Untitled Sermon (2)

The Ethics of Giving, 2 Corinthians 8:10-15

“It is not that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality. 14 At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality”

Introduction

Having challenged the hearts of the Corinthians with the example of sacrificial, spontaneous and spiritual giving, as exercised by the Macedonian believer and Jesus, Paul proceeds to deal with the ethics of giving.

He is well aware of the potential for corruption in the handling of money, so he writes:

1 Timothy 6:

1 Timothy 6:9–10 CSB

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

“But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

While the gaining of money can be a curse to the Christian, so can the giving of money … hence the need for the ethics of giving.

The principle underlying this warning is not only for the individual believer but also for the Local Body (church) … Organizations … Denominations, etc.

I. Integrity in Giving

“And in this matter I am giving advice because it is profitable for you, who began last year not only to do something but also to want to do it. 11 Now also finish the task, so that just as there was an eager desire, there may also be a completion, according to what you have.” ()

Tactfully, Paul gives his advice to a church that had failed to keep a promise in their responsibility of giving … marring and hindering their stewardship.

Paul teaches that integrity in giving demands:

1) Honesty in Keeping Our Trust With God

“… It is best for you… to be doing what you began… now… complete the doing of it…” (, ).

The Corinthian church was one of the first to hear of the need in Jerusalem and offer help.

In fact, Paul had used their promise of financial assistance to challenge the churches of Macedonia (see ).

Contrary to expectation, the Corinthians failed, while the Macedonians excelled in giving out of deep poverty; they had not kept their trust with God.

We have to remember that they had been storing up weekly for the last 12 months or so.It’s serious thing to make a vow and then break it

Ecclesiastes 5:4–6 CSB

When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

When we make a pledge God expects us to keep it. A pledge is a trust with God, and we must believe God to fulfill it. Many people are afraid to commit themselves in giving, lest they should fail God. This shows a lack of faith, discipline, careful planning and common sense.

Every day we employ the principle of pledging … lights, cell phone, Spotify, cable, Netflix … on the basis that we pay for them at the end of the month, and we think nothing about it. Yet in God’s work we’re afraid to risk a pledge. We don’t credit God with the wisdom and understanding to make allowances for sickness and circumstances beyond our control. We think of Him as an unbending Creditor who will hold us to pledges we cannot keep. I’m afraid this attitude reveals the low concept of our trust in God. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to teach us the ethics of integrity in giving.

2) Honesty in Keeping Our Time With God

““And in this matter I am giving advice because it is profitable for you, who began last year …” ().

Twelve months previously, the Corinthians had pledged their offering for Jerusalem, but quarreling and contending over matters that should have been settled at the cross had preoccupied their attention.How true of Christians and churches generally!

We pledge ourselves, our resources or our service to God … only to break our promises because of carnal preoccupations.

It has occurred to me that a gift loses its maximum value to God if it is out of timing with the plan of God?

To delay until tomorrow what God expects me to do today is to rob giving of its full moral significance and me of spiritual blessing.

I have had numerous Christians say to me:

“If I won the lottery, then I’d ……”

“When I get this business where I want it, then ……”

“After I get this or that paid off, then …….”

“When I die …….”

So integrity is a matter of keeping our time as well as our trust with God.

This matter of time applies to our service to Him as well.

Life will always have new demands and opportunities for your time and resources. It’s a matter of values and discipline, but primarily love and devotion.

II. Ability in Giving

“For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” ().

The sense of this text leads us to believe that God holds all men and women responsible for their measure of ability to give, not the amount in which they give.

The test of generosity or faithfulness in stewardship is not our wealth, but rather our willingness to give what we have.

1) An Intent of Ability in Giving

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable…” ().

This matter of intent cannot be understated.

Many people give merely to maintain their reputation or to silence the voice of conscience, but what pleases God is the spontaneous intention of a willing heart and mind: And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. No amount is stipulated

If the clear intention to give is already in the heart, the amount is of secondary importance.

Paul says that giving is “… accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have” ().

Responsibility, for the Christian, is our response to God’s ability.

III. Equality in Giving

“It is not that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality. 14 At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality. 15 As it is written: The person who had much did not have too much, and the person who had little did not have too little.." ().

1) In Prosperity We Are to Relieve the Needs of Others

“… your surplus is available for their need …” ()

This principle of equality applies to people in need and situations that require financial assistance.

If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?

Paul warns, however, that equality in giving should not cause the believers in Jerusalem to be eased, while others are burdened ().

In other words, the Jerusalem believers were not to enjoy plush seats while the Corinthian Christians sat on hard benches!

There should be wisdom and a sense of balance in sharing the resources of a local church.

2) In Adversity We Are to Receive the Gifts of Others

“… so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality.” ().

There are some people who will not accept gifts lest they should be obligated to the donor. This, in Paul’s view, is unethical. We should receive all that God gives us through others with a holy sense of gratefulness and indebtedness, (not to the giver but to the principle of giving and receiving).

The time may well come when we have to reciprocate the kindness shown us.

Illustrate

Once when D.L. Moody was in New York, he was helped tremendously by R. K. Remington. As he was leaving on the train, Mr. Moody grasped his friend by the hand and said, “If you ever come to Chicago, call on me; and I will try to return your kindness.” Mr. Remington replied: “Don’t wait for me; do it to the first man that comes along.”

The fortunes of life change very quickly. Today we may be in abundance while tomorrow we may be in want.

So the principle of equality teaches that the rich are not to be expected to bear all the load, and the poor are not to be excused from proportionate responsibility.

God levels all His people to the point of equal rights in His presence.

If we fail to give in prosperity, God will curse what we hold back.

And in the same way, if we fail to receive in adversity, God will judge us for the pride that hinders us from recognizing His providing hand.

Conclusion

Here is clear teaching on the ethics of giving. To take these principles to heart is to please God and to live in blessing; to reject them is to break the heart of God and fall into temptation and a snare which may lead to destruction.

God expects integrity, ability and equality in our giving.

When we have fulfilled His will let us not imagine we have done God a favor, but rather followed that which was right.

In all things God is no man’s debtor.