CHRISTIAN GIVING SUMMARIZED
2 Corinthians 8:8-12 (KJV)
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
Most of the time the simplest lessons are the best lessons we can gain from the Word of God
We’re approaching two chapters of some of the most familiar to those of us who are used to Faith Promise missions for giving.
So, before we cover this very familiar ground with a little bit more detail, I thought it would be good to see a simple overview of 2 Corinthians 8-9.
And, since it is a passage I teach through almost every year in the month of February, I am going to borrow my “map” from another source.
I like the Scofield’s Notes[1] on these two chapters:
· First because they are well over 100 years old[2]
· Second, because, though he never used the term “Faith Promise” his outline is consistent with what we teach on Faith Promise.
Scofield’s notes say the following concerning 2 Corinthians 8-9 and giving:
"In 2 Corinthians 8-9, the apostle sums up the Christian doctrine of giving. It may be thus summarized:
I. IT IS A "GRACE"
2 Corinthians 8:7 (KJV)
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
One of the most miraculous things I have witnessed in all of my years of the ministry is the consistent, generous and sufficient gifts of God’s people to His church.
I believe the reason for that is explained right here.
Giving is not man generated but Spirit generated.
The word grace comes from charisma.
It is a gift of God’s Holy Spirit.
No doubt it can be fostered and perfected, but something that comes from God is always consistent, generous and sufficient.
Since it is of grace, it is,
II. IN CONTRAST WITH THE LAW
2 Corinthians 8:8-12 (KJV)
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
You might remember that this contrast between the letter and the Spirit of the law has been a constant theme in 2 Corinthians.
The Old Testament law imposed giving as a divine requirement.
Christian giving is voluntary, and a testof sincerity and love.
As I read 2 Corinthians 9:1-7 (KJV) notice the voluntary and free will nature applied to giving.
2 Corinthians 9:1-7 (KJV)
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
III. THE PRIVILEGE OF GIVING IS UNIVERSAL
2 Corinthians 8:1-3 (KJV)
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
So that no one comes behind and no one is without this grace to give.
The person with lesser means has the grace of God to give generously.
And, if we think about it perhaps differently than we do a lot of the time
The person with greater means has an equal grace to give generously.
He doesn’t have to be stingy just because he has a lot any more than those with less can be stingy because they don’t have a lot.
The same Spirit of God is able to move each of them to give generously and liberally.
That is because,
IV. GIVING IS TO BE PROPORTIONED TO INCOME
2 Corinthians 8:12-14 (KJV)
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
The Old Testament proportion was the tithe, a proportion which antedates the law.[3]
The tithe, ten percent, was practiced
· Before the Mosaic law
· During the Mosaic law
And there is no reason to believe that it isn’t a wonderful place to begin[4] our grace of giving even,
· After the Mosaic law
I would like to finish this lesson by outlining,
V. THE REWARDS OF CHRISTIAN GIVING ARE:
A. Joy.
2 Corinthians 8:2 (KJV)
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
B. Increased ability to give in proportion to that which has been already given.
2 Corinthians 9:7-11 (KJV)
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
C. Increased thankfulness to God.
2 Corinthians 9:12 (KJV)
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
D. God and the Gospel glorified.
2 Corinthians 9:13-14 (KJV)
Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
Conclusion
As I said, I wanted to borrow this outline because it is more than 100 years old.
It demonstrates that our concept of Christian giving, is not new, not contrived, but it is consistent with how Christians have understood the Bible on this subject for a hundred, I would go so far as to say, hundreds of years.
[1] Scofield Reference Bible
[2] First published in 1909.
[3] Genesis 14:20 (KJV)
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
[4] Notice I said a place to begin. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tells us to abound in this grace. We are never to “level off” in it.
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