9
A little precaution
1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you; 2 for I know your readiness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority.* 3 Still, I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter not prove to be empty, so that you may be ready, like I said 4 —if any Macedonians were to go with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention, you!) would be put to shame by this confident boasting.† 5 So I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go to you in advance and finish preparing the ‘blessing’ you had promised, that it be ready, representing generosity and not stinginess.
Kingdom economics
6 Now then, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.‡
7 Each one should give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a glad giver. 8 Further, God is able to make all ‘grace’ abound toward you, that always having all sufficiency in everything you may abound to every good work§
— 9 as it is written: “He has distributed around, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever”*— 10 yes, the One who supplies† seed to the sower and bread for food, so as to supply and multiply your seed for sowing and to increase the yield of your righteousness; 11 you being enriched in everything so as to always be generous, which passing through us produces thanksgiving to God. 12 Because the administration of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God 13 —on the basis of the proof that this service gives, they are glorifying God for the obedience of your confession into the Gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your sharing with them and everybody— 14 and in their prayer for you, longing for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!‡
* 9:2 Nothing like a good example. † 9:4 Maybe Paul should not have boasted quite so much. Do we ever get ‘carried away’ by our enthusiasm? Some 4% of the Greek manuscripts omit “boasting”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc. ‡ 9:6 All of chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians deal with money, in one way or another. But the description of how God's economy operates begins at 9:6. This verse enunciates a fundamental principle that has global application. “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” Any farmer understands this. If he only plants a few beans that is all he will get. If he wants more he has to plant more. Any businessman will also understand it. If he wants money he has to invest it. But there is one detail that can be quite bothersome—we must plant first, and reap later. It is better to tighten your belt than to eat the seed, no matter how hungry you are. Isn't it obvious? If you eat the seed you will not have anything to plant, and if you plant nothing you reap nothing! In the Creator's goodness nature is often quite generous. I suppose corn is the champion. We usually plant three or four kernels in a hill, but suppose we just plant one. If that grain germinates we get one stalk. That stalk should produce two good ears (a third ear will likely be a nubbin). Now then, have you ever counted the number of kernels on an ear of corn? I have. A poor ear may have 300 kernels. A good ear will have around 500. A super ear can have up to 800! Let us suppose our stalk gives us two good ears—we planted one kernel and get back 1,000! Isn't that a deal? Even beans that only give us several dozen to one are a deal. That is God's way. As already noted the context is financial, and verse 7 makes clear that when the author speaks of planting and harvesting he wants us to apply the principle to giving. “God loves a glad giver.” I believe the following conclusion is beyond reasonable doubt: whoever gives nothing receives nothing. Maybe that is why many believers, including those in ‘full-time Christian service’, often seem to be in a financial bind. They do not give; they never contribute. Luke 6:38 shows the reaction of men and Proverbs 3:9-10 that of God when someone gives. § 9:8 I believe verse 8 gives the ‘secret’; let's consider the meaning with care. It is God who is powerful, not we. He it is who will cause to abound, not we ourselves. And what He causes to abound to us is “all grace”. The grace in view here is the grace of giving (as in 2 Corinthians 8:1, “the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia”, which was precisely the grace to give, even beyond their means). Now the Text piles up emphatic words: “always, all, sufficiency, everything, abound, every”. All that emphasis serves to guarantee two results: we ourselves should always have enough (at least), and we should be a significant channel of blessing to others. Let's see how it works. I understand that it is as follows: God wants us to be channels, conduits through which He can send a flow of blessings, both material and spiritual, to others. Much of what we receive may not be intended for our own use—it has another address and we are supposed to pass the blessing along (the precise address must be discerned through the Spirit). When we get the point and cooperate with God, He sends more. The more sensitive and faithful we are, the more God sends, an ever increasing flow of blessings. But if God sends a blessing, suppose a sum of money, that has another destination and we choose not to understand, decide not to cooperate, if we retain it for ourselves we become like a water pipe that corrodes shut. (Now a plugged pipe is a sad thing; it has lost its reason for being.) With that, the flow of God's grace through our lives is staunched, because He stops sending it. Surely. Why should God keep on sending if we will not let it pass? Can it be that our churches are full of ‘plugged pipes’? When we cooperate with God He gains, the others gain, and we gain. But whoever holds back or abstains will be cheating himself, others and even God. Consider verses 9-14. Verse 9 is a quote from Psalm 112:9, bearing on the last clause of verse 8. Now verses 10 and 11: “The One who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, so as to supply and multiply your seed for sowing and to increase the yield of your righteousness; you being enriched in everything so as to always be generous, which passing through us produces thanksgiving to God.” This is marvelous! God even gives the seed to be planted, and lest we eat the seed He also gives us bread to eat. He wants us to plant, He wants to see fruit! When we are faithful and cooperate, then God not only meets our needs but augments our planting; in other words, He increases our generosity, or at least He will do so to the extent that we cooperate with His purpose. As a reasonable and proper consequence of this process God receives what He deserves: the beneficiaries give praise and thanks to Him. Verses 12 and 13 elaborate on this aspect. When we line ourselves up with God's economy He receives the glory due Him, the needs of the saints are supplied, and we are blessed. First, the people who receive the benefits from our ministry will pray for us, and certainly God will listen to those prayers. Next, even if they do not pray, our obedience will receive the effects of God's faithfulness. This we know, not only from the promises and affirmations in this passage, but as an inference from God's own interests—a faithful and useful ‘water pipe’ must not die of hunger. So there it is, my friends. God is no man's debtor. That is worth repeating: God will not be anybody's debtor! We are too small; He will not allow Himself to be in debt to the likes of us. We may rest assured: whoever gives much, receives much; whoever gives little, receives little; whoever gives nothing… It seems to me that this principle, much like the tithe, works even when one's motivation is selfish or self serving. However, I trust that the reader will agree that my whole appeal has been against selfishness. It is because of the “mercies of God” that we should present our lives as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). It is the privilege and pleasure of participating in God's grace that should motivate us to give. I believe it is fair to say that our prosperity is in our own hands, at least in part (unfortunately it is also true that we may suffer because of others' disobedience, just as they may suffer because of ours). * 9:9 See Psalm 112:9. † 9:10 This verb is used of an authority furnishing what is necessary for a subordinate to carry out an order. ‡ 9:15 Amen!