A new beginning in giving
We live in a world that is me-centred. If Christians want to live according to kingdom culture, we must live counter culturally, living less for ourselves and prioritise giving back to God and others. We need to ask ourselves, “how can we start a new beginning in giving”?
Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church that at the time was plagued with immorality, division among members, false teachers, and false teachings aimed at discrediting the work of Paul. In chapter nine, Paul was reminding the church of a promise they had made to give to the believers in Jerusalem. However, because of the confusion and lies spread by the false teachers, the church was side tracked in keeping their promise.
Similarly, we can remember when we first committed to Christ. But due to trials, the busyness of our own worlds, the love of the world, we also can be side-tracked from our promise. This passage is, therefore, a good reminder as to how we can start a New Beginning in Giving and align our giving habits with that of the Word.
Our giving should be given in the right manner
Our giving should be given in the following manner:
Sacrificial
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul uses the example of the Macedonian church. He says that the Macedonian Christians were experiencing severe affliction and extreme poverty but responded with abundant joy and overflowing generosity. Our giving should be done from the heart voluntarily, and should not be given reluctantly where it is done in an attitude of depression, regret, reluctance because it is something done out of a sense of duty and obligation.
Gospel based
Again in 2 Corinthians 8, we refer to verse 9 where Paul was pointing to Christ as our example of giving. That our giving should be gospel based as it is a response to and reflection of Jesus’ gift of salvation to us. Just as Jesus left the riches and glory of heaven to take on human form, and died on a cross like a common criminal, we as believers become spiritually rich through Jesus’ sacrifice and salvation.
Motivated by sowing and reaping
It is a natural law in this world, where we reap what we sow. It’s similar to Newton’s third law; every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
To know God’s promises when giving (v.8-12)
When we give in the right manner, it allows us to receive God’s promises in:
Personal provision, and
Personal increase
Those shall not so as to satisfy our selfish desires, but to meet the variety of needs of others. It’s not to get more things & accumulating more wealth. Not in the sense of prosperity theology in that if we do something for God, God will give us material possessions in return. But in the sense that as we step out in generosity, we come into the space for God to move in our hearts to meet the needs of the community through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our giving proves the genuineness of our faith (v.13)
If someone has truly received the generous grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he or she will be generous. Conversely, if someone is not generous, it may be because he or she does not understand grace and has not received the gospel of our generous Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel creates a new motivation for obedience - grateful love arising from a faith view of what Christ has done. This new motivation renews us from the inside out. It is a new birth, a supernatural transformation of character, a new creation. Which allows us to give in a way which honors God & furthers the spread of the gospel.
Heavenly Father,
Not only I thank you for the gift of Jesus and of the Spirit, but I thank you thank you that you also have promised to supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory. Help us, Lord, to develop a generous and outgiving character that flows form Your own generosity to me. I ask this in Jesus’s name,
Amen.