2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - True Riches

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Excel in Giving

1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

This encouragement to freely give to meet urgent needs (Titus 3:14) is a focus on true riches and not on  money as an end goal.  Those in the church body with more than enough should be willing to share with those who are in need and not keep everything for themselves to build bigger barns for their own unnecessary comfort and personal kingdom building.  We who are of God’s kingdom of heaven in Christ should bestow grace on those who need it without hesitation when we see real needs to be met.  This being said, the example of the churches in Macedonia demonstrates that we can give to meet needs even when we ourselves don’t have an abundance.  Sometimes the ones having little give even more to those with less or nothing as they understand the needs so well themselves.  Are we freely and joyfully willing to give even when we do not have much or do we wait until we have an abundance first?  Sometimes it is best to give beyond our ability that our faith may grow and we know that we have met needs others are not doing enough about.  This principle must be driving this however, that we give ourselves first to the Lord before giving to others.  That should never be negotiable in giving.  If we want to abound in this ministry to others, we should also be abounding in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in love for one another as we serve the gospel to one another just as those in Corinth did and whom Paul commended for in their faithful service of grace in action.  He reminds us of the example Christ gave as our pattern to make others rich through our willingness to endure poverty as we meet the needs of others to enrich their lives in body and soul.  Therefore when we commit to giving we need to follow through with this principle, “if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.”  God accepts and uses what we have and not what we do not have yet.  He will supply all we need in Christ (Philippians 4:19) especially to give to others!  God does not want to drain a few faithful ones but desires we all share in giving to bear the load together (Acts 2:44-45, Galatians 6:10) and have enough to meet our needs and not fill up our selfish wants as some erroneously teach today in a false gospel of personal prosperity.  God will supply all our needs just as He taught Israel in the desert journey out of that bondage in Egypt though the wilderness by providing their daily bread from heaven.  Each daily gathered just what they required and nobody lacked their needs because they trusted and followed God’s word for their good.  May we follow that example in the church by giving from our hearts to meet others’ needs.  These are true riches given by the Lord to be shared and not clung to or hoarded for ourselves.