The Surpassing Grace Of God Series

2 CORINTHIANS 9: 8-15 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series]

THE SURPASSING GRACE OF GOD

[Psalms 112]

Christian giving always rebounds with multiplied blessings for the giver. But not only is the giver blessed, the recipient is also. With so many unselfish blessings flowing around, thankfulness and glory to God abounds from all quarters.

Here again we are reminded that Christian giving is a gift of God’s grace. We give cheerfully because we have received the grace of Christian giving. When we give we can do so with a heart full of joy and thanksgiving because of the gift that we have received when we confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.

One can also give generously because God supplies the means. God gives to the giver so he can give or sow. Although the Bible assures us that God will abundantly provide our needs and many of our proper desires the idea is not that God will make as economically wealthy. God abundantly supplies so that we having been blessed can in turn bless others which results in everyone blessing God (CIT). The grace of Christian giving pours the blessings of God on all involved, the giver, the recipient, those concerned, and God.

I. SEED FOR THE HARVEST SUPPLIED, 8-11.

II. OVERFLOWING THANKSGIVING PRODUCED, 12-14.

III. GOD’S INDESCRIBABLE GIFT, 15.

Verse 8 encourages the giver by promising that God will make sure the cheerful giver has all that is needed to be involved in every good work. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

Verse 9 enlists the support of the OT for assistance in understanding the duration of the blessings that are returned to the cheerful giver. “As it is written, ‘He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.’”

Verse 9 is closely connected with verse 8 which expands on the promise that he who gives shall have an abundance to give. But the abounding grace mentioned in verse 8 refers to more than provision for one’s momentary or earthly needs. Giving reaps eternal reward also (Prov. 19:17; Mt. 25:40). By quoting from [the LXX version of] Psalm 112 Paul is showing that He is teaching what is already taught in the Law and the Prophets. This Psalm described a righteous man who has no fear of the future (112:1) because his heart is devoted and obedient to the Lord. Part of that obedience is that he gives gifts to the poor or hungry.

The term He scattered abroad is the same as the sowing of verse 6 and is a picturesque expression for openhanded generosity. The sower may have to deny himself some earthly amenities to scatter abroad but God’s grace will allow him to enjoy life more without them than he would if he possessed them. The main implication though is that vindicated will be his on the last day (Mt. 6:1). For one who gives to the poor gives to God.

The over-all thought is that the righteous scatter or sow. Here though the concept of sowing and reaping takes on richer and fuller meaning. This sowing is not a suggestion that we earn our righteousness by giving, for our positional righteousness comes from Jesus, but giving allows God to develop our experiential, conditional or daily righteousness. God develops our character in righteousness by our scattering spiritual and physical seed to the physically and spiritually poor and affected (Eph. 4:28). The cheerful givers gifts can be used by God for the opportunity or the raw material which He can work with to develop righteousness or sanctification. This practical righteousness endures forever. It is not simply the deed enduring but, more importantly, the doers transformation into greater Christ-likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). Though human riches pass away with the world or with death, personal righteousness, or sanctification, will endure forever. Through our giving God provides greater opportunity for us to accrue righteousness which will be to our eternal advantage.

The gracious end result of grace giving is an increase in the givers harvest of righteousness as verse 10 promises. “But the One who is supplying seed to the one who is sowing and bread for [into] eating He will supply and He will multiply your seed and He will increase the yields (harvests) of your righteousness”

Not only is Christian giving a sign of God’s grace but the supply of seed for sowing and bread for eating is supplied by God’s grace. God supplies the sowing seed and its yield [or return] so that we might share in God’s miracle of multiplication. What God initially gives is called seed because He wants it sown before He multiplies it. Thus those who participate in grace giving find that they always have spiritual and material seed for sowing and spiritual and material bread for eating because of God’s supplies of sowing seed and the seed it yields.