Giving for the Glory of God

v.1 The “ministry of the saints” is the offering that Paul has sent the messengers to collect for the Jerusalem saints. Paul said that it was “superfluous” that he write them concerning the offering. That simply means that it was very necessary.

v.2 Paul had boasted of the Corinthians eagerness to the Macedonians. Achaia was the province that Corinth was located in. A year earlier the Corinthians were excited and zealous about helping the Jerusalem saints. Paul boasted over the Corinthians to the Macedonians. That testimony is what provoked the Macedonians to be so generous.

v.3-4 Paul sent the messengers to get the offering the Corinthians were so excited about giving. Paul did not want his boasting to be in vain. If the messengers arrived and the Corinthians had no offering to give it could be embarrassing to Paul. In a sense Paul seems to be saying “Don’t let me down, you promised.” Their refusal to give would make them to appear as hypocrites and Paul as undiscerning.

If any of the Macedonians came with the group both Paul and the Corinthians would be ashamed. The Macedonians would have spread the news about the Corinthians among the other Macedonians. Remember, it was their willingness to give that provoked the Macedonians to give. Paul is making a plea toward their integrity.

v.5 Paul sent the messengers beforehand to prepare the Corinthians for the offering. It could be that the Corinthians had promised a specific amount of money and Paul wanted to be certain they had it. Paul did not want their giving affected by covetousness. Greed can easily creep into the human heart, especially when it comes to the subject of money. The love of money can cause man to plunge into deep sin. It can easily tempt him to go back on commitments bound only by his word. Paul warned the Corinthians against greed. If greed crept in it could ruin their testimony, Paul’s testimony, and possibly cause the Macedonian saints to stumble.

v.6 Paul uses an analogy of farming to illustrate a truth about giving. When a small amount of seed is sown a small harvest will be reaped. A larger amount of sown seed will produce a larger crop. We reap in proportion to what we sow. This is not to say that we are necessarily rewarded with money as a result of our giving financially to the ministry. The blessings of God are not measured by a monetary value. Primarily our treasures are being laid up in heaven to wait for us there (Matt. 6:19-20). The spiritual blessings that we receive in this world and the world to come are far greater than any physical blessing. All physical blessing will eventually perish. Spiritual blessings last an eternity.

v.7 The term “decided” means prepared or predetermined. This probably alludes to the predetermined gift that the Corinthians had told Paul they would give for the Jerusalem saints. Giving is to be planned and predetermined. We are to take our giving seriously. I believe that we should make a continual commitment to the Lord concerning the size of our offering. It should be at least one tenth of our gross income. We should never allow how we feel on Sunday to determine the size of our gift. Our giving would be sporadic and inconsistent at best.

Giving should not be done reluctantly. Giving should make us feel good.

Giving should not be done as a result of necessity. In other words we shouldn’t say, “I’ve got to give” we should say “I get to give”. Giving to the work of the Lord is a privilege that invites the blessings of the Lord upon our life.

God loves a cheerful giver. It goes without saying that God loves everyone (John 3:16). There is, however, a deeper love that God has for His own children (John 13:1). This verse is not teaching that God responds to our works by loving us. We love Him in response to the work that He has done in us (1 John 4:19). I think that it would be sufficient to say that God is pleased with His children, whom He loves greater than the world, when they give to the ministry out of a pure heart.

v.8 The Corinthians did not have to worry about suffering want as they gave to the work of the Lord. God is able to make all grace abound toward them. In other words, God would provide what they needed. It’s interesting to note that His giving would result in their ability to continue to give to the good work of the ministry. The cycle is obvious. God gives to us so that we may give to others. Believers aren’t to concern themselves with worries about the necessities of life. God will take care of us (Matt. 6:25-34).

v.9 Paul quotes Psalm 112:9. God gives to all generously. He even takes care of the poor. He is a just and righteous God. His character does not change. It remains the same throughout all eternity. Believers are to emulate the character of God. He is a giver to the poor. The Corinthians should consider the character of God as they prepare to help the poor saints in Jerusalem.

v.10 Now Paul quotes Isaiah 55:10. Paul shows us the purpose of God in giving.

God gives the sower seed to sow.

God gives the sower food to eat from the seed he has sown.

God multiples the seed that was sown so that the sower can do more righteous deeds.

God’s purpose in blessing us is not to make us rich. He blesses us so that we may bless others.

v.11 God enriches us so that we may give bountifully to the work of the Lord. As we give to the poor, they give thanksgiving to God. Through us people will thank God. That is a humbling thing. It’s wonderful to know that people will give God praise because of things we do for them.

v.12 Their gift would do two things.

First, it would supply the needs that the saints had. This would refer to the physical needs they had (food, clothes, shelter, medicine, etc.)

Secondly it would produce abundant praise to God. Meeting the physical needs of people not only produces praise from the saints but it can also produce praise from the lost. Many people have come to know Christ through the love of believers. Believers have brought many into the kingdom through the love of God. Meeting needs opens the door of evangelism. The old cliche “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” is true.

v.13 Their willingness to give would prove the faith they claimed to possess. It would prove they had indeed submitted themselves unto the gospel. Their generous giving to others would prove that the gospel had changed their lives (James 2:15-16). Once again, their giving would cause others to glorify God as well. This should be their supreme motive for giving.

v.14 In this verse we see two benefits that the Corinthians would experience because of their giving.

First, we see that the poor saints in Jerusalem would pray for them. The poor saints had something they could offer the Corinthians. They could not give money but they could help the Corinthians spiritually. Often the more destitute a person is the greater their prayer life. The Jerusalem saints would intercede for the Corinthians because of the Corinthians kindness.

Secondly, we see that their love for them would increase. They would now “long after” the Corinthians. The relationship between the two churches would be deepened.

The Jerusalem saints admiration for the Corinthians would increase as well when they saw the exceeding grace of God in them. God’s grace is easier seen than explained. The willingness to help a group of people whom they likely would never meet displayed that grace.

v.15 Paul closes this section with a powerful truth. He simply thanks God for His indescribable gift. That gift of course is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The gift God gave us through Christ is too great to explain with words. That gift should inspire us to be people of grace, unselfish, and willing to help those who do not deserve our help. When we give in the proper way we are like our Heavenly Father who gave us the greatest gift of all.

Thoughts To Consider

1. People are listening to the promises we make.

2. The depth of our Christianity isn’t measured by how much we say we’re going to do but by how much we actually do.

3. Giving is too important a practice to do without planning and consistency.

4. Our giving brings God glory.

5. Our giving could play a part in someone’s salvation.