2 Corinthians 9 Part 1 Are We Grudging Givers Or A Cheerful Ones?

Paul continues to hammer home the importance of tithing and giving.

2 Corinthians 9:1-2  For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2)  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. 

Giving our tithes and offerings to support our local church and missions is a very important topic that can be traced through the Old and New Testaments.

God has a lot to say about how much we give, what our attitude toward giving should be and we must pay attention.

Failure to understand what God teaches us in His Word about tithes and offerings will rob us of His blessing if we do not obey.

In these verses Paul speaks very respectfully to the Corinthians, and with great skill. 

He continues to strongly urge them to love that which puts others needs before our own needs.

He still presses them about their contribution for the poor saints in Jerusalem and surrounding area.  

He knew their forwardness to every good work, and how they began this good work a year ago. 

Paul boasted about the Corinthian's zeal to the Macedonians, which many of them followed the Corinthian's example.

Paul made sure that the Corinthians completed their collection.

2 Corinthians 9:3-5  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: 4)  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. 5 ) 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. 

Paul wished them to be ready with their offering so that they might be worthy of the praise he heaped upon the Corinthians. 

If they failed to do what they started to do that would reflect badly on their Christian character. 

The apostle wanted to make sure that they did follow through and proved their love for God and others in the process. 

Paul's urgings are similar to the parable to the talents that Jesus gave to exhort His disciples to use their gifts for God's kingdom and glory.

Notice how God's Spirit guided Paul to us the word "before" three times to underscore the urgency of completing their offering quickly.

He wanted the Corinthians to learn how to be generous givers of their resources. 

He did not want them to be holding back their offering because they were covetous or miserly. 

Sowing sparingly or sowing bountifully with our resources will be judged.

2 Corinthians 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 

Here is a principle from the Bible. 

You can be miserly and hoard your assets but those who follow this path will reap sparingly at judgment day.

Those who are bountiful givers of offerings and tithes will reap bountifully at judgment day.

Will you be one who sows bountifully, yielded to God's Spirit?

Galatians 6:7-9  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8)  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9)  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Notice the Spirit guided instructions and warnings from Paul. Do not be deceived into thinking that God does not care how we live as believers. 

What we sow in this life is what we will reap at the judgment seat of Christ. Those who sow sparingly by hoarding their money will reap a corrupt harvest.

Those who yield to God's Spirit and are generous givers will reap a generous harvest. 

Paul reminds us that we must be busy doing all things heartily as unto the Lord. We must view whatever money, land or possessions that we have as belonging to God, for they truly are His. 

A blessed man is one who is ready to help poor saints when he is able to.

Psalm 41:1-3    Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2)  The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3)  The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 

King David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel tells us that when we consider the plight of the poor, and do something about it, we will be blessed.

God will deliver us in times of trouble. He will preserve us and keep us alive. He will bless us for having a tender heart toward those in need.

A blessed man who gives to support the poor saints is noticed by the LORD.

Proverbs 19:17  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

When we give financial assistance to the poor according to our ability to do so, it is like lending our money to Jehovah. He will repay us for this work.

Those who love the poor saints enough to help them will be blessed.

Proverbs 22:9  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 

The one who sows bountifully is one who gives to help the poor. In Paul's time, it was the poor saints in Jerusalem and Judea.

They suffered greatly because they continued preaching the gospel of Christ as the priests, Sanhedrin and rabbis fiercely opposed them.

No doubt, they lost jobs for their faith and were in the grips of severe financial hardship.

It is then good and right for Christians to help other Christians in need if it is in our power to do so. 

God gave specific command about helping poor Hebrews. 

Deuteronomy 15:7-11  If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 8)  But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. 9)  Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 10)  Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 11)  For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. 

First, when an Israelite encountered a poor person in their area, they were not to harden their hearts toward the poor. They were not to clench their fist tightly around their money.

God commanded them to open their hands wide to lend the poor brother what he needs.

Our failure to give something to help a poor Christian when we are able to help, will be noticed by Jehovah. 

We will be held accountable for our heart's attitude toward the redeemed people of God who are poor.

If we hoard our resources instead, and they cry out to the Lord, He will hear and count our selfishness as a sin.

There will always be poor brothers or sisters in Christ, and this is God's plan to help meet their needs.

Christians must be cheerful givers, trusting God to meet our own needs.

2 Corinthians 9:7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

Now Paul tells us how we should give our tithes and offerings to God. He uses the negative examples first, and then a positive one.

The idea of giving according to the purpose of our heart is a picture of bringing supplies out of a storehouse to help meet someone's needs.

First, a Christian should never be a "grudging" giver. This is a person who is stingy, selfish and seeking to keep his resources for himself.

Second, a Christian should never be one who gives "of necessity." This is a person who gives because they feel obligated to give, not because they want to give.

Most of us know that God is focused upon changing our heart and that is what He looks at when we give our tithes and offerings. 

A "cheerful giver" is the opposite of the negative examples. They give offerings and tithes because they truly want to. They give happily according to their ability.

We are blessed by the joy that comes from cheerfully giving our tithes and offerings to support our local churches and missions.

When we think about sowing and reaping what we sow, Paul's words become more important. 

Here is something that God loves. He loves a cheerful giver. This must be the attitude of our heart toward financial giving.

So let us give of our own free will and choice. We should not be coerced into giving by others. 

Rather we must yield to the Spirit of God working in our heart, He will make us cheerful givers.

Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design.

We should give liberally, with an open hand, and cheerfully, with an open countenance, being glad we have ability and opportunity to be charitable.

May the words of Isaiah the prophet encourage us to be cheerful givers and good stewards of what God has provided for us.

Bob

Isaiah 58:10-11  And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11)  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.