Why do we find it so difficult to give our money? We may struggle with trusting God for providing for us or fearing our own scarcity. There could be a degree of self-entilement and even self-centredness. We possess some form of self-righteousness, to think about whether the other person really deserves it. Perhaps we also want to maximise our return on giving and need the giving to do good and we think that there needs to be a sustainable and helpful way of helping others.
On the contrary, why do people give? Some are compelled by the story and cause. Others want to be good stewards of what God has given us and give out of compassion too. There are also those that give because they understand and have been there before . The more practical ones among us will say that we give also for tax deduction.
In today’s Paul is showing us what Christian giving looks like, and it looks different from what giving in society looks like. Giving for the Christian is intrinsic to who we are, and not who we want to become.
(A) Not the Altruism of the World: Christian Giving is Grace-Driven and God-Honoring (2 Cor 8:1-5)
2 Cor 8:1-9 is about Paul’s encouragement in regard to giving. The church of Macedonia collected funds to meet the needs of the saints in Jerusalem (c.f. 1 Cor 16:1-4, Rom 15:25-26) . Now, when Paul speaks of the Macedonian church in 2 Cor 8:1, he speaks of them as an example.
Here, Paul is commending the Macedonian believers for their “wealth of generosity” as a result of their “abundance of joy” in affliction, and also despite their extreme poverty (2 Cor 8:2). The church gave “according to their means” and “beyond their means” (2 Cor 8:3b). Paul could attest to their giving and knew how real their giving was. He knew their economic condition and the poverty that they were in. We see that they gave out of their own accord and were not coerced.
Like the widow with 2 copper coins in Mark 12:41-44, the Macedonian church gave in a way that was pleasing to God. It is a giving beyond our means, but is done in a joyful manner. The amount doesn’t matter, but it is a giving that doesn’t hold back anything from God.
We tend to be uncomfortable with the idea of not holding anything back from God, especially when it comes to giving. Most of us struggle with the idea of giving more than we are comfortable with. We are more comfortable with the idea of proportionate giving. Maybe we are safe, selective givers, building a buffer for giving and are rather calculative givers. And our giving doesn’t just have to be financial. It also extends to our time, energy, even “emotional energy” for our introverted friends.
How were they able to give in this way? The Macedonian believers had the faith that their needs would be accounted for as they gave (2 Cor 8:5). Giving isn’t just about the act of parting with our items. As OT passages like 1 Chron 29:14-16 teach us, giving is first and foremost unto God. We give, recognising that what we have is first provided and given by God! They are merely giving to God what is already His! Lev 23:22 also shows us what God’s economy looks like. Resources and abundance are always distributed, not necessarily equally, but most certainly to all who are in need. There is sharing of harvest and profit that is not necessarily proportionate or equal. But what we are certain of is that all who are in need will have their needs provided for! One practical implication for us is that as we slip our tithes and offerings into the offering bag we should whisper a quiet joyful prayer that we are even able to give back to the Lord. If you GIRO your gifts, you miss on this opportunity to make a joyful freewill offering!
We can also see how the Macedonian’s hearts were not bound to earthly possessions. The invested in treasures of heaven as Luke 12:32-34 describes it. They gave not to “needs” but gave to God! What kind of giving is this? It seems to fly in the face of common sense and can be seen as foolish or reckless, especially for people with responsibilities (e.g. families, jobs). They did not prioritise their own needs. They also did not give blindly but gave joyfully and eagerly beyond their means!
Paul describes the Macedonian's' giving as an “act of grace” (2 Cor 8:6). The Macedonians did it out of their own accord, and yet, did so very eagerly and in an unconditional way. Thus, it is an “act of grace” toward the Christians in Jerusalem. This was a giving motivated by the grace that they had first received from God. Just like what Paul said in 1 Cor 15:10, they are what they are because of the grace of God! Only grace can motivate such selfless giving. The grace received translates into the grace that they showed to the church in Jerusalem.
In a sinful world, the “selflessness” that we see in popular culture often has a tipping point. The selflessness tends to give way to self-preservation and this is a natural, primal instinct. Only God’s grace can produce a giving that transcends self-preservation. This grace appeared in the form of Jesus (c.f. Titus 2:11-14) ! He is the grace that has appeared and this is a transformative grace. Grace received is a transformative grace, that also goes out.
(B) Not a Command but a Mark: Christian Giving is Gospel-Enabled and Gospel-Authenticating (2 Cor 8:6-9)
Paul describes the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” in 2 Cor 8:9. Paul is describing an act where Jesus who was rich, became poor, so that we who are poor, might become rich. He uses these terms to describe reality for us. It carries with it an idea of exchange, where Christ exchanged His life for ours!
But how did Jesus become poor? Not only did he take on sin, but he also emptied himself of the form and status that His divinity afforded Him (c.f. Phil 2:6-7) . He became a servant, and lived in poverty and humility. He was met with death as a result of His obedience. The Son of God became this, so that we might become rich.
But, in what way are we rich? After all, the Macedonians were not wealthy. Eph 1:3-8 helps us to see a different kind of richness. These verses are worldview changing revelation in Scripture. We have all spiritual blessing in Christ as a result of Christ’s death! The gospel freely given to us, came at a cost. Through the gospel, we have so much more than we imagine.
Yet, if we are so rich, why don’t we feel like we have enough? These truth may not appear “real” to us, and until we let these truths soak in, we will struggle with giving. When we grab hold onto the good news of the gospel, this life-changing paradigm will enable us to give because of what we have received! We have a confidence that allows us to give from a position of abundance, and will not be driven by a fear of lack and act out in a calculative manner. We can be freed to do the good works and act out of love, as God has prepared for us.
What are our material possessions intended for? In what ways does the Macedonians’ example demonstrate our responsibility as the body of Christ? (cf. 1 Cor 12:21-27; 2 Cor 8:13-14, 9:8-9)
(c.f. 2 Cor 8:13-14) (c.f. 2 Cor 9:8-9)
From this passage, we are reminded that God provides for our material needs, often in abundance, so that we can build one another up and meet each other’s needs (2 Cor 8:13-14). This is what our material possessions are intended for! The church is one body, and this body is to take care of each other, as Paul has written about in 1 Cor 12:21-27! We are to supply what others lack. Thus, the giving of the Macedonian church was proof that they cared and loved other Christians in other churches!
Practically, what does this mean? It is easy to look at our churches and think that everyone is doing fine. This can lull us into a false sense of security and self-centredness. We can end up thinking that it is ok to meet our own needs. This calls us to take a proactive step to know where the needs are! Some needs are obvious, such as disaster relief. But other needs are not so obvious. Perhaps there is a single mother struggling to make ends meet. Perhaps another member is struggling with employment. We will only know these when we know people! This takes time and a commitment to fellowship with others. This is what a healthy, functioning body does. Another way is to ask our pastors and leaders how we can contribute to our churches.
But some of us may have had bad experiences and felt coercion to give to churches. 2 Cor 8:7-8 helps us to understand that giving is not a command that the Christian simply obeys. It is a mark of a regenerate Christian who has experienced the lavish love and grace of God. Christians give because of the gospel. Yet we are prone to forget the gospel and take the generosity of God for granted. We need reminding and encouragement and we also need to do so for others. This is how the body of Christ works together to build each other up! This is how the church in Macedonia was an example and encouragement to the church in Corinth, to build up other churches!
This means that the gospel is not a once-off event. It is not a message that we hear to get us saved. We need to go back to it and to keep growing deeper in it. We should yearn to excel in this act of grace so as to prove the genuineness of our love. Surely one application is that none of us ought to be mindless or thoughtless when we offer our tithes and offerings to the Lord.
This passage challenges us to rethink our giving. Giving is not about the quantum. It is about following Jesus, who died to Himself so that others (us, His enemies) might gain. How does this challenge and encourage our giving?