The Grace of Giving in 2 Corinthians

Last week, my church's Bible study was reading through 2 Corinthians 8. In this chapter, Paul urges the Corinthian church to participate in the service of giving.

Many in the church of Jerusalem were in need, and Paul was taking up a collection to help minister to them. Later in the chapter, Paul describes how the Corinthians were among the first to show a desire to help. He encourages them to complete the work they were willing to do the year before by giving to their brothers in need.

The Example of the Macedonians

As part of his exhortation to the Corinthians, Paul shares the example of the Macedonian church. The Macedonian believers were filled with such abundant joy, they had given of their own accord, despite the trials they themselves were facing. They gave themselves to the Lord first and foremost, and God blessed them with a joy that overflowed into generosity and a desire to serve others. The believers didn't give hoping to receive a blessing, but rather viewed ministering to others as a privilege. In their example, we see that the grace of giving flourishes when we prioritize the Lord and find joy in Him.

Paul wants the Corinthians to participate in giving as well, not simply to raise more money, but because he wants the Corinthian believers to grow in faith. The Macedonian church's generosity was rooted in a joy that came from the Lord. Paul wanted the Corinthians to experience that joy as well.

The Example of Christ

In verse 9, Paul reminds the church that the main motivation we have for giving to others is Jesus. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Paul points out that Jesus set the ultimate example for us, by giving His own life so that we could participate in life with Him. The act of giving is an opportunity to follow in Christ’s footsteps and to honor the Lord by loving others. As we follow Christ's example and find joy in His love, we will more earnestly seek to help those around us.  

The Grace of Giving in Our Lives

In 2 Corinthians 8:7, Paul lists the different aspects of Christianity that the Corinthian believers were excelling in (or thought they were excelling in)—faith and knowledge and love—and he tells them to seek to excel in giving as well. He places the act of generosity alongside all the other parts of the Christian walk, reminding believers that caring for others is vital to our faith.

Everything we have is a gift from God. Our money, our time, and our talents are all tools. We can either use them to benefit ourselves, or we can use them to work for the kingdom of God. We can either hoard our resources, or we can give them generously so that our abundance can provide for our neighbor’s lack.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

2 Corinthians 8:13-15

Right now, with the holidays approaching, the government still shut down, and SNAP benefits delayed, there are many people in our communities who are in need. I pray in the midst of this season that God would give us a desire to participate in His ministry. I pray that He would fill our hearts with joy so that we would see serving others as a privilege and a grace. Whether by donating to our local food banks, volunteering with our churches to provide a hot meal to our communities, or simply writing words of encouragement, I hope we would look for ways to give ourselves first to God and to show love to our neighbors.

Karley Conklin

Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, a writer by night, and a bookworm 24/7. For more of her writing, visit litwyrm.com