These two chapters discuss and lay out the whole doctrine (what we believe) about the whole idea of giving. The foundation under the principle of giving, the reason why we would want to give, the procedure for how we proceed to give, and the rewards we can expect as a result of our generosity.
This is all explained in these 39 verses.
This is a lot of ground to cover, so I am breaking it up into its components over several days.
Yesterday we talked about the Principle of giving in 8:1-6.
Today we will look at why we would want to give, the purposes for giving:
8: 7-15
But 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.
Paul has just recounted to these Corinthians how the Macedonian believers had given generously out of their poverty, and now here these brothers and sisters have an abundance of everything; they are not being persecuted, and they enjoy much material prosperity, so he is expecting them to contribute abundantly.
I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.
Paul isn't saying they have to do this, he is encouraging them to show their love for their suffering brothers and sisters.
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.
As our example, our Lord Jesus Christ also was generous in giving up His riches in Heaven to come as a poor man, so that He could bestow on us His riches. He didn't want to keep everything for Himself, but gave Himself freely. So He also wants us to freely share what He has given to us, and not be stingy.
I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.
But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.
A year earlier, the Corinthian church was the first church to freely volunteer to help the believers in Jerusalem. Now it's time to do what they said they would do, and follow through on that offer.
For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
If they still want to do this, they don't have to give more than they actually have. We give from what we have, we don't go into debt to appear to be more generous.
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality--
at this present time your abundance bring a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;
This is not to put you into financial straits just to help them to be comfortable, but if you help them in their need now, then later on you may have a need that they will be able to help you with, so that everyone will have what they need and no one will need to suffer privation.
as it is written,
He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack (Exodus 16:18).When God gave the children of Israel the manna in the wilderness, he had them gather it every morning, and everyone had just enough, whether they gathered a little or a lot. It all evened out so that no one had too much, and no one was caught short. They all had just what they needed.
So the reasons why we are to be generous in our giving as presented here are:
1) To abound in all the aspects of Christian living,
2) To show your love for one another,
3) To follow Christ's example to be like Him, and
4) To express compassion for others in helping to meet their needs.
O my Father, Your ways are so wise, and when we follow them things always seem to turn out well all around. Your ways always show us a win-win way of living; that when we have an abundance, then we can share to help meet the needs of others, and then when they have an abundance in some other area, they can help us where we have a need. And everyone benefits.
When we love one another as You have loved us, then we will notice when our brother or sister has a need that we can help with, and we won't hesitate to pitch in to help.
Father, You saw our need, and sent Your Son to help, to meet our stupendous need by the giving of Himself. We will never be able to that, and we will never need to, because Jesus already finished it for us.
Now we can not only help one another in temporal ways physically and mentally, but also eternally spiritually, in sharing Your Good News with them.
When they receive Your Good News and accept Jesus' death as their own, then You will meet their every need, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and materially.
Father, teach us how to reach out to every person You have enabled us to help. Each of us has individual characteristics that can reach people others can't. Show us who these people are, send us to them, bring them to us, so that we can be used of You to benefit them and bring You glory.
Let our love and care for one another show the World how much You love each of them, too, and that You sent Your Son for them, too. Send out Your workers, Father, to draw all Your lost sheep into Your One Fold with One Shepherd, and fill Your house with children.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord God Almighty, to the glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
