2 Corinthians 9 - How Do You Decide How Much Money You Should Give to Church?

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Corinthians 9

Paul starts out chapter 9 by basically saying that he has been bragging to the Macedonian Christians about the Corinthians desire to help out in the cause to help the church in Jerusalem. Paul was so persuasive to the Philippians about the generosity of the Corinthians that the Philippians gave above and beyond their means. Paul would be embarrassed after having said this if the Corinthians didn't follow through with what they said they would do. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Anything beyond that comes from the devil." 

Paul was very concerned that giving be a matter of generosity and not a matter of grudging obligation. God Himself never gives out of an attitude of grudging obligation, and neither should we. To be generous, in the Biblical idea of the word, has more to do with our attitude in giving than with the amount that we give, so God wants a willing attitude from givers. - Guzik

Verses 6 - 11 in this chapter are some of the best teaching in the New Testament on how and why we should give money to the church. So often in the church money has either been stressed too much or too little. We are either talking about money all the time, or afraid to turn people off by talking about it. The bottom line is Jesus and the other writers of the New Testament talk about money a lot so it must very important in the life of a Christ follower. 

First, Paul says those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly. But those who are generous givers will be generously rewarded. God cares more about our hearts than the amount we give. He wants us to be generous as a response to His grace. Being a generous giver is usually the result of a generous heart!

Second, Paul talks about how we should give and our motives for giving. Before we give, we should pray about it and set aside in our hearts the amount of money we want to give to the church. It is a heart issue not a wallet issue. God wants us to give freely not begrudgingly. God doesn't need our money, but we need to develop a giving heart by giving freely and intentionally. God loves it when we are cheerful givers, which implies he hates it when we are not. 

Third, Paul addresses what we might call a "scarcity mentality". This mentality is always worrying about having a enough. Sometimes these people are called "hoarders", who live in constant fear of being without what it takes to live. But God operates on an "abundance mentality". With God there is always enough to go around. God blesses those who give generously with an ability to give more. Why wouldn't he? Just like we give tasks to those who will get it done, why would God not give money to those who are going to use it to build his kingdom. 

It is God who supplies us with everything we have anyways, and he is certainly able to increase the supply and anything that holds the supply. Paul uses the metaphor of a store of seed. 

 Paul recognizes God as the great supplier. Whatever we have to give was first given to us by God. Paul prays that God would supply resources to the Corinthian Christians so that they may give, and at the same time multiply what they give. - Guzik

Finally, Paul says that the Corinthians' obedience to these principles will result in praise to God. Why? Because there will be thanks given by all who receive these gifts and it will increase their faith in the God that provides. It will show that the Corinthians are not hypocrites by doing what they said they will do. When our behaviors match our beliefs it is always a good thing. When they don't it can give people reasons why they don't want to become a Christian. Lastly, the saints in Jerusalem will be grateful to them for helping them when they were in need. As I said a couple of days ago, there may be a time when the saints in Jerusalem will need to help the saints in Corinth. 

As we reach out and meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we truly fulfill what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves, which is the Great Commandment! Also, it shows we have the mind of Christ as Paul teaches in Philippians 2, 

"Have the same mindset as Jesus who humbled himself and become obedient until death on the cross. Each of you should not only look to your own interests, but to the interests of others!" 

As you look at these biblical principles Paul has given us for how we are called to be generous with the resources God has entrusted to us, how would you evaluate your own generosity?

Are you a cheerful giver? Are you a consistent giver? Have you prayed about the amount you should give? Do you give under compulsion, or cheerfully as a response to the indescribable gift God has given you in Christ? 

Though God doesn't need your money, we need to give generously to break the grip materialism has in our lives! And the good thing is that as God has promised, God will supply your needs to overflowing as you trust him in this important part of your discipleship!