Paul’s encouragement to Corinthians for giving: (8:6-9)
Paul was sending the Titus the bearer of this letter, that Corinthians may make a collection and hand it over to Titus for the support of Jews in Jerusalem and Judea. The Corinthians had experienced an abundance of spiritual gifts, but they lack in keeping the promise of sharing in the collection. Corinthians said, they loved Paul and his ministry. They believed that they were excelling in faith, in speech, in knowledge and love for the saints. Now Paul is saying to Corinthians to bring to the completion of your spiritual excellence by excelling in the grace of giving. Giving is a natural response of love. Paul did not order the Corinthians to give, but he encouraged them to prove that their love was sincere. When we love someone, we would give them time, attention and also provide for their needs. On the contrary, if we refuse to provide for their needs, our love is not genuine.
Paul gives the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, he came down to earth, to help us. He became poor in order to make us rich. He became a sin for us so that we might have the eternal salvation. He did all this so that we can become His children and become heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom.8:17). Jesus added humanity but never lost His deity, so He also “added” poverty but never “lost” His riches.
“For He assumed poverty, yet did not lose His riches. Inwardly He was rich, outwardly poor. His deity was hidden in His riches, His manhood apparent in His poverty.” (Hughes).
Some points to conclude from this paragraph are:
- Giving is a grace.
- The ability to give and heart to give is a gift from God.
- Our giving should be like the God’s giving of grace to humanity.
- Our giving should be like God’s grace without the expectation of return benefits.
Paul’s advice to Corinthians about giving: (8:10-12):
Paul’s advice was to finish what Corinthians have begun. Desire and eager willingness are no substitute for good deeds. An individual’s giving should be commensurate with his means and according to what one has. By that standard the Macedonian gift might be like the poor widow’s offering (Mk.12:41-44), but it has great value in God’s sight. But Corinthians were much better in their material prosperity and they must exercise the grace of giving. Now Paul encourages them to finish the work, their intent and desire so that the grace of God would be excelled through their lives. Paul challenges them to act on their plans. Our giving reflects our devotion to Christ.
We can’t give what we don’t have. God judges our giving against what resources we have. But the issue of what and how we spend is relevant to what you have. If we overspend and therefore never have anything to give, we can’t excuse it before God by saying, Lord I don’t have anything. Some points we can see here:
- There should be a readiness and willing mind: Willing and doing must go together. Some people are willing, but their doing is much less.
- The gift is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have: One might give a million of dollars or rupees and yet not give enough. Another may give just 100 rupees and yet be giving with tremendous sacrifice and generosity. True giving is measured by obedience, proportion and need, not by amount.
- OT speaks of tithe or 10%: It is a broad benchmark that every believer must give willingly. Many people go back to OT to follow in giving.
- NT speaks of giving more than tithe and with great clarity: NT gives a principle of giving. The giving should be a)Regular, b)Planned, c)Proportional and d)Private. For some people giving 10% is very small, for others even 5% is a massive step of faith. One must decide in his heart to give generously, regularly and cheerfully.
- Each person should give in proportion to what God has give him or her: God accepts heart gift.
- Each person should give as much as they are able to:
Paul advocates 1st century church principle of giving: (8:13-15):
The Corinthian Christians were not giving so that the Jerusalem Christians would get rich and lazy at their expense. Paul was taking the collection so the Jerusalem Christians could merely survive. The goal was not to burden the Corinthian Christians, nor was it to make it all easy for the Jerusalem Christians.
The Jerusalem Christians may be praying for the Corinthian Christians. So it was a reciprocal blessing. The material supply of Corinthians are giving them a physical food, but the prayers of Jerusalem believes are giving them spiritual blessing to Corinthian Christians. So it should be a small thing for the Corinthian Christians to share with them their material abundance.