Have you ever known someone who would be considered rather “tight fisted” when it came to giving gifts to others? Or maybe not so much even that, but when they gave something they acted as though it was a painful or burdensome thing to have to give a gift to someone. You might say that the gift that they gave was given in a grudging manner, which is part of our passage today. In this passage we will read of how the apostle Paul had instructed the Corinthian church that if they gave anything to support the saints or those who labored in gospel that they should set that gift aside before they even came. Paul didn’t want their gift to be given as though they were forced to give, but to be given freely.
2 Corinthians 9:1-7 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Grudging means something that is “given, granted, or allowed only reluctantly or resentfully.” You give something but don’t truly want to give it. This should never be the attitude that a gift is given in, but even more so when giving a gift to support the work of the Lord. If you decide to give something to support those who are doing the Lord’s work then do it because you want to, not because you are forced. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, so give cheerfully!
Proverbs 22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
It is a good thing to support the things of God. It shows that you are willing to give up your earthly possessions, and that your love is not placed in your own possessions, but in heavenly things and towards the Lord and others.
With what happened with Ananias and Sapphira, the people were all selling possessions and giving the money to the apostles to use in the ministry, except that when it came to Ananias and Sapphira’s turn, they held back part of the money, and then lied about it directly to Peter’s face. Their “gift” wasn’t given willingly because of love, but instead seemed given out of a place of a grudging spirit.
If you give to support the things of God, give willingly. Whatever it is, time, finances, work, possessions, give all because of love, and remember…
God loves a cheerful giver.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 