By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher
Text: 2
Corinthians 9:6-15
2
Corinthians 9:7
So
let each
one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or
of [c]necessity;
for God loves a cheerful giver.
(NKJV)
The topic of giving in
the Church is one many ministers avoid out of fear the congregation will
believe he is trying to collect contributions to the Church to line his own
pockets. While this may not be the case, some in the church may have
experienced having their money grudgingly taken from them through Coercion,
fear tactics, or guilt. In this post, we will address what it means to be a
cheerful giver giving with thanksgiving out of a love for Christ.
Paul begins this text by
reminding the Corinthians of the law of sowing and reaping, something people
living in an agrarian society would have understood (2
Corinthians 9:6). However, a giver who gives cheerfully
from the goodness of his or her heart and not grudgingly or out of necessity
pleases God (2
Corinthians 9:7). Giving with this attitude ensures the
giver’s needs are met and that he or she has an abundance to give to every good
work (2
Corinthians 9:8). It will be said of one giving with this
attitude that he gave abroad, to the poor, and that his righteousness will
endure forever (2
Corinthians 9:9).
Paul then asks that God,
the supplier of seed for the sower and bread for food, multiply the seed sown
and increase the fruits of righteousness in the hearts of the Corinthians (2
Corinthians 9:10). The enrichment of God that comes
through liberal giving should cause thanksgiving to God (2
Corinthians 9:11). The administration of this gift from
the Corinthians not only supplies the needs of the one receiving the gift but
abounds in many thanksgivings to God (2
Corinthians 9:12). The liberal gift shared by the
Corinthians also brings glory to God as a confession to the Gospel of Christ (2
Corinthians 9:13). Along with giving, the Corinthians pray
for the recipients of the gift because of God’s exceeding grace (2
Corinthians 9:14). Paul ends the text by thanking God for
the gift (2
Corinthians 9:15).
Paul wants to ensure
those giving are doing so with the right attitude. In 2
Corinthians 9:7 Paul urges the Corinthians to give as
they purpose in their hearts and not grudgingly out of duty to the Church or
necessity or something done to avoid guilt. Instead giving should produce
thanksgiving to God as the needs of the saints are met (2
Corinthians 9:12). God gave us his gift of salvation with
exceeding grace and wants us to give to him with the same level of grace and
gladness.
Give as God moves upon
our hearts and not out of fear, guilt, or coercion. Unfortunately, the
lukewarm, consumeristic, and compromising Church today often resorts to these
tactics to raise larger contributions.
- Coercion
in the lukewarm Church – In Revelation
3:14-22, the Bible introduces us to the
lukewarm Church of Laodicea. The attitude of this Church was a belief they
did not need anything due to their riches and wealth (Revelation
3:17). There are Churches in existence today that
support a prosperity gospel teaching that anyone having faith in Jesus
Christ will become rich by giving to the Church using scriptures like Luke
6:38 as a foundation. This scripture is taken out of
context for the verse preceding it speaks of passing judgment, so the
giving spoken of is not money but judgment (Luke
6:37). While Scripture does not tell us if the
Laodicean church supported a similar prosperity gospel but a needy person
coming to the Laodicean church might have felt coerced to give to become
wealthy like those in the Church. Also, a church trusting in its wealth
and riches would not have wanted a needy person in its congregation unless
they became a contributor.
- Fear
in the Consumerist Church – A consumerist church is a church that
functions as a business and speaks of its focus on Christ and the Bible
but has a business-like focus on fundraising and programs that focus on
meeting the needs of congregants seeing them as consumers. Fundraising in
these churches can resort to fear tactics that cause people to give out of
fear of losing a program that makes them feel good or fear the church will
need to close its doors for lack of money.
- Guilt
in the compromising Church – A consumerist church can become a
compromising church that fears taking a stand on an ungodly issue like
abortion, gay marriage, or transgenderism fearing loss of membership by offending
someone. The problem with this compromising strategy is it offends true
believers who worship the Lord in Spirit and truth (John
4:24) who are probably the core financial support of
the church. The mission of the Church is not entertaining congregants like
customers of a business but spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark
16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), for which there
is no compromise. The guilt in the compromising Church in regards to giving
is in not supporting preaching against sin that may alienate people from
joining and contributing to the Church.
If you are reading this
post and have been alienated from the Church and Christ by coercion, fear, or
guilt to contribute to the Church, I urge you to pray for the forgiveness of
sin and to make Jesus your savior. I do not want or need your money and am only
interested in sharing the truth of God’s Word and for you to Make Jesus your savior
so you can spend eternity with Jesus. I invite you to pray with me now,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23)
and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe
you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
May God challenge,
convict, and bless everyone reading this post.