Senior Class Notes – May 26, 2024 – Toonigh Baptist Church

Spring 2024 Unit 2 Special Focus – The Joy of Giving; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, PSG 151-161 CSB.

May 26, 2024

The Point: Give generously and trust God with the outcome.

Inspirational verses: “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21).

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

These verses (6-15) contain the most explicit passages in the New Testament on stewardship. Because no individuals or places are named, the passage is easy to apply broadly. The words sparingly . . . bountifully state a principle that is proverbially true, based on common agricultural experience.¹⁶ Any farmer knows that a person who plants more seed will reap a larger harvest. In this context the terms sparingly and bountifully are proportionate to an individual’s ability to give.¹⁹ Here it is applied to financial matters, but see Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” and Galatians 6:7-9 (Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.)¹⁶ {Hosea 10:12 is a verse from the Bible that urges people to sow righteousness and reap mercy, and to seek the LORD until He blesses them with righteousness. The verse uses the metaphor of farming to illustrate the need to break up the fallow ground, which means to repent of sin and prepare the heart for God’s word. The verse is a call to repentance and faithfulness in a time of apostasy and judgment.}⁵⁵ Paul concludes this section of his letter with a number of principles concerning generosity and giving:¹⁷

First, he quotes a proverb about sowing and reaping. Giving generously is the way to have an abundant return, and the key is an attitude of delight.¹⁷
Second, Paul states that when someone shows grace to others by giving, God replenishes the grace so that he or she has more to give.¹⁷
Third, when people sow generously, they reap more than monetary gain. Cheerful giving transcends financial matters and results in a harvest of righteousness.¹⁷
Finally, Paul suggests that no matter how generous one’s giving, it pales when compared with the generosity of God, who gave His only Son. Even when writing about money, Paul’s mind remains on the cross of Christ. The gift of salvation should never cease to produce awe and gratitude.¹⁷

The law of the harvest is referred to repeatedly in Scripture (Prov. 11:24-25; 19:17; Luke 6:38; Gal. 6:7). If you do not plant, you will have no harvest.¹⁸

[From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham:]

Jesus talks a great deal about farming and sowing and reaping. Every person is a sower and a reaper. The Bible tells us plainly that whatever one sows, he will reap the same (Galatians 6:7). For example, the book of Proverbs warns about sowing discord among others. Throughout history many people have faced the same fate they intended for others. Maxentius built a false bridge to drown Constantine but he drowned himself on that bridge. The Bible records accounts of people sowing and reaping, like the mighty man Samson in the book of Judges. He fell from his greatness by the lust of his eyes and the Philistines put his eyes out. Samson sowed and reaped. In the book of Esther, the wicked man Haman erected gallows to hang Queen Esther’s relative Mordecai, but it was Haman, instead, who was hanged on the same gallows. Haman sowed and reaped. Daniel’s accusers were thrown into the same lion’s den in which they had thrown him. They sowed and reaped. In a very different way, Joseph sowed by storing up food before a great famine spread and he reaped the benefits of saving his own people from starvation.

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till he comes and rains righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12).

Those who trust the Lord Jesus as Savior are clothed in the righteousness of God. It means being covered in the righteous blood that Jesus shed on the cross to cover our sin. We sow sin, but through His sacrifice on the cross we reap His righteousness. Every person comes into this world a sinner, but by God’s grace, we can leave this world having reaped the salvation that God offers to all.⁵⁵

How do people get themselves into a financial crisis? They do so by failing to recognize that God is the owner of everything, and they are simply the managers. They don’t acknowledge that the resources in their stewardship should be used in a manner that honors Him or that He will reward their faithfulness. Don’t make the same mistake. Never make decisions based on balance sheets. Obey God in every area – including your finances. When you are generous with your faith in Him, you will find that His math yields a far greater return.²

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Christian stewardship, like other good works, flows ideally from a heart of love for God and others rather than from a sense of duty “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40).¹⁶ Some of God’s people were clearly in need, and God was going to use the financial resources of the Corinthians to meet that need. They could choose the kind of attitude they would exhibit in fulfilling this obligation – give out of a sense of duty and guilt or cheerfully, thanking God that they had the means to help.¹⁹ The greatest motivation to give is the desire to be involved in what God is doing. In giving, Christians experience joy as they participate in the lofty and profound work of ministry and the abundant good works of God.³² God is not primarily concerned about the amount of the gift, but with the motive that lies behind it. The person who fails to honor God with his money actually robs God “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8), not because it impoverishes God but because it denies the God-ordained means for the support of His work and His ministers. For the child of God who honors God with his money, God promises abundant blessing “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10); (Luke 6:38) and the provision of his every need “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

2 Corinthians 9:8 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:

The word grace, which underlies the phrase “to bless you abundantly” in the original Greek, comes from the root word to rejoice. It means, “the absolutely free benefit or expression of living-kindness, deeds which cause joy and favor conferred.” When Paul writes, “God is able to bless you abundantly,” (NIV) it means that the Lord shows you a superabundance of kindness that will cause you immense joy. God wants you to enjoy life at it very best, and His grace makes it possible.² The God who supplies is also the One who multiplies. This is His circle of Grace: He gives seed to the sower, and as the sower gives to provide for the needs of the Lord’s people, He enriches both the sower and the recipients beyond what was sown. In the kingdom of God, grace given is grace multiplied (Prov. 11:24-25).³² The Greek word for “all” is used four times to extol God’s blessings: all grace . . . all sufficiency . . . all things, and every good work (or all good works). A closely related word is translated always.¹⁶ The Corinthians knew that God had blessed them with every spiritual gift that they would ever need in His service (1 Cor. 12:7). The God who could empower them to work miracles would certainly supply income for those choosing to give generously!¹⁹ Giving – There is no better indicator of growth in the new life than in the area of giving. This passage and others deal with several aspects of giving:¹⁸

Giving should be done generously, even extravagantly (2 Cor. 9:6).
Giving should be done cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7).
Giving should be regular (1 Cor.16:2).
Giving should be systematic (1 Cor 16:2).
Giving should be proportionate (2 Cor. 8:3)

God is able. God sees to it that the generous giver will not suffer want. Instead, God generously provides for those who give so that they can continue to do so.¹⁸ Through His abounding grace God can enable each Christian to abound in generous deeds.³⁶

2 Corinthians 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Read 9:9 and 9:10 together.

This quotation of Psalm 112:9 is taken from a song about those who fear the Lord by living lives of righteous obedience to Him, extolling them to give to the poor.¹⁶ “Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.” (Psalm 112:5).³⁶

2 Corinthians 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Returning to the agricultural metaphor of verse 6, God sovereignly provides for the material needs (seed) and spiritual needs (righteousness) of believers.¹⁶ The God who is the ultimate source of the physical food that sustains all human life is the same God who supplies the spiritual nourishment that enables believers to flourish and serve.³⁶ God has promised that, in His economy, those who trust Him with the investment of their resources will always reap more than they sow. This may mean an immediate harvest of earthly prosperity or a long-term harvest of eternal reward. In all cases, abundance in giving will increase one’s righteousness, for the Spirit uses giving to continually transform the faithful into the image of Christ.³²

2 Corinthians 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Paul resumes extolling God’s grace (cp. v. 8) with two more uses of “all”; every thing and all bountifulness.¹⁶ These verses (9:8-11) stress the miracle of multiplication in God-centered giving. God enriches His people (i.e., from Him) to give generously (i.e., through Him), which produces thanksgiving (i.e., to Him).³¹

2 Corinthians 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

The impact of the Corinthians’ gift to the poor believers in Jerusalem would go far beyond Jerusalem. Other congregations would learn about it and glorify God for the generosity of the Corinthians.¹⁶ The effects of generous giving on the part of the Corinthians will extend beyond Jerusalem to the church as a whole, causing widespread prayer and praise to be offered.³⁶ Any benevolent gift to any charitable cause can help meet the needs of a poor person. But a gift given in the name of Christ has a further effect: it brings glory to God because it allows other people to see His hand at work in the world. This is, ultimately, much more important than the actual physical relief that the gift may bring, for it leads people to a greater trust in God.¹⁹ The motivation for giving others food to eat and water to drink, for clothing the naked, for reaching out to the stranger and for visiting the sick and the prisoner is the love of God (Matthew 25:35-36). If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are already saved. You don’t earn your salvation by doing these things; rather, you express your love for the Lord from the overflow of thankfulness in your heart.²

2 Corinthians 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

Christian stewardship is one important way to acknowledge the truth of Christ’s gospel before others.¹⁶ The Corinthians should not give merely as though they were helping some starving people whom they had never met. Rather, they should give as though they were bringing honor to the God who gave them everything they had.¹⁹ Paul emphasizes the spiritual rewards for those who give generously to God’s work. We should not expect to become wealthy through giving. Those who receive your gifts will be helped, will praise God, and will pray for you. As you bless others, you will be blessed.³³

2 Corinthians 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

An added incentive for giving is that other believers will offer a prayer for those who give generously, because generous giving is evidence of the grace of God at work.¹⁶ Claiming to love God is easy. But giving sacrificially to the Lord is proof of that love.³² The surpassing grace God has given you (NIV). Displayed in this unselfish demonstration of their loving concern for fellow believers who are in desperate need.³⁶

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Giving ought to be an expression of appreciation to God for sending the gift that is Jesus (John 3:16).¹⁶ Paul concluded the discussion with the foundational truth for all Christian stewardship. Paul shifted from the discussion of financial blessings to a prayer of thanks for salvation through Christ. If God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son (John 3:16), then surely we can give a portion of our material blessings to help other believers.¹⁹ His unspeakable gift. Our gifts can never compare with God’s sacrifice for us.¹⁸ God sent His Son as evidence of His love; when believers give back to God as their first priority, they are responding to His great gift.³² The greatest gift we could ever receive is salvation through the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. the reason we should embrace the privilege of giving is out of love and thankfulness for all God has already provided for us.²

References: Spring 2024, March 3, 2024 – May 19, 2024

(CWB) – Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry – Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd. Copyright © 1960. Copyright 1961 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(CWB#2) – Commentary practical and explanatory on the Whole Bible by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset, Rev. David Brown by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(ESVSB) – The English Standard Version Study Bible, Personal size. Copyright © 2008 by Crossway. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway.
(ETB) – Explore The Book by J Sidlow Baxter. Copyright © 1960 by J. Sidlow Baxter. Published 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(HISB) – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible Copyright © 2006 by Holman Bible Publishers. The Holman Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers.
(HRTB) He Reads Truth Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(IMO) – On occasion, with the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will make comments of my own, based on my understanding of the events. I will indicate such times with – In My O
(KJBC) – The King James Bible Commentary, Copyright © 1999 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ©1983 by Old-Time Gospel Hour. Scripture quotations are from the Open Bible, King James version, © 1975 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(KJSB) – The King James Study Bible, (previously published as The Liberty Annotated Study Bible and as The Annotated Study Bible, King James Version) © 1988 by Liberty University.
(LESB) Life Essentials Study Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(NCBD) – The Nelson’s Compact Bible Dictionary Copyright © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NIDNTT) – The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology Copyright © 1967, 1969, 1971 by Theologisher Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, Wuppertal. English Language edition Volume 1 Copyright © 1975, 1986, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. and The Paternoster Press, Ltd. Exeter, Devon, U.K.
(NIVBTSB) – The New International Version Biblical Theology Study Bible Copyright © 2018 by The Zondervan Corporation. Text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. previously published as The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible.
(NIVCBSB) – The New International Version Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Copyright © 2016 by The Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. published by the Zondervan Corporation.
(NIVJSB) – The New International Version Jeremiah Study Bible, Copyright © 2016 by David Jeremiah, Inc. Using the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan.
(NIVLASB) – The New International Version Life Application Study Bible, Hardcover Edition. Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton Il. 60189. Hardcover editions are published by Tyndale house.
(NIVMEB) – The New International Version Ministry Essentials Bible, Copyright © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC. Based on The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NIVSB) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985 by the Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the New York International Bible Society.®
(NIVSB #2) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2020 by Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, USA. text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.®
(NIVZSB) – The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible Copyright © 2015 by the Zondervan Corporation. Text from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NKJVBGTCB) – The New King James Version Billy Graham Training Center Bible © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NKJVSB) – Holman Study Bible, New King James Version Edition Copyright © 2013 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tn. Text from the New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(QNBD) – Quick Notes Bible Dictionary based on text from the King James Version of the Bible and cross referenced with the NIV and NRSV Bibles. Copyright © 1998 by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray.
(SEC) – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Dictionaries of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Testament words. Copyright © 1890 by James Strong. Based on the King James Version of the Bible.
(TATA) – The Acts of The Apostles by Charles Caldwell Ryrie Copyright © 1961 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
(TDNT) – Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(THBC) – Today’s Handbook of Bible Characters Copyright © 1979 by E.M. Blaiklock, published by Bethany House Publishers.
(TMEB) – The Ministry Essential Bible © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC P.O. Box 3473 Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473.
(TZPEB) – The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, copyright © 1975, 1976 by the Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(WIKI) Wikipedia – internet source.