This Grace of Giving

2 Corinthians 8:1-9:5

Key Verse 8:7

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

In the next following passages of this epistle the Apostle Paul is encouraging the saints at Corinth to make offerings in service of the saints in Jerusalem. He characterizes this giving as “grace.” In what respect is it God’s grace? 

First, it is God’s grace because it comes from God. (1)

Look at verse 1. “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” The expression, “the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches,” tells us that the act of giving, as the Macedonian churches practiced, originated from God, not men. Of course it was each individual who actually cut a check for monetary offerings. But it was first God who prompted them to do what they did. 

Notice further the expression, “We want you to know.” This passage indicates that the Corinthian church might not have known this grace had Paul not made it known to them. To the Corinthians the concept called “the grace of giving” was totally new. No doubt that they were familiar with exchanging gifts. But not all giving is from God, and therefore not all giving is graceful: some choose to give purely out of their own selfish motives; but the one who gives out of God’s grace has only one motive, that is, pure thanks to God, so that there are no strings attached to their giving. Once upon a time a lawyer worked at a law-firm. Then as the year’s end approached his partner suggested him to give to each of his clients a necktie as a Christmas gift. Why? You know the answer: to promote business. In this case, can you call the giving of neckties “God’s grace”? No. But it was not the case with the giving which the Macedonian churches gave. So Paul says to the Corinthians, “We want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” 

Second, it is God’s grace because it springs up regardless of circumstances. (2)

Look at verse 2. “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” This passage doubly surprises us. When one is under severe trial, he is normally apt to lose joy; he becomes anxious, insecure, worried, and loses peace and joy. But, surprisingly, although the Macedonian churches were undergoing the most severe trial they had overflowing joy. Another surprise is the simultaneous existence of two opposites, that is, extreme poverty and rich generosity. Their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. The Macedonian churches were not just poor. They were extremely poor. Yet their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. What is going on? What explains this surprising phenomenon? We know the answer: God was working among them. 

Indeed, where God is at work, even if life is made extremely difficult, God can make joy overflow in the hearts of his children. By the same token, where God is present in a man, even when he is extremely poor, rich generosity can abound in his life. 

The other side of the coin is also true: where God is not working, even though man’s life is made extremely comfortable and easy, the man living in such environment can feel extremely miserable. Similarly, where one puts God out of his life, even if he has stashed away millions of dollars in private bank accounts, he can be extremely stingy. In fact, many rich people, in their sheer greed, in order to get more end up suing each other. And we do not have to watch Hollywood movies to hear horrible stories of people committing terrible crimes like murder all out of greed for more. 

So here is the truth on generosity: by nature we are not generous to our neighbors but God is. Accordingly, where God is working, anyone can participate in this grace of giving. In good times and in bad times, in joyful times and in sorrowful times, the rich and the poor - all can participate in this grace of giving, if God works in him. 

Third, it is God’s grace because God empowers man to give even beyond his human abilities. (3)

Look at verse 3. “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” Here Paul uses the word “testify.” The word “testify” means to make a statement under oath. So you can rest assured that the Apostle Paul is telling the truth. Now, how come could the Macedonians give not just as much as they were able but beyond their ability? In the first place, what does “beyond their ability” mean? Does this mean that they made donations out of their credit cards so that after making offerings they would be heavily indebted, paying a high interest rate to credit companies? We do not know. 

But what is clear is this: they gave more than they could. How could they do that? Well, in my opinion it might have happened this way: Suppose a brother in one of the Macedonian churches had $1,000 in his own bank account. He is so poor that he even does not own his means of transportation; he does not own even a bike. He lives in a studio apt. He does not have a regular job. He has bills to pay. But he heard the Apostle Paul, and the desire to make offerings arose in him, not just $1,000 which is all the money he had, but $2,000. But, objectively, unless someone like Santa Claus comes down through a chimney the next night and secretly gives him $1,000 cash it is impossible for him to donate $2,000. So what does he do? He kneels down and prays: “Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.” Then, mysteriously when he went to his school the next day and his advisor presents an envelope to him, saying: “You won a scholarship.” “Praise the Lord,” the man says. When he opened the envelope, it was exactly $2,000. So he can donate $2,000 while still keeping $1,000 in his bank account. Of course this is a story which I made up. 

But in our practical life there are tons of examples of God working to enable cheerful givers to give way beyond their abilities. Just read any book about a man called George Muller. When he was young he was totally broke. In fact, due to his financial irresponsibility he were sent to prison. But later he came to know God of grace. Then purely though his faith and prayer, he was able to feed many orphans beyond his human abilities. By the time he finished his life, purely out of his faith and prayer, he was able to feed more than 2,000 orphans every day. 

During the pioneering stage of UBF I saw so many young students doing the same thing. They were extremely poor. Yet, thanks to God moving their hearts, a lot of them made sacrificial offerings way beyond their abilities. Dr. Paul Hong in Toledo is one of them. One day when he was a college student he heard that the people in Bangladesh had been washed out in great flood. He saw people dying of many diseases. He heard Dr. Samuel Lee encouraging students in Korean UBF to send a relief fund for the people in Bangladesh. But Dr. Paul Hong, at that time, being a poor student, was extremely poor; but still he had the desire to give: so he dug into his pockets again and again, but there was nothing but dust. Then he prayed and prayed. But still there was no solution. Finally, he got an idea. He visited the chancellor’s office at Yeonsai University. He shared his problem. The chancellor was deeply moved and willingly donated the money. In this way many poor students donated. 

Fourth, it is God’s grace because it is in accordance with God restoring His image within a man, that is, willingness to benefit others even at the sacrifice of one’s own interest. (3b)

In verses 3-4, the Apostle Paul says, “Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service…” Here the word “urgently” makes us wonder: What made them feel so urgent? Most likely it was due to the urgent condition of people in Jerusalem and its vicinity, especially Judea, for they were still suffering from the impact of the famine that hit Judea between 45 and 46 A.D. It is quite probable that they heard the news from various sources. Then as Paul came from Judea, and even as they heard of Paul’s plan to re-visit Jerusalem (which indeed took place in 57 A.D.) “[e]ntirely on their own,” they urgently pleaded with Paul to allow them to send a relief fund to Jerusalem. 

Notice then the expression, “entirely on their own.” This phrase suggests that although no one encouraged or urged them, out of their own volition they urgently asked Paul to allow them to participate in giving. They had probably never met the saints in Judea. Yet in Jesus Christ they became so close. The Macedonians became one family with the saints in Jerusalem. We have five fingers. Imagine if one finger is sore. Wouldn’t the rest of fingers feel sore? Wouldn’t the whole body feel pain? Likewise the Macedonians took the pains of the saints in Jerusalem as their own. 

How then does this happen? We know the answer. When one is in Jesus, Jesus’ blood and Spirit restores God’s image in a man. In my opinion this is what the phrase “Entirely on their own,” means. 

One man had a heart for the Latin American mission. So, entirely on his own, he initiated having a garage sale on the front yard of one missionary family, and he did it in support of the Latin American mission. May the Lord bless his example by stirring up among us the spirit of giving, and support of foreign mission, not just the Latin American mission but also the African mission! 

Fifth, it is God’s grace because the one who gets benefited first is the one who gives, not the one who receives (4). 

Again let us look at verse 4. “They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” God surprises us with many joyful surprises. And here is another one, that is, the Apostle Paul calls the grace of giving a privilege. What is a privilege? A privilege refers to a special benefit, right, or favor granted only to a special category, class, or rank of people. The Macedonians regarded the grace of giving a privilege. 

This indicates that in the heart of a giver, there is no hint of pride in giving. Rather, on his part, there are only deep thanks for even the privilege to serve fellow saints in the Lord. So the one who gives is thankful, the one who receives is thankful, and so all are thankful.  

This is exactly the opposite of worldly benefactors who proudly give something to the poor. The one who gives feels superior, at least to a certain extent. The one who is on the receiving end feels inferior to the one who gives. The net effect of this worldly way of giving and receiving is not good. But it is not so with the body of believers. Now here is a question for you: What has been your attitude in giving, if you ever chose to give something? Is it that of the Macedonians? Or has it been somewhat like that of earthly benefactors? 

Sixth, it is God’s grace because it springs from the deep satisfaction that comes from the fellowship with the Lord.  (5)

Look at verse 5. “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.” This passage indicates that because the Macedonians gave themselves first to the Lord then to God’s servants that they were able to be give so sacrificially and yet so thankfully. So giving oneself to the Lord and to God’s servants is the key to giving cheerfully. This makes us wonder: why is this so? What happens when one gives oneself to the Lord and to God’s servants? 

In my opinion we can find an answer to this question in what Jacob in Genesis said to his brother Esau. In Genesis, a father named Isaac had two sons: Esau and Jacob. They were twins. Esau came out of his mother’s womb a few seconds earlier. So Esau had the birth right. But as Jacob grew up, he deceived his father Isaac and snatched away the blessings that belonged to Esau. In this way all the days of his life Jacob always tried to take something away from others’ pockets and into his own. But a genuine turn heart took place when he met the Lord God at night at the Jabbok River. After his fellowship with the Lord, when Jacob met Esau face to face, Jacob gave Esau a huge amount of gifts. Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.” Then Jacob said, “Please accept the present…for God has been gracious to me, and I have all I need.” Let us connect the two points: that is, “God has been gracious to me,” and, “I have all I need.” These two statements indicate that God’s grace equals sufficiency. Where there is God, there is all sufficiency: the one who gives himself over to the Lord tastes this all sufficient grace of God, so that he starts living a life that is giving in the true sense of giving. 

Seventh, it is God’s grace because it flows from the love which God powers in the hearts of his children. (8:6-9:5)

In chapter 8, we see the words “your love” repeating three times: “your love” (7); “sincerity of your love” (8); and “the proof of your love” (24). Notice the progression: your love, sincerity of your love, and proof of your love. The progression is: “Do you have this love?”; “Is my love ‘sincere’”?; “Does my love come with evidences of love?” 

Here “your love” means the love which the Corinthians maintained that they had. Now, Paul associates their love with “this grace of giving.” Look at verses 6-7. 

^“So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 

This association indicates that it is not enough for you to say to me, “I love you.” Why? It is because love is more than just a feeling. Love is to give. Look at verses 8-9. “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 

It has been said, “Love never fails.” However, in order for love not to fail, it must first be sincere, and then it must come with tangible proof. Thus, in order to test the sincerity of their love, the Apostle Paul compares their love with the love the Macedonian churches had. Then, in order to secure proof, Paul formed a team consisting of three brothers. The Apostle Paul sent them to the Corinthians saying, “Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it” (8:24).

Again, the grace of giving overflows from the love which God has for his children. This giving is so graceful (or beautiful) because it stems from the love which God puts in the heart of a giver.  

One word: This grace of giving

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