Generosity: God’s Grace for Us (2 Corinthians 8-9)
- Posted by Julee Huy
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AN ACT OF GRACE
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses the church in Corinth regarding their giving to their impoverished brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Paul encourages the church to view their giving as an act of grace. He begins by informing them of the wealth of generosity that the churches of Macedonia contributed to the collection. We are told that it was during a severe test of affliction that the Macedonian churches grew in their generosity (v.2). It says that their generosity actually overflowed from joy in the midst of their affliction and poverty! Our joy in God rightly results in generosity, and poverty by no means hinders this byproduct of joy. In our culture, poverty tends to serve as an excuse to neglect giving. Yet prosperous circumstances are not the source that should fuel our generosity, but joy in God! The Macedonians gave beyond their means and gave of their own accord (v.3). Clearly, they did not see financial sacrifice as the utmost of expression of masochism (as our culture tempts us to do), but instead they saw it as a natural expression of love. They even referred to this opportunity to contribute financially financial as “the grace” (v.4)! The Macedonians’ giving was not only a gift from them to those in Jerusalem, but also a gift from God to the Macedonians! It is the grace of God that enables us to give. So we see that giving is something in which we should earnestly seek to take part as a Body unified with Christ as the head. It is common in the church to see generosity as an addition to our faith, and that only when comfortable circumstance permits. But this act of grace should be as visible as any other, such as faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, or love (v.7); generosity is an act of grace to embrace alongside various fruits of our salvation in Christ. It is proof that our love is genuine (v.8).
THE GENEROSITY OF JESUS
Paul explains this by presenting the Gospel in financial terms. In an act of grace, Jesus, though rich, became poor for our sake, that by His poverty we might become rich (v.9). This should provoke us all to strive after generosity. Christ stripped Himself of His riches with the Father in heaven, and came in humility, lowliness and poverty that we may partake in His riches (Philippians 2:1-8)! God first loved us, and our response should be to love Him and His people. However, Paul does not want the Corinthians to love in word only, but in deed. He reminds them that one year ago, they started this work of love. The genuineness of their love is proved by their completion of this desire to give to their brothers (1 John 3:16-18, James 2). It would seem that their desire proved fleeting as time passed and complacency seemed more desirable. As circumstances changed, the Corinthians’ desire morphed into just that, a desire. To reaffirm their initial zeal, Paul tells them that their generosity is acceptable according to what they have, not according to what they do not have (v. 12). It is not true love to proclaim lofty desires to give; rather, true love simply proves faithful by giving according to what God has provided in the present time. James warns us to let our “yes” be yes and our “no” be no. Paul encourages them to follow through with their expressed desires to give.
THE PROVISION OF GENEROSITY
Paul also shows that generosity is one way God chooses to provide for his people. Paul clarifies that he is not looking to burden them and ease others, but to urge them to distribute the abundance with which God has blessed them to their brothers and sisters in need (v.13). God sees our abundance as a means to aid our fellow brothers. Paul supports this perspective by quoting Exodus 16:18, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” While the Israelites wandered the desert grumbling, God provided bread for them, each according to their need. In Christ, God invites each of us to provide for one another, each according to our needs. Sadly, we often cry “I’m not able” or “it is not a command” when Paul cried “this benefits you” (v. 10). We often rob ourselves of the benefit that comes from joining Jesus in generosity. It is strange to think that, as some of the wealthiest Christians in the world, we find excuses (perhaps not unlike the church in Corinth) to stop short in our generosity. It proves difficult to see our abundance as provision for others rather than comfort for ourselves. We claim that we should help those in poverty, yet we so easily succumb to the ways of the world. Like the rich fool in Luke 12, we store up ample goods and relax, surrounded by our abundance, forgetting that our accumulation of stuff in this world amounts to nothing eternally. Jesus tells this parable to remind us to be rich in God. While the world seeks riches, comforts, and pleasures, we are free to seek eternal riches, deny ourselves, and partake in the sufferings of Christ. We, despite what our materialistic culture tells us, hold the resources to supply the needs of those who lack. But blindly, we fall subject to the world, not realizing that our own riches and comforts and pleasures often hinder us from seeing how God may use us to provide for one of his own. The unity we are told we have in Christ is not simply on the basis of our future inheritance. We are united by our very disjointed economic standings in that we are given opportunities to care for those who share in Christ’s inheritance. This means we are willing to sacrifice for one another. The Israelites trusted God to provide each day, instructed not to gather more than a day’s worth of bread. Yes, it is true that we are to steward our money wisely. We should not foolishly give what we do not have or neglect our obligatory expenses, for Paul already said that we give according to what we have and not according to what we do not have. But often times we take this good and true principle and run towards just being stingy. We should live dependent on God, and part of that is relying on His provision through one another. We must be willing to give knowing that God will provide, even when we are struggling financially. And inversely, we must be willing to accept generosity from others. Do not feel shame when, despite your faithful obedience, you lack. This is not necessarily a failure on your part, but an opportunity to remember your dependence on God and your unity with His people. Let us seek to understand clearly the implications of the generosity of Jesus. Whether we struggle to trust God to provide our basic needs or struggle to put God before our wants, only the Gospel can transform us into people who eagerly desire the grace of generosity.
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