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 policies to follow in our giving, 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've broken it up into its components over several days.
Today we will conclude this section by discovering many of the rewards God will lavish upon us for our giving:
9:6-15
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
This is an agrarian illustration of a spiritual Truth. If you don't plant many seeds, you won't produce very much crop. But if you plant a lot of seeds, then it's much more likely that more of them will take root and grow.
Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
God wants us to want to be generous. Just going through the motions will never produce any fruits or rewards.
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;
No matter how much we abound in our generosity, we can never out-give God. He always surpasses everything we can expect to receive. He is more generous than Mankind will ever be, and He wants us to abound in the good deeds that He planned ahead of Time for us to accomplish; He will supply more than we will need to do everything, and also abundantly reward us both now and in Eternity.
as it is written,
He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness lives forever (Psalm 112:9).He had the Psalmist write this, to show that He always has taken good care of us all throughout all the Time Mankind has lived in this World, whenever anyone lets Him in.
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;
Our seed for sowing can be money, or it can be His Word, or it can even be actual seeds to plant in the soil. Whatever God has for you, in whatever activities you do, whether at work, at church, at home; with family, with neighbors, with co-workers, with brothers and sisters in Christ, or with people of the World; He will always give you whatever you need to share.
I've found that whatever I find myself short of, just give some away anyway, and God will stretch what I have left! He's done this for me with money, with time, with food on hand, with whatever I happen to need at the time. I just need to consciously be trusting God in the situation, and He's always come through for me. And He will for you, too. So don't ever be stingy.
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality,
Because God will always do what He said He will do, and He says right here that He will enrich us in whatever we need to be enriched in, in "everything," which doesn't leave anything out. So we can be generous, too.
which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
Paul is thanking God for the Corinthians.
For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints
This gift that Paul has been and will be gathering from Corinth and all the other churches for two years will cover everything that the poor Christians in Jerusalem will be needing when he gets there with the offerings for them.
but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Paul is not the only one who was blessing them with thanksgivings to God for them, but the members of the other churches were, too, and also the saints in Jerusalem would be, also. Many thanks from many grateful children of God.
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 contribution to them and to all,
The contribution they are adding to the gift is proof of their love for God and their faith in Christ, and also for their share of the offering.
while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
Because of their generosity, the Jerusalem believers will also be in prayer for their brothers and sisters in Corinth, and will be desirous of actually meeting them some day, and to want God to bless them even more abundantly.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
God's foundational gift to us is Himself! His Love, His mercy, His grace, His Son, His Salvation, His generous provisions for everything we need. God has thought of everything, and has already provided everything we will ever need, both in this World and in the next, and in all Eternity! He didn't leave anything out, and He has provided for us super-abundantly in every area!
Our God is God! He is Almighty God the Father, who has given us His Son who is our Lord God Almighty and our Savior and Redeemer, and our sovereign King of the Universe; and He has also given us His Holy Spirit to actually live in our human spirits, making them Alive, causing us to be born into His own family; and made us co-heirs with Christ to inherit everything He receives from the Father, who has put All Things into His hand to rule and govern.
O my Father, You truly are the Almighty God! You subsist in three divine Persons, as one Almighty God. And Christ has made us also one with You.
I don't understand this, in my puny little human brain, but I know it is True, because Jesus prayed this for us, and I know You always answer His prayers, and do what You have said You would do.
You are the Creator of everything that is: The Father and the Son and the Spirit all had their roles in creation, to fashion everything that exists. And everything You made is connected to everything else You made, all in the same system, the same Universe, both material and spiritual.
And everything we do affects everything else, too. So when we are generous and we give of what You have given to us, then we set good things in motion, and we also receive the benefits. Everything is like a boomerang, it accomplishes what You have determined it will do, and circles back to bless us, too.
So, Father, help us to remember Your generosity with us, and to demonstrate Your character that You are building in us. Keep us growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim our Lord Jesus Christ is God's very Son, to the glory of God the Father.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
