According To Your Own Heart

The Misquoted Phrase

Regarding generosity, you may have heard “each person should give according to their own convictions”, but what does the Bible REALLY say?

Phrase comes from 2 Corinthians 9:7

2 Corinthians 9:7 CSB

7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

CONTEXT: Paul is collecting money for the relatively poor Christians in Jerusalem. He opens chapter 8 by praising the spirit of the Macedonians, despite their much poorer state. (2 Cor 8:1-5 )

2 Corinthians 8:1–5 CSB

1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia: 2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord, 4 they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, 5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.

He continues to compliment Corinth on what they do right, but then issues the challenge to prove their genuineness (2 Cor 8:7-8)

2 Corinthians 8:7–8 CSB

7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us—excel also in this act of grace. 8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

Connect context to the misquoted… 2 Cor 9:7 says to give as each person has decided in their heart, but then 2 Cor 8:8 suggests that giving is a test of our genuineness

While our generosity does not earn us any favor with God, it does help indicate the state of selflessness in which we live.

Parallels lessons on LIVING your faith, and not just KNOWING (Jm 1:22-24 )

James 1:22–24 CSB

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.

The Corinthians were knowers of the faith, and even doers in many ways, but in this one way they struggled… for Corinth was a wealthy area.

We also struggle today, being knowers of God and maybe even doers of our faith in many ways, but our physical possessions are precious to us… AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A GOOD TEST!

We are conditioned by society to see the concept of “giving” as only applying to our sense of charity. As Christians, we see in the example of Christ that our sense of “giving” is an indication of how closely we resemble the heart of Christ who knew he would give more than anyone could ever expect on the cross… but still gave throughout his worldly ministry.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 and note the way Paul talks about the relatively poor Macedonians. Note that they viewed the concept of “giving” as a blessing instead of a duty. How does society view the idea of “giving”? How do many Christians treat it in religious and secular contexts? James (James 1:22) implores us to be doers of the faith, not just hearers, as the Corinthians were at risk of becoming. What vital connection does our concept of “giving” have to being doers of the faith?

But Surely I Need to be Discerning!

Some will argue against feelings of extreme generosity by suggesting they need to be discerning. While true to an extent, we have to be careful not to let that become a convenient excuse to be judge and executioner of others’ situations.

Revisiting James, he warns against favoring others in James 2:1-4

James 2:1–4 CSB

1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

We know that God’s permissible Will allows for many things; so what right do we have to discern God’s permissible Will?!

Sure, IF YOU KNOW THE PERSON and can discern their actions/heart, it might be different. But their circumstances were not your doing… nor should it be your place to condemn them to continue in their situation

James continues in the next verse Jm 2:5

James 2:5 CSB

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

God chose to love us in our poverty, so we should be moved to do the same.

Understand what this means: James 2:8 “8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.”

Sometimes we hold back our generosity because we over-think who is deserving of our blessings. A mother in need? Sure. The homeless man on the side of the road? Well… he probably did something to deserve his circumstances… right? Read James 2:1-4 and see what James says about picking and choosing whom we choose to be Christ-like to. What criteria do we tend to use to determine who “deserves our good will”? What excuses do we make for showing some people compassion but not others? How might Christ have used similar excuses against us and been totally justified?

Conclusion

Our purpose is not to determine who is and isn’t deserving of God’s charity, yet with our actions that’s how many of us act.

We may be individuals who study, attend church, and do some good works, but are we living like the Corinthians and neglecting our obligation to “love others as ourselves”?

As a church and as Christians, we should take the upcoming holidays as a convenient excuse to reconnect with our obligation to others and, in doing so, draw a little closer to a savior who first loved us.