2 Corinthians - Lesson 9D

• Alright guys, welcome back and welcome to our new location, and once again all I can say is thank you Lord.  Thank you for the provision you have made with this new facility. It is truly a testimony to where You have brought us.

  • Last week we took a diversion of sorts, and I did something I vary rarely do, and that was I paused from our normal teaching format, which is expositional and verses by verse, and in its place, I did something, as I said, I rarely do, which was I taught a topical message.

  • And even though it was rare, it was good and needed, but having said that, play time is over and we must get back to rightly dividing God’s Word of Truth in 2 Corinthians Chapter 9. Now, it’s been a few weeks since we were last in this book, and so, as I often do (when we take off a few weeks), I want to do a quick recap or summary, all in an effort to bring you back up to speed with where we were.

  • As we know, 2 Corinthains (as it’s called) is actually the 4th letter Paul wrote to this Corinthian church. It’s called 2 Corinthians because we only have two of those four letters recorded in the cannon of scripture. We also know 2 Corinthians, just like all of Paul’s letters (except for one), was written as a letter of correction.

• Now before moving forward this morning, I want to ask you a quick rhetorical trivia question of sorts, and that is, which one of Paul’s letters was not written as a letter of correction? Does anyone know?  Romans. Romans is a letter of doctrine. Paul also used Romans as a sort of fundraising letter as well.

  • Anyway, so Paul wrote 2 Corinthians in an effort to correct the church’s behavior, but in Chapter 8 he does something. He deviates from correction for a moment and uses that chapter to remind this church of the offering they had previously committed to collect some one year earlier, all for the poorer church in Jerusalem.

  • And while he was on the topic of giving, he took the liberty to teach them, and by extension us, something about this topic. To dive into and explain the spiritual concepts behind giving, along with the blessings that accompany those who obey in giving as well.

  • And so, Paul’s dissertation on this somewhat controversial topic of giving begins in Chapter 8 and continues into Chapter 9, and that’s where we pick back up today. Now, before moving into today’s focus verses, I want to back up and re-read the proceeding verses for context as a segway into today’s teaching. Follow with me in 2 Cor. 9:6-8, and here’s what Paul wrote:

2 Cor. 9:6 Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Cor. 9:7 Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. 

• The last time we studied these verses, we ended our teaching specifically by focusing on verses 6 & 7, and we touched lightly on verse 8, and as I previously pointed out, verses 6 & 7 gave us a “Spiritual Truth”, or “Spiritual Law” of sorts. A truth or law that applies not only to believers but to non-believers as well.

  • And for further clarification of that statement, I would suggest you go back and listen to our teaching from three weeks ago. So, based on what we learned from Paul’s writings, we know there is this Spiritual Law in place. God’s Spiritual Law. A Law that is simple to understand at its core. A Law that says, “If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly”. We call it the “Law of Sowing and Reaping”, or the “Law of Reciprocation”.

  • The Law of Sowing and Reaping says, what you put out will come back to you, and when it does it will be multiplied. In other words, when it returns it will return greater than it left. Now if you have been with us very long, you know I am anti any type of promotion of the prosperity movement.

    • Primarily because that movement misrepresents what God’s word says, especially as it relates to the topic of giving, or sowing and reaping, which once again leads to confusion in the life of a believer. And one of the primary callings and purposes of this church (among others), is to help eliminate confusion in the life of the believer.

    • And what better topic to focus on when it comes to eliminating confusion than that of giving, because confusion surrounding this topic is really bad, and it’s led many ‘preachers’ in the prosperity movement to become quite wealthy, leaving those they lead thinking they too will receive more money if they simply give.

  • But where did all the confusion surrounding this topic come from? It started by a misinterpretation of 2 Cor. 9:6, which clearly says:

2 Cor. 9:6 Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously. 

• From Paul’s own writings right here in verse 6, where he clearly tells us that if we “sow sparingly” we will “reap sparingly”.

  • So, it would appear that maybe the proponents of the prosperity movement might be correct, right? I mean, just read what it says. But let me ask you a question. Does this seem right to you? Does this seem like something God would have the Apostles and other writers of the Bible promote?

    • No, and I would tell you that if you believe this to be the case, that somehow verse 6 is the end all, be all rule of God’s Reciprocal Law of Giving, then you should immediately clear out your bank account, your 401K, along with any other savings you might have and give it to the church.

    • Because if what verse 6 says is true, then no doubt you will definitely want to get in on the action, right. Take everything you can get your hands on and give it away, because it’s going to come back to you in the form of an increase much greater than it left.

  • Some prosperity teachers even say it will come back to you 10-times greater than it left, and if that’s truly the case, then Wall Street, hedge funds, and private equity investors have got nothing on this retirement plan. So, get busy giving.

  • But my question is, does that make any sense whatsoever? Seriously, from a strictly logical standpoint would that seem to make any sense. Of course not. But how do I know that? I know it because I know God, and I know God because I study His Word, and because I study His Word, I know exactly what He says ‘holistically’ about the topic of giving.

    • And I can assure you the testimony of scripture does not line up with the ‘give to get’ concept. Even if you haven’t studied the topic of giving in-depth, there is another way you can know that what I am saying is true. All you have to do is use logic, which will be derived from the pages of scripture as well.

• Now, having all that said, the next statement I’m going to make probably isn’t going to gain me many fans. Not that I had that many to begin with. But if I did, this next statement might reduce that number. And here it is. The financial outcomes, or for that matter any outcome in the life of a believer, are not about the believer. It’s about God. Let me clarify. In God’s dichotomy you are not the center of the universe. He is!

  • You and I were not created for self-gratification or self–indulgence, or to (for a lack of examples), become children of God who mimic the way we treat our own children. You know what I am talking about. Where the entire world revolves around them.

    • If we are believers, we have been chosen by God, for God. For His good purposes and for His good deeds. Not for ourselves. We are slaves to the God most high, and this reality immediately lets us know that the ‘giving to get’ concept won’t work because it’s not about you. And if it’s not about you, then who is it about? It’s all about God!

    • Follow me here. And so, this brings me all the way back around to my main point, which is, your giving will only reciprocate when your purposes, your intent, your heart, and your will line up with God’s will. With what God wants. It’s only then that the Law of Reciprocation will kick in. But how do I know that?

    • Well let’s read verses 7 & 8 one more time.

2 Cor. 9:7 Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

• Okay, well maybe that verse really doesn’t back up or clarify what I was trying to say. I mean after all, it just says we shouldn’t give reluctantly or under compulsion, meaning pushed into giving. And then it says God loves a cheerful giver. So that verse doesn’t exactly lend direct credence to what I was saying. But that’s not exactly the truth and let me prove it to you.

  • To do that, let’s begin by asking ourselves one question. Why would anyone be cheerful about giving their hard-earned money away? Seriously, think about it. The only way that could happen is if, somehow, that person believed they were going to get more of it back in return. Right?

  • I would say in light of verse 6, that would be correct. But if that’s the thought process, then those thoughts could only find their basis or foundation in our flesh. I mean think about it. Do you honestly think that anyone could give away their money (to any great degree), and let me say, when speaking of giving here, he is not talking about dropping 20 bucks in the offering plate.

    • This type of giving isn’t just a little bit of money. The giving he is referring to is a deep, sacrificial giving above and beyond your ability (as Paul calls it). So, with that said, do you think someone could do this and do so ‘cheerfully’, without any anxiety or trepidation, and with no hope or prospect of receiving a return on that investment?

    • The answer would be no. And so, if that’s the case, then why does scripture say that God loves a cheerful giver? Well, to grasp a better understanding of this you will have to dig deep and get to the meaning of the word cheerful. What does cheerful mean in the Greek? It means joyous, cheerful, not grudging.

    • The description of this word describes someone who is cheerfully ready to act because they are already approving, already persuaded, won over, already inclined. And the word is only used here in 2 Corinthians 9:7, where it describes spontaneous and non-reluctant giving.

• So, to sum it all up for you, this giving is a supernatural type of giving, one that God lays on someone’s heart in a moment and they give without hesitation. Which means it’s not planned and it’s not a strategy, like a retirement plan. It’s a giving that only reciprocates when God moves on your heart, and then you react out of obedience, and you are excited to do so. Meaning you are cheerful and excited about it.

  • But why should you be excited? Well, I’ll tell you why.

  • Because God chose you to participate in the work of ministry, in the work He is doing inside His creation. That’s the sense of the word here. Now, just in case anyone may still be experiencing some reluctancy or heartburn about what I just said, I want you to look at verse 8 a little closer, one more time. What does it say?

2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 

• A mouthful here. Let me paraphrase it for you, but this time when I do it, let me slowly break it down. Once again:

2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 

• So here it is in a nutshell. God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that when you become sufficient in everything, that sufficiency will build an abundance, which then will give you the ability to perform every good deed. But that brings on more talk, because now my mind goes to what good deeds is he talking about?

  • The key to understanding this entire concept lies in two words – good deeds, and when you understand the meaning of these two words it will give you insight, and the clarity, to answer the question, why it is that the prosperity movement and the ‘giving to give’ theory is false.

  • Hang with me a minute. So, God causes us to become sufficient in everything, and He does so for the purpose of building abundance, all so that we can perform “every good deed”.

    • In other words, when you give without hesitation and without being compelled to do so, with a cheerful heart, this type of giving activates the supernatural, causing God to give you more. That’s why verse 6 says,

2 Cor. 9:6 Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously. 

• Which means, when God does a work inside your life as a believer, He does so for the purposes of equipping you to do it all over again. And then He multiplies it, all so that you can give even more. Once again, it’s cyclical, as is just about everything with God. Such as the way He grows His church.

  • When you’re saved, the next step in your life is that you are supposed to mature. To grow spiritually. Begin the process of Sanctification, which is simply the process of becoming more like Christ.

  • And how does that happen? It happens when you come to know Him more fully. Which comes by way of what? By the ingestion and digestion of God’s Word. There is no other way. If you want to mature, you must sit under a Pastor/Teacher/Elder who teaches you the manuscript and then trains you how to study on your own. That is God’s method for your Spiritual Growth.

  • And when that happens, when you become a spiritually healthy and mature believer, the natural biproduct of that is you will become ‘light’ to a dark and dying world. And the biproduct of that is, God will use you to draw men to Himself, and you will invest and invite people to church, and the process starts all over again.

    • It’s cyclical. Spiritually healthy Christians are what grow the church, not marketing programs. Anyway, it’s the same with giving. When we obey, God moves, and when we obey again God moves even more.

• Now, having said all that, when studying these texts of scripture, my mind immediately jumps to a question. A question that I feel we should all ask ourselves. Which is, what are these good deeds that Paul is referring to here?

  • Are they any old good deeds, such as helping an elderly person across the road, or getting a cat out of the tree? Well, the answer is no. The deeds have nothing to do with ‘random acts of kindness’, which, let me say there is nothing wrong with. But that’s not what He is referencing here. No, these deeds are very specific, and clearly tie back to meeting the financial needs of someone else.

  • Dr. Thomas Constable, of DTS, said it this way. “Such giving need not produce anxiety in the giver, even if he or she is giving away much. God demonstrates His love for cheerful givers by giving them more grace (enablement) and more opportunity. He not only provides them with what is sufficient for their needs, but He gives them more, so that they can give more away. We always need to remember that God is the One from whom everything comes. The word he [Paul] uses here for ["sufficiency"] is a Greek word autarkeia – it’s a favorite [sic] stoic word. It does not describe the sufficiency of the man who possesses all kinds of things in abundance. It means independence. It describes the state of the man who has not directed life to amassing possessions but to eliminating needs. It describes the man who has taught himself to be content with very little and never to want for anything, the man who has learned to do without things."

    • Notice the ‘able’ in this verse. This should not lead to the conclusion that God can, but He might not (cf. 12:9). But rather, He is more than able and willing. Which lets us know that the righteous person who desires to give to the needs of others will not lack opportunity to do so, because God will make this possible for him or her.”

    • So, with this understanding of giving in view, you can now know why it is that the prosperity movement and the giving to give concept is false, because what you receive back, by giving more, isn’t meant for you. It’s meant so that you will have the ability to give it all out again.

• Now, for further confirmation of this truth, let’s press on and use (what is) the greatest commentary on the Bible to prove the point further. And what is the greatest commentary on the Bible? It’s The Bible. The Bible is the greatest commentary on itself. And why? Because it’s 66 books written by 44 authors over thousands of years, and it testifies or confirms itself. Let me show you what I mean. 2 Cor. 9:8 for context and then 9-15:

2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Cor. 9:9 as it is written: “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.”
2 Cor. 9:10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 
2 Cor. 9:11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
2 Cor. 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 
2 Cor. 9:13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, 
2 Cor. 9:14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 
2 Cor. 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

• In verse 9, we get confirmation of what I just said, that the Bible is the greatest commentary on itself. What do I mean? Well, look at what Paul does for further confirmation of what he just said. He quotes from the Old Testament, and we know that, because when you see the text of scripture capitalized in quotes, you automatically know this is referencing back to the Old Testament.

  • And so, that’s what I mean when I say the Bible is the greatest commentary on itself. Paul steps back in time to support what he was saying, as he quotes the Psalmist in Psalm 112:9.

  • Psalm 112:9 supports Paul's point that God will provide grace (divine enablement) to givers. In this psalm, the psalmist described the God-fearing person distributing material goods to the poor, and his words read like the epitaph of a philanthropist. It’s simple. God will remember the God-fearing person's benevolent acts.

    • And the reference to "righteousness" here in verse 9 is more than likely referring to benevolent acts, as it is in Matt. 6:1, where the title of the section is, ‘Charitable Giving to the Poor and Prayer’, and it says this:

Matt. 6:1 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

• What that means is, these acts of giving are acts for which God will reward the sacrificial donor with permanent benefits. Another way to say it is, "His righteousness endures forever", and therefore, God will multiply His grace to those who bestow grace on others.

  • That’s the concept here folks. And so, what’s the take-away from today’s message? It is this; when you obey and give sacrificially, which is why God lays it on your heart, He will return it to you in a multiplied form so that you can do it all over again. And when you do that, it will appear that you cannot give it away fast enough. And that’s awesome.

  • But what do you get out of it? Well, according to our earlier teaching on this topic going back to Chapter 8, just like the churches of Macedonia, when you give sacrificially, which is not just of your ability but beyond your ability, God will give you something in return - an abundance of joy, which brings about peace, happiness, and true contentment.

    • Which, at the end of the day, is the only real thing of value in this world. Everything else is just hay stubble and will one day be burned up. So, what’s the takeaway this morning?

    • Well, above all else, obedience to God is what brings about the joy of the Lord. And so, if things aren’t going well for you right now, then I want to challenge you to do something. Look for opportunities to give. To your church, yes, but not just a tithe. Look to go above and beyond. Sacrificially give to get in the game.

  • Do as the churches of Macedonia did and ask God to give you favor. Not favor as in favor for you to buy more stuff, or favor so you can store up treasures in Heaven, but as Paul said back in Chapter 8, for the “favor of participation” in giving to garner so much favor with God that He begins to use you in the work of ministry. For the work He is doing in and around you every day.

• So, as you leave here today, my prayer is that you look for opportunity to support those in need in whatever financial opportunity may arise. Because when you do, you unlock the Supernatural Law of ‘Reaping and Sowing’ - The Law of Reciprocation. And once that starts, it brings a joy and contentment into your life that you simply cannot obtain any other way.