2 CORINTHIANS: DEFENDING GOD'S SERVANT TO HIS CRITICS

Part XV: The Godly Ministry Of Giving, 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15

C. Giving With God's Guideliness For Blessing

(2 Corinthians 9:6-15)

 

I.                 Introduction

A.     2 Corinthians was written "to defend the authenticity of" Paul's "apostleship and his message" to a church of believers who were susceptible to heeding false teachers who critiqued him, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 552.

B.     One of the problems created by this crisis may have been that the false teachers had taught Paul's readers to divert some moneys to themselves that were initially intended to go to needy Jerusalem saints, Ibid., p. 572.

C.     If so, Paul had to give careful instruction to counter errant views on giving by false teachers, and 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 continues that instruction, teaching believers to give with God's guidelines for blessing:

II.              Giving With God's Guidelines For Blessing, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.

A.    In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, Paul informed his readers of God's principles in giving that lead to His blessing:

1.      Paul wrote that giving is like sowing: what we sow or give affects what we reap or are reimbursed, v. 6.

2.      However, God wants the donor to give cheerfully what he himself decides to give, 2 Corinthians 9:7:

                             a.         God wants the believer to give without internal "grief" (lupe, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 483), without being afflicted in spirit by giving too much, 2 Corinthians 9:7a,b.

                            b.         God wants the believer to give without "compulsion" (anagke, Ibid., p. 52), without being pressured by other influential people to donate what he would otherwise not choose to give, 2 Corinthians 9:7c.

                             c.         God loves a cheerful giver, so believers should give happily without internal or external pressure, v. 7d.

3.      Following the act of giving, God reimburses the donor with more money, 2 Corinthians 9:8a.

4.      From that reimbursement, the donor is equipped to support himself and to abound in giving again, v. 8b.

B.     Paul then described how these principles function if applied to one's life, 2 Corinthians 9:9-11a:

1.      Citing the Old Testament teaching of Psalm 112:4-9 on the matter, Paul explained that a righteous man who compassionately gives of his resources to needy people is reimbursed by the Lord for his donation for him to be able to continue to give to others with resulting blessings, 2 Corinthians 9:9.

2.      Paul then applied this Old Testament teaching to believers in the Church era, 2 Corinthians 9:10-11a:

                             a.         God's reimbursement to the donor is meant to provide first for the donor's own livelihood needs, v. 10a.

                            b.         However, that reimbursement, much like seed sown, will be significantly more in amount than what had been first donated, thus equipping the donor to give again, but to give a greater amount, 2 Cor. 9:10b.

                             c.         God thus equips believers who donate to give again, but more than at first, equipping them to be an ever escalating blessing for the Lord through an abounding life of giving, 2 Corinthians 9:11a.

C.     Paul then clarified the bountiful results of this giving program that ultimately glorify God, 2 Cor. 9:11b-14:

1.      Recipients of the donation and other believers will thank God for the donation, 2 Corinthians 9:11b.

2.      Paul then explained the details of this blessing in 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 (as follows):

                             a.         First, the needs of recipients are met by the donation, relieving them of their former lack, 2 Cor. 9:12a.

                            b.         Second, the recipients then profusely thank God for the donation that relieves their lack, 2 Cor. 9:12b.

                             c.         Third, the recipients and onlooking believers can then also thank God for His evident work in the hearts of the donors to give them a spirit of liberality to donate of their possessions to the needy, 2 Cor. 9:13a.

                            d.         Fourth, the recipients can also thank God for that spirit of liberality that will not only extend to meeting their needs, but the needs of other destitute recipients of their giving, 2 Corinthians 9:13b.

                             e.         Fifth, the donations enhance the fellowship between the donors and their recipients, 2 Corinthians 9:14.

                             f.          Sixth, the ministry of giving causes thanksgiving to abound unto God Who provided His unspeakable gift of eternal life to lost people so as to transform them into becoming believers with liberality, v. 15.

 

Lesson: To give with God's blessing, believers should align with His principles of giving to donate with liberality to be bountifully reimbursed, but to temper that liberality with freedom from internal or external pain and pressure so as to be joyful.  God will then reimburse the donors to meet their living needs and to equip them to give again with increased bounty, resulting in manifold, increasing blessings to recipients and donors alike, all to the glory of God.

 

Application: (1) May we apply God's principles of giving to witness great blessings not only in our own lives, but in the lives of our recipients all to the glory of God's grace.  (2) The ministry of giving is a ministry of faith that is limited to this life, so may we use whatever opportunities we have on earth to minister in giving to God's interests!