APPLICATION: 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7-15

New Covenant Giving

Stewardship is a key principle in Scripture —stewardship of our time, our gifts and abilities, and our money. The Old Testament prescribed very specific regulations for giving “tithes” and offerings (Lev. 27:1-34; Deut. 14:22-28; Mal. 3:8-10). In the New Testament, Jesus frequently spoke about wealth, riches, money, and stewardship (Matt. 6:24; 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 15:12; Luke 16:1-13).

Although the New Testament never prescribes the “tithe” or a mandatory “10 percent” to be given to the church, it does address the issue of generous financial contributions and stewardship of one’s possessions. There are four primary passages in the New Testament to consider, and each focuses on a different element of giving.

JUSTIFICATION FOR GIVING

1 Corinthians 9

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVING

1 Corinthians 16

ILLUSTRATIONS OF GIVING

2 Corinthians 8

APPLICATION OF GIVING

2 Corinthians 9

First Corinthians 9. This passage provides the justification for giving. Those ministers who sow spiritual things through their preaching and teaching have a right to receive material support from those to whom they minister (1 Cor. 9:11). Fair remuneration is explicitly prescribed and encouraged in Scripture (1Tim. 5:17-18). Though Paul chose not to receive money for his spiritual labor, this was his own decision, not a required principle for others (1 Cor. 9:12, 15-18; Acts 20:33-35).

First Corinthians 16. At the end of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul provides instructions for giving (1 Cor. 16:1-2). For all who wonder about proper procedure, these two verses supply us with a good checklist to guide our giving. In these verses we find no pressure, no announcement, no public attention, and no manipulation.

Second Corinthians 8. This passage gives two illustrations of proper giving: the Macedonians (8:1-3); and Jesus Christ (8:9). Here we see that giving should be done with great generosity (8:1-3) as an overflow of one’s devotion to the Lord (8:5). Just as Jesus Christ gave up everything for our sakes —becoming poor so that we might become spiritually rich (8:9) —we, too, should give self-sacrificially (8:3).

Second Corinthians 9. The fourth passage reveals the application of giving. Like the rest of the Christian life, giving is not to be done out of grinding obedience to rules and regulations, in response to guilt trips, or because of peer pressure. Giving should come from the heart. Ideally, it should be done with a most free and willing attitude. A person should not be reluctant to give nor regret giving but rather be eager to give and also to receive joy from this kind of stewardship.

May the Lord help us all to strengthen the body and bring glory to God by understanding and practicing the principles taught in these passages.