The largest discussion of Christian giving in the entire New Testament is found in 2 Cor. 8 & 9.  I have always wanted to tackle this passage in an extensive way.  Recently, I found the time to do just that.  Rather than provide a lengthy commentary on the passage, I decided to break it up into principles in the same order that Paul himself presents the topic.  I hope it benefits your walk with Christ and your desire to manage your money to His glory.

 Chapter 8
• Generous giving starts with grace:  “We want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” (8:1, NIV)  Paul’s in-depth discussion of biblical generosity begins and ends pointing towards God’s grace.

• God’s power enables our giving:  “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity…they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” (8:2-3, NIV) How does poverty overflow into rich generosity? This sounds contradictory…because it is.  Biblical giving extends beyond empathy and humanitarianism because it is a process empowered by God–not limited by our trials, poverty, or ability.

• Sacrificial giving is willing: “Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service.” (8:3-4, NIV)  Christ transforms the selfish sinner to one who urgently pleads for the “privilege” of giving generously.  If such willingness isn’t present in our hearts, let us seek Christ in this place.

• Generosity follows surrender:  “They gave themselves first of all to the Lord” (8:5, NIV) First we give ourselves to the Lord and His work, and then generosity follows.  Much like the previous point, if we find ourselves ungenerous, let us give ourselves “first of all to the Lord.”

• Generosity is an act of grace: “This act of grace” (8:6, NIV).  Once again, we are reminded that grace is where generosity begins, continues, and ends.

• Generosity is part of a mature walk: “Since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (8:7, NIV).  We fool ourselves if we think we are mature Christians, yet lack generosity.  Giving generously is a sign of maturity and “excellence” in the faith.

• Generosity is a test of our love: “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.”  (8:8, NIV) Paul said that he wanted to compare the love of the Corinthians by comparing their willingness to be generous to others.  While that would definitely raise some hairs in modern churches, Paul had no problem using giving as a gauge for the sincerity of love.  We usually interpret the notion that it is not a “command” as liberty to not give…which, sadly, reveals the sincerity of our love.

• Sacrificial giving was Christ’s example: “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.” (8:9, NIV)  Generous, sacrificial giving is nothing more (and nothing less) than following the example of Christ Himself. 

• There is a difference between wanting to give and actually giving: “Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it.” (8:10-11, NIV)  How often do we say we would, could, or should give, but it never amounts to anything?  The real test of our sincerity and maturity is found in what we actually give, not what we “desire” to give.

• Biblical generosity is according to means: “According to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.” (8:11-12, NIV)  While we are called to sacrifice in order to give generously, it is not acceptable to give what we don’t have. 

• Equality, not self-denial, is the goal of generosity: “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.” (8:13-14, NIV) Equality, community, and relationship drive biblical generosity…not self-denial.  The point is not for us to suffer so that others can be at ease.  Rather, the church is to care for one another as loving members of God’s family. Following Christ means letting some of our “plenty” go out to those who are ”hard pressed”. 

• Christian giving is part of God’s provision: The verse, “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little,” (8:15, NIV) is a reference to manna the Israelites gathered in the wilderness.  This is a remarkable comparision.  This equates God’s provision, miraculously falling from heaven, with our gifts sent to other Christians.  Part of God’s plan to provide is through the generosity of His people one to another.  Our gifts can be “manna”.

• Recipients of Christian generosity must have integrity: “We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” (8:20-21, NIV) Financial integrity and accountability are essential before God and man.  This includes caution, above and beyond efforts, and plurality (more than one person) to be without blame.

For more of my thoughts on giving, pick up a copy of my most recent book, The Secret of Generosity.

I have to admit, we tend to think of “sharing” as something that we tell children to do as they rip toys out of each other’s hands.  But, if we are being honest, the instruction to “share” seems to disappear with our tea sets, tater tots, and superman sheets.  The entire notion that it is a virtuous quality to share what we have seems to go out with the tide of youth.  Think about it.  When was the last time you heard an adult being told they needed to share their “toys”?  What does the Bible have to say about our practice of “aging out” of the necessity to share?
 
As I was reading some of Randy Alcorn’s work, I was challenged by some of his ideas and dug deeper into the scripture regarding the simple word “share”.  I have to confess, I have always considered the word “share” to be synonymous with the word “give”.  Essentially, sharing meant giving in any and all translations, and there are many verses that encourage believers to share what they have.  In several of them, I think we could simply walk away from the verses equating sharing with giving and more or less be correct (Luke 3:11, Eph. 4:28, Heb. 13:16, NIV, for example).
 
However, while it might sound like I am splitting hairs (I’ll get to why this all matters in just a moment), I think there are several verses that depict sharing as a separate and different act of generosity.  Consider the following:
 
“Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” (1 Tim. 6:18, NASB)
 
“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.” (Gal. 6:6, NASB)
 
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Rom. 12:13, NIV)
 
These verses present sharing as something different than giving.  Paul tells the rich to be generous AND ready to share.  In the passage from Galatians, if share means give, then we are called to give all good things we have to our teachers of the word.  This doesn’t seem quite right.  Hospitality implies inviting people into our lives…not giving them our home.
 
In all of this, I present a different layer of Christian Generosity:  Sharing.  The simple act of allowing our resources to be used by others (willingly) is a biblical strand of a believer’s call to give.  I think that sharing has at least four impacts on a Christian’s life.
 
1. It creates another layer by which to reach the world with our generosity.  In some ways it’s easier and certainly more affordable!  Maybe we can’t buy/give a car to a ministry that operates primarily on Saturdays, but we could “share” our vehicle.  Opening up our minds to sharing greatly expands our capacity for generosity, and in many ways, stretches us differently than giving does.
 
2. It frees us of being owned by our possessions.  The Bible speaks strongly on the subject of not holding tightly to the things of this world.  What Alcorn calls “possessiveness”, we tend to be tenaciously protective of possessions we have convinced ourselves we hold loosely.  Essentially, if we aren’t willing to share a possession, it has an unhealthy grip on our hearts.  Sharing keeps us from putting too much priority on a worldly possession.  Letting someone else use our stuff forces us to loosen our grip (or get ulcers!).
 
3. It testifies that God is the owner of all things.  If we honestly believe that God owns all of us and all we have (all the world for that matter), then sharing is rather easy.  If we believe we own what we have, sharing is very difficult.  Christian sharing can be a strong testimony to a world that craves ownership.
 
4. It shows that God’s kingdom is our first priority.  If we share all we have for God’s glory, it shows that our possessions are not our purpose.  When everything we own is out on the table to be used as God sees fit, we can be assured that His kingdom is first in our hearts. Sharing is the product of a mindset focused on God’s purposes for our lives, our house, our car, our lawn mower, our ladder…
 
I think room remains for us to be inspired by the earliest days of the church:  “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” (Acts 4:32, NIV)  There is something liberating about extending our generosity beyond giving.  Sharing stretches us to consider that even ”our” possessions are not really our possessions–they are God’s, fully available to serve His purposes.  It requires a different type of generosity.  We can’t stay uninvolved when we share.  It requires communication, trust, and a perspective that puts God’s purposes above possessions, dings, dents, scratches, rips, tears, and maybe, even losing the item we are sharing.
 
When we tell children they must share, they often protest, “But this is mine!”  Will we respond in the same manner when God asks this of us?

FreeMoneyFinance.com

Part 1, Essentials (and Flunking the Course)

Part 2, The “Tithe” (Click here for my position paper on tithing.)

Part 3, Non Essentials

The interview is an informal conversation discussing some of the key points in the book (rather than a formal interview), and does a great job highlighting what I was trying to accomplish.  Thanks again, Glen!

To listen to the podcast…click here.

Have you ever felt like your pocket has a hole in it? Big expectations followed only by even bigger disappointments? If so, you are not alone. Knowing that His people felt this way, the Lord spoke into our emptiness. In the only direction we aren’t looking, He pointed the way towards redemption and restoration. Generosity has a secret, a deep, liberating, and life-altering secret. Discovering it will bring life to our souls and hope to our hearts.

Available now…click here.    

Do you believe the Bible teaches the poor should or shouldn’t give?.

“I think all Christians are called to give, although the amounts and proportions may be different for the poor and the wealthy.  Giving is a matter of the heart, and we should give freely what Christ has called us to give.  Christ commended the poor widow for giving, so I think that right there should show us that it’s a good thing for all of us, including the poor to give.  I don’t think, however, that the poor should go into debt to give – as having debt is in most cased frowned upon by the bible.” – BibleMoneyMatters.com

“I believe everyone should give according to their ability. I also believe that a smaller gift from a poorer person is just as “valuable” as a larger gift from a wealthier person. 2 Corinthians 8:12 says, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.” – FreeMoneyFinance.com

“I believe that God wants everyone to give.  We are all responsible for managing God’s resources as His stewards no matter our income level.  I believe God can provide blessings to us on this earth in the form of additional resources to manage for Him, should we put Him first in our finances.  He who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6).  This is challenging for those who are finding it tough to meet expenses or get out of debt, but I’d like to encourage people to give as much as they can to the Lord out of trust and faith that He provides for all of our needs.” – OneMoneyDesign.com

“I believe that God is very clear in the Bible that He expects all His followers to be generous and ready to share at all times.  So I wouldn’t necessarily prevent a poor person from giving.  Giving is a grace of God and a joy to those who are following Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.  However, I also don’t believe that the Bible teaches that a poor person must give beyond their means.  We must never forget that God wants us to give so there may be equality and not to place an undue burden on anyone.” – ProvidentPlan.com

“Whether we realize it or not, when we begin to distinguish who should or shouldn’t give based upon their financial situation, we unknowingly make biblical giving about amounts–turning what is spiritual into economics, and turning the focus on our wallets instead of our hearts.  This is clearly not the way the Bible approaches generosity.  The scripture does advocate proportional giving…but I believe the call to generosity extends to all believers.  I wrote a position post on this very topic.”- DollarsandDoctrine.com

“The Bible is clear in teaching us that everyone should be generous with the resources they have.  Often quoted is the story of the widow in Luke chapter 21, who gave much less than the others in monetary terms.  Jesus was quick to say that she had given so much more because of her willingness to give all she had.  Remember, giving is more about the motives of your heart than the size of your offering check.”-FaithandFinance.com

“Everyone, bar none, is accountable to the Lord for how they live on the earth.  God requires everyone to be generous (Matt 5:42, Luke 6:38).  Do we get an out if we are poor?  No.  There are too many examples in the Bible of God requesting even those with little, to give what they had (1 Kings 17:8-24), and those who had little, giving all the have (Luke 21:1-4).” – DiscipleshipGuy.com

“The Lord instructs everyone – the rich & the poor – to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20).  It is evident in numerous passages of scripture, that one of the many ways a believer stores up treasure “where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” is to give generously of the money God has entrusted to them.  If it is indeed “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), the poor should strive to be active participants in the process as well!  To advise those lacking in financial resources to withhold their gifts from God is to not only take away their opportunity to receive a blessing, but is in direct opposition to Christ’s teaching.  “Give and it will be given to you…For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).” – StewardshipWeekly.com

“The Bible is pretty clear in terms of what God expects of the poor.  Just like the rich, God expects us to give to others and for his kingdom.  The best example I can think of is the story of the widow who gave away her last coin in Luke 21 1:4.  That is a shining example of what God expects of the poor and how we should all view giving.” -FreeMoneyWisdom.com

For more on the Christian Financial Alliance (or to join our team) click here.

Among the many instructions the Bible has for our giving, it calls for us to keep our giving “secret”. Jesus plainly told us to give in this manner:

“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matt 6:2-4, NASB)

The call for secret giving is unavoidable. The reasoning behind such a command can be a little less obvious. I have tried to come up with what I believe are some sound rationales for a Christian to not let his left hand know what his right is doing.

GIVING SECRETLY…

 1. Keeps us from giving for the praise of others. This idea is plainly stated by Christ. Often, we are tempted to give because of how it will other people think of us. We want people to see us as generous, compassionate, and charitable. In this senario, we give not for the benefit of those receiving our contribution, but for our own benefit–selfish giving, if you will. It’s counter-productive. Giving in secret prevents this backwards motivation.

2. Allows giving to bring praise to God. In essence, this is the flip side of the previous point. When we choose to give secretly, our contributions bring praise and glory to God, not ourselves. He gets the credit when we give in a way that only He can be credited. We simply all ow the glory to fall where it ought when we give in secret.

3. Prevents self-righteousness. Not only do unsecretive contributions attempt to boost other people’s opinions of us, they also do a lot to inflate our own thoughts of self. This is why Jesus not only instructs us to keep our giving secret from others, but also to keep it a secret from ourselves. When we give generously, our flesh has a way of twisting our generosity in our own self-righteous favor. We no longer give because of how great God’s generosity has transformed and controlled our hearts, but because of how great we esteem ourselves. Not letting our left hand know what our right is doing, keeps this from happening.

4. Brings attention to the corporate not individual. I have already discussed the negative effects of giving for show, but giving secretly also brings glory to God corporately. When the world says that “John” or “Susan” is generous, John and Susan are honored. When the world says that “Christians” are generous, God is glorified. The church, as the body of Christ, brings glory to God.

5. Keeps the focus on others. When we give for our own acclaim, we care little for those to whom we are giving (after all, we are motivated by our own gain not theirs). This is hardly the call of biblical generosity. When we give in secret, our attention is focused on the benefit of the recipient. In this, we see true compassion in contribution.

Certainly there are more, but I think this post gets the ball rolling in the right direction. When we give secretly, we do what is best for ourselves and what is best for God’s kingdom. Jesus said that God is watching our contributions. Those who give in secret will be rewarded by God who sees in secret. Let us not miss out on the reward of the Father to gain the praise of men!