2 Corinthians 8 - Don't Over Promise And Under Deliver!

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The Collection for the Lord’s People

8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Paul turns to the practical issue of the collection he was making among the churches for the church in Jerusalem, which had financial issues. Their financial issues stemmed from large numbers of people who were often found themselves in the lower class. 

In the Ancient world poverty was a visible and common phenomenon. According to estimations 9 out of 10 persons lived close to the subsistence level or below it. There was no middle class. The state did not show much concern for the poor. Inequality and disability to improve one's social status were based on honour and shame, culture and religion. scielo.org

Paul cites the generosity of the churches in Macedonian, which we know was directed at the Philippians. Their gift was sacrificial. They were also in poverty but took it upon themselves to give to another church in poverty. Paul did not have to manipulate or coerce them into giving, but they "pleaded" with Paul for the opportunity to give. Wow this is pretty amazing and not just a little bit convicting! 

He then gives a very important principle as it relates to our giving. He says they "gave themselves first of allto the Lord" and THEN "to us". In modern our day it might be likened to "tithing" to the Lord and the work in the local church, and then giving special offerings, as they were led by the Lord. This is a good model for church to first fund the ministries in their own church and then give to other organizations locally and globally that need funding for their vitally important missions for Christ. 

In the case of Corinthians, Titus had led them to offer their resources to the church in Jerusalem. They made a fine start but appears they might be lagging in completing their pledge. They were a gifted church in many ways, but Paul also urged them to excel in the spiritual gift of giving. 

Note giving is a spiritual matter. It is just as much an act of obedience as other aspects of our faith. Generous giving frees us from the grip of materialism. As we release our gifts and resources to God for his use, the scripture tells us that he will enlarge our capacity to give. This is a promise which we test through our obedience to Paul's teaching. 

So, though the Macedonian Christians didn’t have much to give, they really wanted to give. They saw it as a privilege to give. True Christian generosity can’t be measured by how much one has to give. Often those who have less are more generous with what they have. - Guzik

The Corinthian Christians may have intended to give. They may have thought about giving. They may have been favorable to the idea of giving. Yet all of this was useless unless they did in fact complete this grace. Our intentions, vows, and resolutions are useless without action. It was time for the Corinthian Christians to act, and Titus was sent to help them do this. - Guzik

“Once you see the matter of giving is centered in this lovely word grace, it lifts the whole act away from mechanics, from pressure and duty, from obligation and mere legalism. It lifts us up into the most lovely atmosphere of an activity which seeks by giving to convey to others all that is lovely, all that is beautiful, all that is good, and all that is glorious. What a lovely word this word is… For there is no area in the Christian life in which grace shines out so much, so beautifully, so delightfully, and so happily as when giving comes from the background of poverty.” (Redpath)

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 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.

The motivation for our giving is never for personal attention or adulation, but is a response to Jesus' indescribable and incalculable gift to us. Jesus had equality with God. I.e. He was beyond rich. Yet, he emptied himself and became our servant. Jesus gave us his rights and gave us EVERYTHING. There is no act of generosity that will compare with it. As we focus on Jesus's indescribably gift, it will put our giving into the proper perspective. 

10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 

Again Paul refers to their eager willingness to make a pledge to give. In fact, they were the first to sign up to give to the wider church. You might liken this to a church member who makes their pledge at the annual Stewardship campaign. They might write down a big number on the pledge card, but will they fulfill their commitment by the end of the year. 

Paul stresses the "willingness" to give. Like all of the things we do to obey our calling as followers of Christ, we need a willingness to surrender our rights to keep things only for ourselves. 

The Devil will let you resolve as much as you like – the more the better – just as long as you never carry it out. “The tragedy of life so often is, not that we have no high impulses, but that we fail to turn them into actions.” (Barclay)

It reminds me of the saying, "Don't over promise and under deliver". And when Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount, "Let your "yes" be "yes", and your "no" be 'no"." Matthew 5:37

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 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, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

Paul's vision for the church was equality in terms of resources. The one had a little more could give to the one who had a little less. In time the roles might be reversed, and the opposite would be true. Paul quotes from Exodus 16:18, which was when God provided manna in the wilderness to the Israelites. God provided each person with just enough to meet their needs. 

The difference between what Paul is teaching with communism or socialism, is that this is not mandated or controlled by the government. It is done in the relational network of the church out of generosity nopt compulsion. There is no power anyone has over the other. There is mutual ownership and a shared sense of purpose. I.e. It is not lorded over by a ruling class. 

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 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.

Paul again lifts up what a faithful partner Titus was in the orchestration and collection of the these gifts. He seemed to exhibit an unusual enthusiasm. Sometimes people dread talking about money in the church, and often pastors shy away from preaching and teaching on it at all. But, Titus realized the importance of giving to fund the vital mission of the church. After all, without sufficient resources most churches could never carry out the ministries, which serve the church and in the community. 

As a pastor of 30 years, the giving on the part of the churches I have served allowed me to give my time 100% to the church. I didn't have to worry about working 2 or 3 jobs to be able to provide for my family. Some might think the church could operate without paid pastors or staff, but given the society we live in, I would give this a very small chance of actually working.  

22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

Who was the other brother who Paul mentions?

As you might expect, Bible commentators have been ready to say whom they believe the brother to be. Some of the candidates have been Luke, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and a variety of others, but no one really knows. We can confidently say that it doesn’t really matter, otherwise, God would have made it clear. - Guzik

Paul also stresses how important it is for churches to handle giving in an "above manner" with no inkling of improper use or handling of funds.

Also in the sight of men is a reminder that all things financial in the church should be conducted above board and properly. Paul took whatever steps were necessary so no one could blame him with financial impropriety. Paul could write like a poet and think like a theologian; but he could also act with the meticulous accuracy and integrity of the best accountant. - Guzik