Focus: Grace of Giving

Text: 2Cor.8:6

"Finish in you the SAME GRACE also."

There are three dimensions of grace: unmerited favor, beauty of character, and ability to do what God wants done. We are focusing on the last one - grace to realize God's goal. And under the last aspect of grace, we are looking at giving. God gives the believer the grace to give, and God would not have you give to Him if He has not first given you something to give. Understand also, that under the subject of giving, we are focusing mainly on the financial and the material. 

*Grace has no limits

Paul writes, "Therefore, as ye ABOUNDED IN EVERY THING, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, SEE THAT YE ABOUND IN THIS GRACE ALSO" (2Cor.8:7). Paul is saying, Don't limit grace to the spiritual or the intangible; extend it also to the financial and material - giving to meet needs in God's house, and to assist needy believers wherever they may be. Mark Paul's expression, THIS GRACE. That is the grace of giving. He repeats it in verse 19, where he talk about "THIS GRACE, which is administered by us to the GLORY of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind." God is glorified each time we let grace do its work through us. Paul is saying, 'As you excelled in every other things, also ensure that you excel in the grace of giving. The same way you sing, clap, dance, or preach, also give of your money and other material things. Spirituality that is devoid of stewardship is an insult to God.

*Grace has samples

Paul writes, "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God BESTOWED on the churches of Macedonia" (2Cor.8:1). The churches in Macedonia are already evidencing this grace of giving in their lives. If we look around us, we'll find people who are already doing what we think is impossible. The believers in Macedonia are great givers. In their deep need and poverty they still find a way to give to God, and they see it simply as returning grace to the One who gave it in the first place. They are grace-givers. Paul tells us what happens when we give. He says, "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (2Cor.4:15). When we share our blessings of grace with those in need, especially our fellow believers, we move them to the place of certitude and gratitude, and in their moments of thankfulness, God is glorified. When we lift a burden from someone's shoulder or meet a need in God's house, God is glorified.

*Grace is given for a purpose

Paul continues, "And God is able to make ALL GRACE abound toward you; that ye, always having ALL SUFFICIENCY in all things, may abound to EVERY GOOD WORK… And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the EXCEEDING GRACE of God IN YOU" (2Cor.9:8,14). God's grace is in excess. God bestows on us surplus grace. God's infinite grace enables us to do good works. It avails and prevails. Paul exhorts and instructs us not to receive the grace of God in vain (2Cor.6:1). We should not take grace for granted.

*Grace to give like Jesus

Again, Paul writes, "For YE KNOW the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet FOR YOUR SAKES he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2Cor.8:9).

Christ is our standard of giving, not our fellow man. Other people may inspire and motivate us to give, but Christ's kind of giving remains our standard. He sacrificed His life for us. He came down to our level of poverty in order to lift us to His level of wealth. He wants us to share in His boundless and shoreless bounties. He moved positions in order to change our poverty-stricken condition.

*God is maker and giver

In Act.17, Paul says, "God that MADE the world and all things therein, seeing that he is LORD of HEAVEN and EARTH… Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, SEEING HE GIVETH TO ALL life, and breath, and ALL THINGS" (Act.17:25). God did not just make things, He owns them. He is the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. He is both the Maker and Giver of all things, and He gives liberally to every individual. We are beneficiaries of His boundless bounties. Nothing in this universe belongs absolutely to us. What we have is a loan from God, and loans are meant to be invested.

*Giving makes sense

It takes spiritual sense to know that it doesn't make sense not to give. It takes spiritual sense to know that we own nothing that we do not owe to God. For those who have understanding, giving is the most sensible and right thing to do. Giving is not only glorifying to God, it is equally beneficial to the giver. Giving is really hard for the flesh, but it becomes an easy practice to the man of the Spirit who knows God's truth. David says, "Both riches and honour COME OF THEE, and thou REIGNEST OVER ALL… For ALL THINGS COME OF THEE, and of THINE OWN HAVE WE GIVEN THEE" (1Chron.29:12,14). We are only giving back. Paul wrote of what the churches of Macedonia did: "Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift" (2Cor.8:4). The word 'gift' is 'charis' in the Greek, and that is the word for grace. So the people were pleading with Paul to accept the grace. They saw their material stuff as the gift of grace. In other words, they were simply returning grace. It means that the material things of life are the byproducts of grace. Indeed they are feats and effects of God's grace upon your life.

Moses says, "And thou say in thine heart, MY POWER and the MIGHT of MINE HAND hath GOTTEN ME THIS WEALTH…" (Dt.8:17). That is a lie from the very pit of hell. Moses declares in no uncertain terms, "Thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that GIVETH thee POWER to get wealth…" (Dt.8:18). This Scripture makes it clear that we should not be under any illusion that we have what we have by our own power. If we have any power at all, it is solely made possible and given to us by God. Pilate says to Jesus, "Knowest thou not that I have POWER to crucify thee, and have POWER to release thee?" (Jh.19:10). Look at the arrogance in Pilate's voice. Wherever you see arrogance, look very closely, you would find ignorance. Pilate was totally ignorant of who owns and wields power in the universe. He deceived himself into thinking that power is humanly originated. But here is Jesus' response: "Thou couldest have NO POWER AT ALL against me, except it were GIVEN thee from above…" (Jh.19:10,11). Jesus is simply saying, 'Power to have me killed is only obtained from heaven. It is neither originated, attained, nor acquired by any man.' Power to achieve, and authority to function in any position or capacity is solely God-given.

In conclusion, grace is God's ability to achieve God's task and to advance God's glory on the earth. Don't possess God's grace for no purpose. Grace is given you by God to achieve something divine and definite. Grace is an amazing force for achieving amazing feat - getting done what is not naturally or ordinarily possible. God has given you the grace to give to His cause and to His work on earth. Use it for His glory. It is not lack that keeps us from giving; it is fear. So conquer your fears and give to glorify your God. No one ever becomes poor by giving to God. In fact, you can by giving give away your poverty. Jesus says to the rich young ruler, "GIVE… and thou shalt have TREASURE in HEAVEN" (Mk.10:21).

by Bishop Moses E. Peter