"Giving God's Way" October 23 Readings: 2 Corinthians 8-9

Today's Reading - 2 Corinthians 8-9

Background

Are Christians required to tithe? Is the Old Testament standard still in effect today? Today's passage is the quintessential teaching on New Testament giving practices and shows exactly what the standard is. Two things should be said.

First, the OT tithe was far more complex than we've made it. Second, if we come to understand this principle we will find ourselves wishing all we had to do was move the decimal one place and write a check (tithing means giving 10% of income). This is a much more all-encompassing and powerful standard than tithing.

Devotional - Giving God's Way

It was at one time a tradition in Baptist churches that annually the pastor would preach a stewardship sermon in which he begged, pleaded, and cajoled the membership to tithe. It was called "Stewardship Sunday." When you read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 you see a completely different attitude about giving than was often on display on Stewardship Sunday. There were no rules, no emotional manipulation, no guilt trips, just a passion to invest in the work of God's kingdom.

In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul holds up the giving patterns of the Macedonian church (Philippi was chief among them). Out of overwhelming poverty the Spirit produced in them a rich generosity. They gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability.

Why? Did someone put the pressure on them to give? No. They had a deep and sincere love for Jesus Christ and gladly gave their money and possessions to help others in Jesus' name and to further the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They gave themselves completely and unreservedly to Jesus Christ and their earthly possessions naturally followed.

Christians today don't have a giving problem, they have a heart problem. When people don't give it is not a money management issue, but an issue of spiritual priorities. When we love our own lives and our comforts more than we love Jesus, we will be stingy and resist sacrificial giving. It's all about the heart.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Paul gives the basics of New Testament giving. It's not about rules or coercion or guilt. It's about joy and about Jesus.

The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is ableto make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

Paul emphasizes three things in this passage. First of all, though this passage is badly abused by televangelists and word of faith practitioners, Paul affirms that the principle of reaping and sowing is in effect in terms of giving. Those who give generously reap generously, not (only) financially but in all the blessings of God. Those who are stingy and selfish reap sparingly.

In verse 7, the basis of giving is described. We are to decide in our hearts what we want to give, voluntarily and joyfully. Giving is to be an act of passion, a joy, an enthusiastic investment in the gospel and the kingdom of God. Giving is so much more than moving a decimal point and begrudgingly writing a check. It is giving all we can and even more to make Jesus known in this world.

Finally, verse 8 reminds us that God can take care of us when we give, even if we give sacrificially, to his work and to people in need. He can provide all we need so that we can do all he has called us to do. As he said to the Philippian church, God will provide all our needs (those who give generously) according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Father, fire my heart with a zeal for your kingdom that opens my wallet and focuses my life and my possessions on your kingdom work in this world. 

Think and Pray

Read through 2 Corinthians 8 and identify some of the things Paul says about the giving habits of the Macedonians.
Do you give cheerfully and generously, or are you stingy and reluctant?
How does your giving match up to the giving of Macedonians?