Quick Note – 2 Corinthians 9 – Giving

2 Corinthians 9:7 – “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9

Today, I am not going to write a long devotional, but I just want to share with you a few key principles about giving found in 2 Corinthians 9.  In this letter to the Corinthian church, Paul was trying to encourage the Corinthian believers to give to the other church in Jerusalem which was currently suffering (likely due to the famine that was occurring there at the time).  Paul was sent by the churches to gather funds and deliver them to the Jerusalem church to provide for those believers who were struggling.  So he went to the various churches he had started and basically fundraised.  In this chapter as well as the previous chapter, he shares some key principles about giving as he encouraged his fellow Christians to give.  I encourage you to click the link above and read the whole chapter of 2 Corinthians 9 and meditate on this passage about giving as you review these few bullet points I want to share with you today.

Principles of Giving

• Give as you would want to be given – vs. 6
• Give from your heart – vs. 7
  • Giving should be your choice and desire.
  • Giving should not be done reluctantly or grudgingly as if you are unsure you want to do it.
  • Giving should not be done under compulsion. Don’t give because you are forced to because of guilt.  Give because you want to give.  Give because God gave to you.
• Give cheerfully – vs. 7
  • Don’t give as if it is a struggle for you to give. Don’t give with a sad face or heart.  Give willingly and with joy.
  • Don’t be like those people who give but in the depths of their hearts really wish you wouldn’t take it.
• Give as God has blessed you – vs. 8, 10-11
  • God provides for us so that we can be His instrument to serve others.
  • He has blessed us so that we can bless others.
  • Don’t wait for someone else to do the job, when He has provided you the means to give.
  • He has given us all sufficiency in all things at all
  • He has given us everything we could ever want to make us content in everything every time.

Results of Giving

• By choosing to give, you will encourage others to give as well – vs. 2
  • The Macedonian church was encouraged to give when Paul told them the Corinthian church had prepared their gift already.
  • Paul also used the Macedonian church’s desire to give to encourage the Corinthian church to give.
  • By doing good, you will encourage others to do so as well
• Giving is a fruit of your righteousness – vs. 10
  • We as Christians are called to produce good fruit in keeping with our salvation.
  • Giving is proof of the change that God has made in our lives. It is proof of His love and grace flowing through us.
• Giving produces thankfulness to God – vs. 11-12
  • When others are provided for, they will thank God not only for the provisions but for you being a blessing to them.
• Giving supplies the needs of others – vs. 12
  • Obviously, when you give, you provide for the needs of others. This needs little explanation.
• Giving brings glory to God – vs. 13
  • As Christians, our ultimate goal is to bring honor and glory to God. When you give, you display His characteristics, especially His love.  This will cause others to glorify God.
• Giving brings unity and love to the church – vs. 14
  • Paul said that those supplied by the gifts from the church were longing and praying for the Corinthian believers. Through prayer and love, believers no matter what part of the world they were from were unified as the body of Christ.
• Giving is a reminder to us of God’s inexpressible gift to us – vs. 15
  • God gave a gift that can never be matched, when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. There was no greater gift than His willingness to let His Son die in our place so that we could have a restored relationship with Him.
  • When we give, it is a reminder to us of the Greatest Gift – Jesus Christ.

I hope you take the time to reflect on these points as you read 2 Corinthians 9.  May these words encourage you to give not only financially but also of your time and love.  Thank God for His inexpressible gift!