2 Corinthians 9:6-9

                                                                             2 Corinthians 9:6-9

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.  As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

Motivation is an important consideration in all our lives.  Care must be taken to make sure we are doing the right things for the right reasons.  Paul is striving to give the church in Corinth clear motivation as to why they should give generously.  These same motives continue to be true in our lives.  Paul is not manipulating giving for his own benefit, he is motivating giving for the benefit of others.

  

GOD REWARDS OUR GENEROUS GIVING: We must be careful not to think that generosity will result in immediate prosperity.  God’s rewards are far more beneficial than earthly prosperity.  We do not give as an attempt to manipulate God into giving us more.  God may choose to entrust a generous person with additional and even abundant resources as a result of our faithfulness with what we have.  However, that should not be our motive for giving.  What God does promise is much better than wealth.  He promises eternal rewards.  When we are faithful to give abundantly, God will grant abundant eternal rewards which are far more precious than prosperity on earth.

 

GOD LOVES OUR CHEERFUL GIVING: The key to qualifying for these abundant rewards is not only the abundance of our giving, but the attitude of our giving.  We should not give out of some compulsion to give or some sense of obligation.  Our giving should be joyful and free.  It is a privilege to be able to give and should be considered as such.  Giving is not something that is an obligation imposed on us by a God who needs or gifts.  Giving is an opportunity afforded to us by a God who loves to reward His children.

 

GOD ENABLES OUR GRACIOUS GIVING: The ability to give and even the desire to give are graces bestowed upon us by God.  He not only provides the means to give but also the motivation to give as a result of His grace on us.  We can be gracious in our giving only because of His grace in our lives.  It is an amazing thing that God rewards us in eternity for the giving that He enables us to do in the first place.  Grace is the only way to describe such a reality.

 

APPLICATION: Look forward to and place a high value on the eternal rewards God has promised us.  They are proper motivations for giving.  Don’t be fooled into being motivated by temporal wealth that God has never promised.  Don’t give out of a sense of obligation but give from a joyful heart.  Thank God for His grace in enabling and giving us the desire to give.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more

1 Timothy 2:1-7

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and   dignified in every way.    This is good, and   it is pleasing in the sight of   God our Savior,   who desires   all people to be saved and   to come to   the knowledge of the truth.    For   there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,   who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is   the testimony given   at the proper time.    For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying),   a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.   Prayer is one of the greatest privileges believers have and it should be one of our greatest priorities.  Too often our lives are more often marked by complaining about our circumstances and our political leaders than by prayers for them.  The government in Paul’s day
Read more