We want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God which has been shown in the churches of Macedonia for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints (2 Cor 8:1-4). 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. (2 Cor 8:9)
Introduction
Giving is by the grace of God and you can increase or decrease in this grace depending on how you acquire knowledge and practice what you know. This is not an excuse for some people to say they don’t have the grace, and therefore will not give. Such people will just cheat themselves of the abundance available in Christ because we reap according to what we sow. Knowing this is to help us learn more about giving and let the grace in increase in us so that we can prosper as God really desires.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 8:1-9, Paul urged the Christians in Corinth to contribute for God’s spiritual temple, the poor saints in Jerusalem. The mother church in Jerusalem was in need and the abundance of the saints elsewhere was to be her supply (1Cor 16:1). The Church at Macedonia, though in great affliction and sorrow, was concerned about meeting the needs of others and therefore gave their materials to the necessities of the saints beyond what they could even afford. Paul referred to this readiness to give in 2 Corinthians 8:1 as the grace of God. That means willingness to give to God’s work and his people is a form of grace bestowed on people. Nobody was born with it. You can receive and use the grace.
Giving is grace
Titus was charged with the responsibility of making the grace of giving complete among the Corinthian Christians {Accordingly we have urged Titus that as he had already made a beginning, he should also complete among you this gracious work (2 Corinthians 8:6)} First, it is important to know that unbelievers should not be asked to give to God’s work, it is Christians who can exercise the grace of giving. That means one should be careful about collecting offering during crusade meant to bring people to Christ. It should be emphasized in such meetings that only those who have given their lives to Christ will be rewarded for giving.
Secondly, If grace increases through knowledge (2 Peter1:3) that means ‘giving’ has to be taught and imparted. It means people need to be taught about giving and not just once; they have to be encouraged to continue. The Corinthians were aware of the need in Jerusalem, in fact they had started contributing a year earlier but Titus’ assignment was to help them to be willing to do more. Titus was a minister of the word and he was the one given this responsibility.
It is possible for someone to excel in faith, be a great man of God, full of faith, full of knowledge, be able to preach the word, manifest the gifts of word of knowledge and wisdom but not to exercise himself in this grace of giving (2 Cor.8:7). Paul emphasized here that giving is grace and therefore cannot be done by mere wishing but receiving the grace from God. On the part of the ministers, they have to teach giving correctly among their people for the grace to abound in their midst. The people too have to acquire the knowledge intentionally, pray for more of such grace and be obedient to the word received. Most importantly, be willing to obey the Holy Spirit whenever he prompts them to give. The more you practice giving, the more the grace increases.
Paul did not command these people to give and therefore it will be wrong to use force or any other method to make people give other than teaching them the word of God and encouraging them. For example, many people need to understand that reaping and prospering financially are directly proportional to what you sow (give); 2 Cor 9: 6-11 says a lot about the rewards of giving. This should be well taught in our churches. Christians should learn to give to God’s work, His servants and fellow Christians in need intentionally, systematically and continuously not just when a Pastor announces a need. I suggest that Christians should have a budget for giving.
Giving is a test of love
If the poor churches of Macedonia were willing to give without being coarsed, the level of willingness of the Corinthians church compared to the Macedonians was a test of the quality of the love of the Corinthians. Giving to the work and people of God is a test of the quality of your love for God. You prove your love for God and his people through giving not just by telling them that you love them. .
Give cheerfully according to your ability
These believers were told to give what they were able. They were not expected to give what they don’t have. God is interested in how much we can give with a willing heart. 2 Cor 9:7 says ‘Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’. Moreover, you are expected to give in proportion to what you have, not that others are relieved while you are unduly pressed. Paul emphasized it here again that his concern was their willingness to give not the exact amount.
Apostle Paul raised funds !!!!!! Don’t criticize men of God commissioned to do so
Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give!!! This means that it is not wrong to tell Christians to give. He made it clear in this passage that making the saints to give is an assignment which they were doing to the glory of God!!!! In order words, ministers should not be seen as doing something debasing by encouraging people to give. It’s an assignment for God! Making people to increase in the grace of giving is a worthy assignment because it abounds to praise to God in several ways. The people who give experience activation of the blessings of God, the recipients have their needs met and all of them glorify God. God is glad when thanksgivings go up to him from different quarters.
The most important thing in the assignment is to provide things honest in the sight of men. Paul and his friends were careful with the account of the money generated towards meeting the needs of the saints at Jerusalem. They were not just doing things in a way to seek God’s approval of their integrity; they also practiced transparency and therefore cared about man’s approval of their integrity. They involved the Corinthian brethren to be the one to take care of the money. (2 Cor 8: 21) Remember that these people that Paul was referring to were also believers who were supposed to trust them with the funds but yet they made provisions for their integrity to be proved.No matter the amount of money you are handling, always make provision for your integrity to be proved.
In Refreshing Manna Ministry that I coordinate along with my husband, we have put measures in place to make our operations transparent to everyone. The Ministry has an account and people are encouraged not to donate cash but to deposit money into the account. If anyone donates cash, the fund is transferred to the account promptly in the person’s name. The ministry has a treasurer, a financial secretary and two other signatories to the account. All cheques must be signed by at least two people before they can be honoured. Moreover, there’s an annual general meeting which every member, partners and friends are encouraged to attend where the accounts are discussed. As God helps us to understand other measures of control and transparency, we shall institute them in the ministry. Don’t expect people to trust you, make things open to them in your divine assignment. My husband always reminds me of a Yoruba adage which says ‘Whoever is roasting groundnut for a blind man must keep making sound with his mouth” When you keep making sound with your mouth, then the blind man will know that your mouth is not busy eating the groundnut you were meant to roast for him.
Conclusion: God remains the same. His method of increasing his children is to prompt them to sow seeds, then he blesses the seeds, makes it grow and they reap abundance. If you want to increase, then learn more about giving and receiving and let the grace of giving increase in your life.