Giving

INTRODUCTION

Giving is an important function of the spiritual life. You may have given little consideration to this subject, but it is much more than simply giving money. Giving is related to so many other Biblical doctrines that two chapters in Second Corinthians are necessary to adequately cover its relationship to the spiritual life. Giving, as a specialized function of the royal priesthood of the believer, depends basically on the utilization of the “grace apparatus for perception” (GAP) and on the erection of the “edification complex” in the soul. Giving includes your attitude, your viewpoint, the condition of your soul, the giving of yourself and of your capacity to give as well as of your possessions.

Billions and billions of years ago God knew that, because of the angelic conflict, the function of giving would be attacked both within the local church and in the secular world. Many people give because they think that God is a “genie” who will give them what they want because they “ante in” a certain amount in the collection plate. Many people give to assuage a guilt complex. They have become financially successful, perhaps by some unethical business practices. Giving some portion of this money to charity and the underprivileged eases the conscience! There is often a very fine line between true Biblical giving and giving with false motivation.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH AGE

In order to appreciate the full scope of giving and to relate our topic to the other functions of the spiritual life, certain underlying technical principles must be understood. To begin, we will review briefly several characteristics which are unique to the Church Age, the dispensation4d in which we live.

First, at salvation the baptism of the Holy Spirits identifies us with Christ and enters us into union with Him. This positional sanctification6 is in two categories: (1) Retroactive positional truth (identification with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and burial) connotes rejection of and separation from the power and authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. (2) Current positional truth (identification with Christ in His resurrection, ascension and session) indicates our royalty and permanent relationship with the Lord as members of the Body of Christ (Rom. 6:3-11; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 2:12).

Second, in the Church Age the Holy Spirit indwells the body of every believer as the sign of royalty (Rom. 8:9) and as the principle of victory over the old sin nature (Gal. 5:17). Certain Old Testament believers were temporarily empowered by the Holy Spirit for specific purposes. But the Spirit, who guides the believer and glorifies Jesus Christ (John 14:26; 16:13, 14), never permanently resided in any believer prior to Pentecost because Christ’s glorification at the right hand of the Father had not yet occurred (John 7:39). Third, whereas in the Age of the Jews Jesus Christ indwelled the Tabernacle and later the Temple, in the present dispensation our Lord indwells the body of every believer (John 14:20; Gal. 2:20). This is a second sign of our royalty and is the basis for fellowship with Christ.

Fourth, for the first time in history, the believer’s instructions do not come through dreams, visions, angelic teaching, or direct revelation, but through the complete canon of Scripture. Everything God wants us to know is in writing (1 Cor. 2:16). Fifth, every believer is in full-time Christian service. We are all God’s personal representatives or ambassadors, whatever our occupation in life may be (2 Cor. 5:20).

Sixth, the Church Age believer does not live under the Mosaic Law, but under the New Covenant, which abrogates and supersedes the Law (Rom. 8:24). We have a clearly defined grace way of life which demands a supernatural means of execution: the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18) plus, maximum Bible doctrine resident in the soul (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

Last in our review, and especially pertinent to our subject, is the universal priesthood of the believer. In the Church Age, every believer is a royal priest (1 Pet. 2:5, 9) whose objective is to grow to maturity (Eph. 3:17-21; 4:11-16; Heb. 6:17-20). As one of the sacrifices or priestly functions of the royal priesthood (Heb. 13), giving is a privilege of believers only; unbelievers are excluded because they are under condemnation from God. While worship is primarily the function of GAP learning doctrine as taught by the pastor-teacher it also includes praying, singing, observing the Lord’s Table, and giving among its authorized expressions.

FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GIVING

(1) The Old Testament Principle of Giving. Some people think that the basis for giving in the Old Testament was tithing. It was not! Giving then was grace giving, just as it is in the New Testament. The principle for giving in the Old Testament is found in Proverbs 11:24,25:

There is that scattereth [gives liberally], and yet increaseth [materially]; and there is that withholdeth more [money] than is meet [fitting], but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat [rich]: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

The Old Testament believers were commanded to bring tithes and offerings (Deut. 12:6): tithing was taxation; offerings were grace giving.

(2) The New Testament Principle of Giving. This principle is found in 2 Corinthians 9:7. The believer today gives “as he purposeth in his heart … not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

(3) Tithing. The word “tithe” means “ten percent.” Old Testament tithing was a form of taxation and was imposed upon Jewish believers and unbelievers alike. This amounted to a percentage of what one owned or received for his labors. There were several tithes. One was an income tax for the maintenance of the Levites (Num. 18, 21, 24). There was also a tax for the national feasts and sacrifices, mentioned in Deuteronomy 14, 22 through 24. Thirdly, there was a tax every third year used for the poor of the land (Deut. 14, 28, 29). THREE TAXES or THREE TITHES!

The fact that tithing has nothing to do with giving can be seen from the Hebrew of Malachi 3:8-10. Tithes were brought into the treasury (literally) — not the “storehouse,” and NOT the church! Tithing was taxation; giving was OVER AND ABOVE TITHING!

(4) The Time and Norm for Giving. In 1 Corinthians 16:2, we find the time for giving to be the first day of the week at assembly worship. The norm: “As God has prospered!”

A GRACE GIFT FROM MACEDONIA

Chapters 8 and 9 of Second Corinthians give us fifteen principles of giving. The last verse of Chapter 7 states that Paul had confidence in the Corinthian believers that they would continue to respond to doctrine. But the first word of the Greek text in Chapter 8 indicates a change in subject to show that Paul did NOT have confidence in the Corinthians’ ability to give as unto the Lord. Therefore, he proceeded to set forth the fifteen principles in order to teach the doctrine of giving. This is the most extensive passage in Scripture on giving and one which, when understood properly, will provide answers to all questions on the subject.

One of the reasons for Paul’s lack of confidence in Corinthian giving is that they were very rich, and too often the very rich are the least informed on the true Biblical concepts and principles in giving as unto the Lord. Paul began his dissertation on giving by establishing an example for the Corinthians — the fantastic giving of the poor, impoverished and persecuted Macedonians.

Moreover, brethren, we communicate to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1; verses quoted in this passage are literal translations).

According to the historian Livy, the Romans at this time had devastated all of Macedonia. Yet, despite their poverty and great affliction at the hands of the Romans, the Macedonians gave generously to the needy saints at Jerusalem and had set an example from which the Corinthians could well profit. The starving saints in Jerusalem needed assistance in order to survive, and this letter from Paul concerns a collection to relieve the pressure of the Jerusalem believers.

Since there was a traditional racial bias between the Jews and the Gentiles, Paul had to dispel the natural antagonism existing between the two peoples. Thus he related the Macedonian example for the Corinthians. The Macedonians gave first of themselves; they had the right mental attitude for giving; they were in fellowship. They had no mental attitude sins connected with their giving. They gave from their great love for the Lord so that the destitute Jews in Jerusalem might survive. The Macedonians gave more than anyone else to this collection, and they were broke!

This proves a point: grace can squeeze blood out of a turnip! Of course, grace put the blood into the turnip first. God so provided for the impoverished Macedonians that they had an abundance to give to the persecuted believers in Jerusalem. That is grace 17 The Macedonians did not earn it; they did not deserve it; they did not work for it. But they possessed grace orientation, and that is the dynamics of giving! Only through grace orientation can you give as unto the Lord.

The collection taken up among the Macedonians was so fantastic that Paul referred to it in Acts 24:17, Romans 15:25-28, 1 Corinthians 16:1 4, and Galatians 2:10. While the Macedonians, though in deep poverty, had given liberally and in the proper mental attitude of grace, the Corinthians, who were rich, were dragging their feet. An offering had been started among them but had never been finished. This epistle was designed to stimulate the Corinthians to begin the collection again, but only on the basis of correct Biblical principles. Therefore, Paul devotes two chapters to the relationship of the grace of God and the principle of giving in grace.

THE ONLY WAY TO GIVE

Paul sets forth the first principle of giving:

How that in the midst of severe testing of great pressure the superabundance of their happiness and their deep-down poverty superabounded because of their riches of their generous mental attitude (2 Cor. 8:2).

The Macedonians gave under “much testing and superabundance of happiness,” In grace! The key to the Macedonians’ giving, which glorified the Lord, was their grace orientation. The believer who gives in grace has great happiness, which is based on doctrine stored in his human spirit and in his right lobe. “Their joy” is their superabundance of happiness derived from Bible doctrine.

Happiness is built only upon Bible doctrine (Jer. 15:16; John 13:17; 1 John 1:4), for doctrine from the Word of God gives you the capacity for happiness (John 17:13, 17). Apart from Bible doctrine, the materialistic things and people which make you happy today will bore you or make you miserable tomorrow (Heb. 13:5, 6). Unless you have doctrinal capacity, even your right man or right woman cannot bring you the maximum happiness God intended you to have in that relationship.

The Macedonians were under great pressure; yet they had great happiness. They had grace happiness, and they gave from that grace happiness.

The significance of true giving is a MENTAL ATTITUDE rather than the amount donated. True giving is based on grace orientation. It is “giving of yourself”! When you give in grace, you still have grace!

A grace mental attitude is a generous mental attitude. The Macedonians gave out of their poverty! They were happy, even though they were broke! They gave on the basis of their superabundance of happiness _and a grace mental attitude. The first principle of giving, therefore, deals with a mental attitude of grace orientation.

FREEWILL GIVING

That according to the standard of their ability, I testify, and beyond their ability (willingly and voluntarily] of their own free will (2 Cor. 8:3).

Grace giving is the function of the believer’s own free will and is never the result of human coercion or legalistic’” pressure. Further- more, grace giving eliminates emotional activity as a basis for giving or as a means of coercion. In other words, grace giving precludes any such gimmicks as point systems, competition between believers, approbation lust, or bribing God. Grace giving is nonmeritorious giving! The only true motive in giving is from doctrine.

The royal priesthood of the individual believer must operate from free will and privacy. These are the basic ingredients of freedom under the principles of divine establishment. Giving should be accomplished in privacy as unto the Lord and as a commemoration of God the Father’s grace.

In this verse Paul is again “testifying” or bearing witness to the fact that the Macedonians had the right mental attitude of divine viewpoint in giving; they were grace-oriented. Their mental attitude was the basis of their phenomenal, sacrificial giving to the church in Jerusalem. In spite of their poverty and persecution, the Macedonians had made a spontaneous and positive decision to aid the believers in Jerusalem. This gift was the result of their God-given free will and their superabundance of happiness. No pressure! No coercion! No desire for return! That is grace orientation!

A GRACE PRIVILEGE

With much imploring, begging us the favor and the partnership in the ministry [the priestly function of giving] to the saints (2 Cor. 8:4).

Giving is a privilege associated with grace.” The word “favor” refers to grace and is one of the key words in this third principle of giving. Christians operating under grace have the privilege of giving under the true grace concept. Legalists can never understand this principle and concept of giving as declared in God’s Word. Hence, legalists can never give with the proper motivation because their giving is based upon human merit, emotions, human good,” point systems, or hope of reward.

This “ministry” of giving — a privilege and function of the royal priesthood — is derived from two Greek nouns in this passage: CHARIS, meaning “grace,” and DIAKONIA, from which we get the word “deacon." The primary meaning of DIAKONIA is in connection with the administrative function of the local church; but here it refers to the priestly function of giving. Giving to the Lord is a privilege of believers only!

A SOUL ACTIVITY

And not even as we expected [anticipated], but they gave themselves, and only themselves, first to the Lord and then to us, by the plan [purpose, design] of God (2 Cor. 8:5).

Although the Macedonian believers were destitute, they far exceeded Paul’s expectation in the matter of the offering. Why? Because they gave of themselves from their own grace mental attitude. “First” emphasizes the person rather than the gift. When a person simply gives his money,” he is doing what any unbeliever can do. Because they are under condemnation from God, unbelievers cannot give of themselves to the Lord; they cannot give of their souls. The Macedonians gave of themselves — their souls! That soul activity actually extends to the overt activity of giving. But the money or the amount is not important; it is the condition of the soul that counts.

Doctrine in the right lobe of the soul is the basis for all true giving — the true motivation for giving. Giving on the basis of doctrine in the soul is giving without mental attitude sins, such as approbation lust or human good motivation or emotion.

You are familiar with the sad story told by a missionary about the dramatic conversion of the chief; then while everyone is weeping and emotional, the offering plate is immediately passed. This is giving under pressure; this is emotional giving. Such giving cannot count for the Lord. Often one pastor will say to another, “We need a great offering, brother . . . do you know any inspiring stories you can tell?” When you give under emotional pressure, it is not giving at all! Bible doctrine must be the only motivator for giving.

Giving must be accomplished as unto the Lord; an illustration is the true sexual relationship between a man and a woman designed for each other by God. In human love there must first be soul relationship — right man and right woman — then sex, within the framework of Divine Institution #2 — Marriage.” Sex without soul relationship is animalistic. Money, in this analogy, is equivalent to sex. There must be a soul involvement before the giving of money can be divine good. That is why the Macedonians were magnificent; they had a soul relationship with the Lord, so their giving was divine good. The Corinthians, on the other hand, indulged in sex and gave money, both without soul involvement. That is the reason this epistle was written to them.

Now eight points concerning this fourth principle of giving:

(1) While giving is a part of the design, the plan and the purpose of God, there is a definite sequence in giving.

(2) Giving is a commemoration of grace. Christ gave Himself on the Cross, but His character was involved His divine character and His human character. Therefore, He gave of Himself - His character and His soul. God gives in grace because of His character or essence’2 because of who and what He is.

(3) In recognition of and orientation to God’s grace, the believer must give on the basis of his own character from doctrine in his right lobe.

(4) Giving of self is the capacity for love and the capacity for grace based on doctrine.

(5) Giving is both an extension and a manifestation of what is in the soul.

(6) Giving originates in the soul. First there is soul activity, then the overt act of giving.

(7) Giving reflects grace and love in the soul. Giving in grace does not make an issue of the amount of the gift. (8) Giving from an emotional revolt of the soul reduces it to a bribe for love or good behavior and results in such phrases as, “After all I’ve done for you!” “I’ve given enough money to have some say around here!” That is giving with strings. There is no place in the function of the royal priesthood for this type of giving.

RECIPROCITY

The Macedonians were gentiles, but they “decided with pleasure [to give] “ (Rom. 15:27a) to Jews who lived in a distant city, most of whom they would never meet. Why were these northern Greeks so generous to almost total strangers? Their generosity expressed IMPER- SONAL LOVE. Impersonal love emphasizes the character of the giver, not that of the recipient, whereas personal love focuses on the attractiveness and virtues of the object of love. Impersonal love is commanded toward all believers (John 13:35); personal love is reserved for special individuals — Jesus Christ, right man or right woman, family, friends. Many Jewish believers in Jerusalem were reversionists and legalists; soon they would convince even Paul to forget grace (Acts 21:18-26). They certainly were not deserving of generosity! But the Macedonians fulfilled the command to impersonal love, and further, they recognized the principle of RECIPROCITY. The Jews were the original custodians of the Word of God; God had selected Jewish prophets to receive and write the Scriptures; the greatest communicators of doctrine were Jews; Christ Himself was a Jew. The Macedonians acknowledged their great debt to this unique people, in spite of the reversionism and evil then rampant in Jerusalem {Rom. 15:278). The gentiles had benefited from the Jews through doctrine; now these Greeks, from the doctrine in their souls, wanted to reciprocate by sharing their money with destitute Jewish believers.

MACEDONIA VERSUS CORINTH

We now leave the Macedonians and go to the Corinthians. The Corinthians were not broke, but they had much to learn about giving.

With the result that we requested Titus that even as he had begun on a previous occasion, so also he would complete toward you this favor [grace] also (2 Cor. 8:6).

The Macedonian giving fulfilled every principle of grace, every principle of the extension of Bible doctrine. It was done on the basis of the Filling of the Spirit, on the basis of doctrine in the right lobe, and on the basis of capacity for love. It fulfilled every true concept of giving. The word “favor” or “grace” indicates that giving must always be on the basis of grace, as in verse 4 — without strings or gimmicks!

Paul sees no reason why the Corinthians cannot give on exactly the same basis. They had failed in their giving when Timothy went to Corinth. The Corinthians were too tough for him. Timothy had too much “sweetness and light,” and he flopped. They drove him right out of town. So Paul sent his troubleshooter -- Titus. Titus was hard and tough, and the Corinthians fell right into line. They had recovered from their failure described in the first epistle, and now it was necessary for them to demonstrate their grace orientation.

With the spiritual advance under Titus, the Corinthians began an offering for the Jews in Jerusalem. But when Titus departed, the offering was discontinued, and the Corinthians fell into reversionism. Now Titus is returning, and the offering can be continued on the same spiritual basis as before. To make sure the Corinthians do not have any illusions or misconceptions or do not give because of emotion, Paul did not tell them of the poor starving children or of the hungry people standing in line for food in Jerusalem; he simply gave them the illustration of the Macedonians.

Although in material poverty, the Macedonians had such great spiritual riches that God provided the means for them to give sacrificially as an extension of their spiritual life. Now the Corinthians are hit with the same challenge. The prepositional phrase, “insomuch that” — literally, “with the result that” is used to make the transition from Macedonian giving to Corinthian giving. Why is this prepositional phrase recorded for us? To remind us that as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we have the same responsibility to give; but that responsibility must include the concept that giving is an extension of the spiritual life.

You must disassociate money from the principle of giving. You give first of that which is invisible and immaterial — your soul life. Then overt giving can be expressed. Giving is an overt expansion of the spiritual wealth of your soul. This was shown dramatically in the Macedonian giving.

Even though the Corinthian church was one of the wealthiest in the ancient world, Paul was not interested in tapping their financial resources. He was not catering to them because of their wealth. In fact, he was very tough on them personally, and he sent Titus to them, the most hard-nosed man on his team. He made it clear that the Macedonians had fulfilled every spiritual principle in giving, and now the Corinthians are going to be given the same opportunity.

We also see from the transitional phrase in verse 6 that grace is tested in giving. Giving is not a test of your financial status; giving is a test of your grace orientation. We have a grace test every time there is an offering, even as there is a grace test at the Communion Table and every time the Word of God is taught. By a grace test I mean that God has provided everything and therefore your response depends only upon nonmeritorious positive volition — not upon your ability to give.

AN EXTENSION OF GAP

Moreover, just as in everything you superabound, in the sphere of faith, in the sphere of doctrine, in the sphere of knowledge, in the sphere of all diligence of application, in the sphere of a relaxed mental attitude, from you to us, with the result that you also in the sphere of this grace [giving] superabound (2 Cor. 8:7).

The fifth principle of giving is an extension of the consistent function of the grace apparatus for perception. The word “abound” should be translated “superabound “ The Corinthians superabounded in doctrine and in money. God had blessed the Corinthians as He had blessed few of the early churches. They had both spiritual and material wealth a great combination. Then follows a list of their spiritual blessings which they had through GAP.

“In the sphere of faith [PISTIS].” This refers to the inhale and exhale of doctrine from the Word. The inhale is a part of the grace apparatus of perception; the exhale is a part of faith-rest. 4’’

“In the sphere of doctrine [LOGOS].” LOGOS is Bible doctrine found in the Word. Under the principle of GAP, doctrine is understood in the left or perceptive lobe by the ministry of the Holy Spirit and becomes GNOSIS — “in the sphere of knowledge.” GNOSIS is converted to EPIGNOSIS (full knowledge or understanding) in the human spirit by means of faith (the first phase — “in the sphere of PISTIS”). Then epignosis is cycled to the right lobe and enters into the frame of reference, vocabulary, norms and standards and viewpoint, and be- comes the basis for the edification complex. Three of the technical words for the grace apparatus of perception are found here: PISTIS (faith), LOGOS (doctrine), and GNOSIS (knowledge).

“In the sphere of all diligence of application.” This phase of GAP implies that EPIGNOSIS is in existence. Application of doctrine must come from EPIGNOSIS on the “launching pad” in the right lobe.

“In the sphere of love [AGAPE].” This is the relaxed mental attitude and indicates that they are growing up! The Corinthians at this point have at least three floors of the edification complex grace orientation, mastery of the details of life, and a relaxed mental attitude. From the RMA comes the application of doctrine which eventually produces grace giving.

At the beginning of this verse we find the Corinthians already superabounding in spiritual wealth. Whether they will extend their spiritual wealth to grace giving is potential at this point. It depends on their volition. God requires consistency and stability in the Christian life. I am talking about the consistency of the SUPER-GRACE LIFE. You can turn every subjunctive mood (potential) into an indicative mood (reality). You must move, move, move! You never sit still. Being stabilized does not mean that you will always do the right thing. But it does mean that you keep on moving regardless of your failures, and you turn every potential into reality. That is what Paul is saying; and the Corinthians came through!

This relationship of giving to the consistent function of GAP can be summed up under three points:

(1) Christian giving is an extension of stability in the spiritual life.

(2) Christian giving is an extension of GAP. We not only have GRACE GIVING here, but we have GAP GIVING! How do you obtain stability in giving? From the DAILY function of GAP. As goes GAP, so goes your giving.

(3) Giving is an extension of the consistency of GAP. The believer has the greatest opportunity for consistency in this day of apostasy consistency in taking in the Word of God. You give of yourself because you have been consistent . . . consistent . . . consistent! You give of that stabilized consistency called grace, grace and MORE GRACE!

While the Corinthians have been consistent up to this point, as yet they have not followed through in their spiritual life. They must give of their own free will, apart from human energy, human ability, human viewpoint, human gimmicks or coercion!

A TEST OF LOVE

I am not speaking according to the commandment, but through the diligent application of others [the Macedonians], testing the genuineness of your love (2 Cor. 8:8).

The sixth principle of giving which Paul now emphasizes is that giving is a test of the genuineness of your love of Jesus Christ, as well as your love of God the Father and of God the Holy Spirit S In effect, Christian giving is love giving — NOT law giving. Christian giving proves the reality of your love — the genuineness of grace motivation rather than the keeping of the Mosaic Law.

Whatever is taught about giving, it should not be forced upon people. “I speak not according to the commandment” means that you are not to give on the norm or standard of a command. Some activities ARE commanded in the Word, such as the assembling of ourselves together, giving a hearing to the Word, praying one for another, and loving one another — the AGAPE love, or relaxed mental attitude. But we are NOT commanded to give, because this must be the result of taking in the Word, the Filling of the Spirit, and divine viewpoint in the right lobe. No pressure should ever exist . . . no approbation lust . . . no public display.

Furthermore — and it cannot be stressed too often — you cannot give in this age under any concept of tithing. Spiritual giving in the Old Testament is described as “offerings." Offerings were for believers only. Tithes were for both believers and unbelievers. The principle remains the same today, regardless of dispensation: giving is always an expression of the believer’s love-response to God.

The key to the Macedonian giving was their Category One love. They were the example of grace to the Corinthians. That is why Paul says, “through the diligent application of others” — that is, the diligent application of Bible doctrine on the part of the Macedonian believers. The Macedonians were an excellent example because they did not have any money. The amount of money is unimportant; what is important is the spiritual concept involved!

Paul is now testing the Corinthians for the purpose of graduating them with regard to the concept of giving. So far they have flunked; they emphasized their money. People living in some state of prosperity are prone to emphasize their wealth. But with God it is never the amount of money that counts — it is the amount of Bible doctrine in the right lobe!

“To test” means “testing for approval.” Giving is designed by God to test your love-response. If is a test of the reality of your love for the Lord. Just how do you express your love for God? You express it through your character. You do not express your love for God only when things are rosy. You do not tell God you love Him just to mend a broken fence when you are in trouble. You do not use ulterior motives when expressing your love for God. Some may say that they express their love for God through some form of worship — the esthetics, the ritual and the emotional feeling connected with worship.

But the overt expression must be conditioned on an inner expression. True worship is a combination of the inner and overt expression of your Category One love for God. You respond to God’s love through ability and capacity of your soul. On the overt side, we have ability which comes from the use of Bible doctrine, and which, in turn, depends upon the daily function of GAP. The emphasis, however, is on the inner ability or the inner capacity which gives substance and reality to the overt ability. Just as soul love precedes sex love in Category Two love, so it is with worship. There must be doctrine in the soul before the various aspects of assembly worship are meaningful. In other words, ritual without reality is meaningless!

Before you can fully understand the principle of giving, you must be oriented to the principle of grace. Giving is always a grace function. Grace giving is the antithesis of worldly giving, which is giving under some type of pressure or strings. Under worldly systems, people give to gain attention, to impress others, to match other gifts, to assuage a guilt complex, to satisfy some lust pattern, or because of friendship. So it is necessary to review the doctrine of grace at this point.

THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE

(1) Definition: Grace is all that God is free to do for man on the basis of the Cross. Grace is the plan and work of God on behalf of mankind. Under grace, God provides a royal priesthood as a vehicle through which the believer can give; He provides the materialistic substance for the believer to give and the apparatus for assimilating doctrine, on the basis of which believers give.

(2) Grace depends on the essence or character of God. Grace is what God can do for man and still be consistent with His own character. This is illustrated by the doctrine of propitiation.’5 God is capable of loving man with a maximum love that is, the believer, who has passed the point of propitiation and still not compromise His character.

(3) Grace is the antithesis of legalism. Legalism is man’s work or ability intruding upon the Plan of God/ Legalism is the enemy of grace.

(4) Under the concept of grace and sanctification, the greatest thing that God can do for the saved person is to make him exactly like His Son, Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29). This is accomplished in three stages, all of which are related to the angelic conflict. (a) Positional sanctification: Every believer at the point of salvation is entered into union with Christ. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father and is superior to angels in His resurrected humanity (Heb. 1,2). At the moment of salvation, we enter into union with Christ and are positionally higher than angels though not experientially (Eph. 2:6). (b) Experiential sanctification: The construction of the edification complex of the soul through the consistent use of GAP (the daily intake of doctrine) and entrance into the super-grace life. (c) Ultimate sanctification: The believer receives a resurrection body which is minus the old sin nature and minus all human good-exactly like that of Christ. At this point the believer is physically superior to all angelic creatures.

(5) Every believer has tasted the grace of God at least once (1 Pet. 2:3). This refers to the point of salvation when the believer receives at least thirty-six grace gifts’ from God, which are unearned and undeserved (Eph. 2:8,9).

(6) Disorientation to grace is the believer’s greatest occupational hazard in Phase Two 7 (Gal. 5:4) - “falling from grace” ignoring the grace of God (Heb. 12:15).

(7) God is constantly waiting to pour out His grace on every believer in Phase Two (Isa. 30:18,19).

(8) God has provided everything for salvation; man responds in a nonmeritorious manner-faith (Psa. 103:8-12; Rom. 3:23,24; 5:20; Eph. 2:8,9).

(9) Phase Two expresses grace in many ways: For example, prayer (Heb. 4:16); suffering (2 Cor. 12:9,10); growth (2 Pet. 3:18); stability (1 Pet. 5:12); the modus vivendi of the Christian life (2 Cor. 1:12;Heb. 12:28); and the production of divine good (1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 6:1).

(10) Grace orientation is the bona fide motivation and thought pattern for giving (2 Cor. 8:9).

(11) Grace is the only sufficiency for suffering in Phase Two. Through grace God is able to bless the believer in the midst of pressure, suffering, adversity (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

(12) The axioms of grace:

(a) God is perfect; His plan is perfect.

(b) A perfect plan can only originate from a perfect God.

(c)If man can do anything meritorious in the plan of God, it is no longer perfect; then grace is not grace, and it is canceled out.

(d) A plan is no stronger than its weakest link. For this reason, grace excludes human merit, human ability, human good.

of God.

(e) Legalism, or human works, is the enemy of grace.

(f) Works of human righteousness have no place in the plan

(g) Human good is associated with mental attitude of pride. Just as grace orientation is the source of bona fide giving in the Christian life, so pride is the source of human good.

(13) Four areas in which pride rejects grace:

(a) Pride of the believer who rejects the doctrine of eternal security — he assumes his sins are greater than the plan of God; (b) the pride of the believer who succumbs to pressure and adversity — he assumes his sufferings are greater than grace provision; © the pride of the pseudo-spiritual believer — he assumes his human system is greater than the power of the Spirit in his life; (d) the pride of the believer under emotional revolt of the soul — he assumes his emotions, his feelings and experiences are more valid than Bible doctrine.

DEPENDENCE ON GRACE ORIENTATION

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 (2 Cor. 8:9).

Now you can understand from the study of the doctrine of grace the relationship of grace to our Lord Jesus Christ. The second phrase, “that he, being rich,” indicates the status of Jesus Christ in eternity past — Christ was always wealthy! The maximum concept of wealth is related to every Person of the Godhead. Yet because of you, believer, Christ came to the point of abject poverty! This does not refer primarily to the Incarnation, but to the Cross, when Christ became truly poor. He gave His all — He gave Himself! And it was a voluntary act on His part. True giving is the giving of self. That does not mean you must give all your money; it means that you must give as an extension of doctrine in your soul.

When Christ gave Himself on the Cross, who was the object of that great gift of love? YOU! ‘That you all, by means of the poverty of him might become rich.” These riches connote all that God’s grace provides in Phase One, Phase Two and Phase Three. The entire plan of God is grace-oriented from start to finish. Giving, therefore, on the part of the believer must comply with God’s plan. God’s plan is always grace. We are here by His grace; we live by His grace; we serve by His grace (1 Cor. 15:10)! Whatever we do in this life after salvation is a matter of grace, and that includes giving. Therefore, anytime you link up with a group of believers who pressure you to give, who have some system of gimmicks, who dun you for money, who talk about tithing, you are in the wrong place! Everything in the Christian life is consistent — IT IS GRACE ALL THE WAY! Giving must be accomplished as unto the Lord. That means all giving is to be done in grace and on no other basis!

Now there are some pitfalls in grace giving about which we must be careful. Someone may think, “Well, if I am going to give by grace, I should give everything I have.” That is WRONG! How much you give is a matter between you and the Lord, a matter of personal judgment: grace giving does not demand that you deprive yourself or your loved ones of necessities. Grace giving demands love giving — not deprivation.

The “riches” of verse 9 includes the thirty-six things which the believer receives at salvation, as well as those in Phase Two and in eternity. But while grace riches are available in Phase Two, they are only potential. The utilization of grace riches depends on the amount of doctrinal intake and your own volition.

APPLICATION OF GRACE PRINCIPLES

And in this, I give my opinion [based on doctrine]; for this is profitable for you not only to do, but also to desire that which you began at a particular time a year ago (2 Cor. 8:10).

In verse 10 we have a transition from the principle of doctrine we studied in verse 9 to the application to the Corinthians. Notice that Paul does not give an order; he simply gives advice. To give an order would violate their volition. Paul cannot say to them, “And in this, I DEMAND that you give.” Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Paul is moving from that great principle stated in verse 9 to expressing an opinion based on doctrine; and he will relate it to their situation, but not by commanding an offering.

When a demand is made to give, it is no longer free will but coercion. Giving must always be a matter of free will. The sovereignty of God began the plan — “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The plan is grace; grace gives of free volition. “God so loved the world that he GAVE his only begotten son.” “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable GIFT.” Man was not here to demand salvation; the human race did not even exist. God provided salvation freely, and there was no demand; there was only grace giving from God.

Giving demands freedom. Only free people can give. Your freedom to give is a function of the royal priesthood. You are free to give or not to give. But if you give, you are giving because you are free to do so. Giving is never giving when someone makes you give. Giving is only giving when it comes from your soul; it reflects the character of the giver.

Next, there are two infinitives expressing purpose: “to do” and “to desire.” Both are pertinent to giving. What is the difference? The desire to give expresses a state of love. For example, a woman who loves a man always desires to give herself to him, and so the principle stays in her soul. The believer-priest who has doctrine and who has the capacity to love God always desires to give, whether he is actually giving or not. But the actual giving is in a point of time; the Corinthians began their offering “at a particular time a year ago.”

But now also Finish doing it in order that, just as positive volition to will to give, so also to complete the giving out from what you have (2 Cor. 8:11).

The desire is still there a year later; now he exhorts the Corinthians to finish the offering and give from what they have. You never give from what you have not! This anticipates verse 12. Even if you have nothing, it is acceptable to God so long as you have positive volition (willingness).

For if there be present [on hand) positive volition based on doctrine acceptable [or pleasing], whether he has or whether he does not have (2 Cor. 8:12).

What should be on hand at all times? Obviously you will not always have money. But you can always have the basis for giving — a willing mind, which is literally positive volition based on doctrine. This switches giving from what you put in the offering to what goes on in your soul. The first class condition here indicates a remarkable change in the Corinthians. They now have the positive volition.

Now suppose the offering is passed and you are flat broke, or you have just enough to take care of some bill or just enough to eat for three more days. What should you do? Take care of your bill! Eat for three more days! Get the point? I am afraid some of you never will. Some of you have a cash register for a soul. Money is a god to some of you. But as in everything, it is the soul that counts in giving. When an offering is being taken and you are out of funds, you have actually given in effect, if you have positive volition based on doctrine!

EQUALITY IN GIVING

For the collection is not that there be release to others [from the responsibility of giving] and to you pressure [or pressurized] (2 Cor. 8:13).

Apparently the Corinthians were beginning to assume that they would not only have to carry the financial load for the Jerusalem church, but would Find themselves footing the bill for all the churches. Frankly, it is not uncommon for the Christian world to take advantage of wealthy and generous givers. So Paul found it necessary to explain why a generous offering was necessary at that time, but that they would not be asked to pick up the tab for all the churches in the Roman Empire.

But out from fairness [equality], at the present time, your abundance [of money] to their lack [of money], that also their abundance [men with spiritual gift of pastor-teacher] may become to your lack [of pastors] in order that there may be equality (2 Cor. 8:14).

The Corinthians did not have a pastor-teacher to keep them in line and teach them doctrine. Jerusalem, in turn, had in training a new crop of young men who would some day meet the need of Corinth and other local churches for a pastor-teacher. But the Jerusalem church needed money to provide for these men during their training. Corinth had the money; Jerusalem had the men. Therefore, the collection for Jerusalem was compatible with the function of equality in the Body of Christ. There was an interrelationship of teamwork. The same principle exists today where seminaries which are honoring to the Lord are supported

by churches which are honoring to the Lord.

As an illustration, Paul cited the incident of the manna in the wilderness from Exodus 16.

As it is written. He that had much had nothing left over; and he that gathered little had no lack (2 Cor. 8:15).

Those who gathered a lot of manna did not have any more than those who gathered little. Whether they had much or little, it was always the same because they matched their CAPACITY. This is the law of equality. God always matches capacity. Some people seem to get more doctrine than others; but it is not that God is unfair — some people have more capacity. So in our context, giving is the application of the law of equality. Because each person gathered according to his capacity, each one therefore, had that which satisfied his capacity. Your capacity is based on doctrine in your soul, and God’s grace will always meet your capacity. God cannot give you grace over your capacity — you are not able to utilize it. Like the manna, grace sits around in the pot until it spoils. The only way to gain capacity is to learn doctrine through the function of GAP. Your capacity is one of the most important factors in your life; therefore, Bible doctrine is more important than anything else in life.

But grace to the God who is constantly giving the same intensity of character on your behalf in the heart of Titus (2 Cor. 8:16).

The word “thanks” is literally “grace." Grace belongs only to God. We borrow grace; we function under grace: but we do not own it. In all of human history, no man ever thought of grace. Grace is the character of God; grace is who and what God is, never who and what man is. So grace belongs to God “who is constantly giving.” God always gives; there never was a time when He did not give. That is because grace belongs to Him; and since grace belongs to Him, giving belongs to Him. Therefore, when you give the grace way, you give God’s way. You give on the basis of understanding His character, understanding something of the way He operates. Giving is never designed to get something from God. Giving is designed to demonstrate something you have from God — GRACE.

The next principle of giving will be found in verses 19-24. But in verses 17 and 18, Paul stops to mention the members of his team. Up to this point we know that Paul has sent Titus on the mission to the Corinthians. However, in verse 18 we Find there is a second member of the team sent by Paul.

Because he [Titus] welcomed the exhortation [command], and being in a state of more diligence of his own spontaneous volition, he went forth face to face with you (2 Cor.8:17).

But we sent with him his brother, whose approval [praise] in [disseminating] the gospel throughout all the churches (2 Cor.8:18).

The King James Version says “the brother,” but the original Greek text says “his brother.” Now “his brother” would be Titus’ brother, Luke. So we know the names of two members of the team. However, in verse 22, we find a third unnamed member; so there were three in all. This third member was highly qualified, as we can tell from the original text, for it states that he had been tested for approval upon numerous occasions, and Paul had great confidence in him.

PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF MONEY

And not [that] only, but who also was appointed by public vote by [under the authority of] the churches as a traveling companion in this grace [offering project}, which is being administered by us face to face with the glory of the same Lord, and [face to face] with our willingness of mind (2 Cor.8: 19).

Constantly avoiding this lest anyone should Find fault with us in the sphere of this abundance [handling large sums of money] being administered under our authority (2 Cor. 8:20).

Using forethought to provide for valuable things, not only before God, but also before man (2 Cor. 8:21).

Now the eighth principle of giving: money given to the Lord’s work must be properly administered. Not only was Luke commended for his ministry in disseminating the Gospel, but he had been elected by the churches to travel with Paul. He was also helping with the administration of the offering. Money must be handled by more than one person to avoid any appearance of dishonesty or misappropriation. The procedures for handling money must be arranged ahead of time to insure the security and the honest administration of the offering.

Those who administer funds must be “face to face with the glory of the Lord” — that is, they must be occupied with Jesus Christ and be of a willing mind, or well motivated. Therefore, the administration of money includes everything from congregational appointment to strong Category One love for Christ. The administrator must be motivated by Bible doctrine, for his success depends not only on his spiritual gift of administration, but upon his capacity to love Christ and to orient to the grace of God.

But we have sent with them our brother whom we have tested [for approval] many times in many things, he being diligent, but now much more diligent, by reason of his great confidence toward you [Corinthians] (2 Cor. 8:22).

At this point Paul commended the three men on his team, and they were all well qualified with regard to the handling of large sums of money. (And you will note that administration is to be handled by men only!) In not naming the third member of the team, the emphasis is on the ministry of grace rather than upon personality. In the administration of the financial affairs of a local church it takes many unknown and unheralded heroes of administration to accomplish the job in a manner pleasing to the Lord. God knows all who so administer such affairs, and they are blessed for their efforts in His service!

Whether on behalf of Titus, my partner, and to you [my] co-worker, or our brethren, agents of the churches, glory of Christ (2 Cor. 8:23).

Therefore, be demonstrating the proof of your love and our glorying on behalf of you -to them [and] before the churches (2 Cor. 8:24).

How do you demonstrate the proof of your love? in your giving! These two verses go back to the sixth principle, the test of love. The whole purpose of giving is to demonstrate your capacity to love God. Giving is a week-by-week demonstration of your love. Anytime you give as unto the Lord, that giving will reflect true love. True love can give only on the basis of nobility of character. Any believer can have nobility of soul. Christian aristocracy is made up of those who, through faithfulness in the intake of the Word, have developed nobility of soul. True giving, therefore, is true love; and true love is true giving. The two cannot be separated, and you as a royal believer-priest are challenged every time you worship: not by the amount given, but by the attitude with which you give!

THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT STIMULATES GIVING

For as concerning the aid to the saints [in Jerusalem], it is superfluous for me to write to you: (2 Cor. 9:1)

For I know your willingness of mind, for which I keep on giving laudatory testimony on behalf of you to the Macedonians, that southern Greece has been prepared a year ago [by mental attitude]; and your noble aspiration has stimulated very many (2 Cor. 9:2).

But I have sent the brethren [the delegation] in order that our laudatory testimony on behalf of you [Corinthians] should not be falsified in this fragment [of Paul’s message], that even as I kept on repeating, you have been prepared [from the ultimate source of your soul] (2 Cor. 9:3).

Carnality among the Corinthians had hindered them in the completion of the offering which had been started a year before. Before they could take up this work again for the Lord, they had to rebound and in some cases learn doctrine again. By this time however, they had rebounded and were spiritually ready to continue the offering. Their mental attitude was right.

The ninth principle, then, is that you should not take an offering or part with your money unless you are in fellowship. It is a very simple principle: if the plate is passed and you are out of fellowship, pass the plate on. Look neither to the right nor left; just keep it moving! Mental attitude is the thrust of giving!

Nothing in the Christian life can be accomplished as unto the Lord apart from the filling of the Spirit. The only way to be Filled with the Spirit and in fellowship is through confession and rebound (1 John 1:9). The filling of the Spirit plus knowledge of Bible doctrine produces divine good, and giving must come under the concept of divine good.

GIVING WITHOUT PRESSURE

Lest by any means, if the Macedonians accompany me and discover you unprepared, that we [we do not say you], should be embarrassed by this assumption (2 Cor. 9:4).

The assumption is that the offering would be completed because of a willing mental attitude resulting from Titus’ last visit. At this point, the completion was potential. Paul had been using the Corinthians as an outstanding illustration of giving. (Their carnality was not the business of the Macedonians.) But the illustration was not completed until they had actually given as unto the Lord and as a part of their priestly ministry. If it should be discovered by the Macedonians that the offering was not completed, it would have been embarrassing to Paul.

Paul wanted to make sure that the giving of money was not associated with any embarrassment or pressure. If Paul were to come and the Corinthians were embarrassed, they would give under false pressure. They would be giving because Paul was embarrassed and not as unto the Lord. The believer-priest should have privacy to give as unto the Lord — not on the basis of embarrassment or pressure.

Therefore, I made an objective command decision to the brethren, that they should proceed to you [in Corinth] and prepare in advance your blessing [giving], which you had previously promised, that the same might be prepared as a blessing and not as grudging or pressure giving (2 Cor. 9:5).

We see at the end of verse 5 that giving is a blessing when performed in the right mental attitude; and this becomes the eleventh principle. Both the mental attitude and the money to give are a grace blessing from God. Even the royal priesthood from which we give is a blessing.

GRACE GIVING GUARANTEES BLESSING

The one who sows sparingly also shall harvest sparingly [parsimoniously]; and the one sowing on the principle of blessing [grace giving], also shall harvest on the principle of blessing (2 Cor. 9:6).

The word “parsimonious” is apropos because it is an analogy to legalism. To sow parsimoniously is to sow legalistically. There is no blessing from legalism, even though there may be great sacrifice or a large amount of money involved. You can harvest from grace, but you cannot harvest any blessing from legalism. Legalism will never give. It can only buy or purchase and place strings on you.

The one sowing on the principle of grace (sowing bountifully) shall harvest blessings. In grace giving, the person gives of self, of his mental attitude and of his money, if he has any to give. The mental attitude is present, and that is grace giving. In grace giving, you actually reap in grace what God sows in grace, which results in great blessing.

The amount given is never the issue. The issue is grace. God blesses only on the basis of grace. To sow sparingly or parsimoniously is to sprinkle a few dollars in God’s direction and expect a great bounty of harvest. You will never receive it! in effect, what it says here is that HE WHO SOWS IN LEGALIST SHALL REAP IN LEGALISM: HE WHO SOWS IN GRACE SHALL REAP IN GRACE! What profit do you receive from legalistic sowing from giving with strings attached, from an attitude of bribing God, or from approbation lust or human viewpoint? None! What profit do you get from grace sowing from a mental attitude based on doctrine? A grace profit — bountiful!

THE MOTIVATION OF DOCTRINE

Each one [believer-priest], according as he has determined by means of his right lobe, so give, not out from pressure of mind, not out from compulsion or emotion; for God keeps on loving a gracious giver (2 Cor. 9:7).

For a believer to be a grace giver, he must have Bible doctrine in the frame of reference in his right lobe: this is the twelfth principle. You determine your giving beforehand, on the basis of doctrine and therefore with the right motivation. You should not give at all if it is from pressure or distress of mind (“grudgingly”) — that is, if you feel trapped or forced to give. Nor should you give from emotional compulsion (“necessity").

A grace giver is someone who has capacity for life, for love. You need not hang your head because you cannot drop something in the offering plate. But you should hang your head if your soul is messed up. It is grace living that counts! Therefore capacity for grace giving is related to capacity for grace living and grace loving, and all three add up to capacity for worship. If you have no capacity for life, you cannot even enjoy the Communion Table. Worship is not something that is imposed upon you; it is something you enjoy in your relationship with God. After all, God ordained you a royal priest at the point of salvation; and as a royal priest, you should enjoy worshiping. A part of that worship is giving.

GRACE PROVISION FOR GIVING

And God has the ability to cause all grace to superabound toward you, that always having an all-sufficiency in all things, you may superabound with reference to every good work (2 Cor. 9:8).

The emphasis for a chapter and a half has been on the importance of the soul in giving. Now, beginning in verse 8, the emphasis is changed slightly to show what God is able to do. Every now and then we get up on our high horse and forget or doubt God’s ability. If it were not for God’s ability and His grace, none of us would be alive, much less spending or earning or having money!

“God has the ability to cause all grace to superabound toward you.” If you give legitimately, obviously you must have something to give. The God of all grace, who provides salvation in grace, who continues to provide many things in grace, is also the One who provides money in grace. Here we see our thirteenth principle of giving: God provides in grace both spiritual and material blessings, which are combined in giving.

God may provide you with everything in the world materialistically, but that does not necessarily mean you are going to super-abound. This word is in the subjunctive mood — it is potential. The only thing that will superabound is that which is given on the basis of your own GRACE CHARACTER! When you give from grace, you never expect anything in return. You are delighted to give as an expression of your capacity for life, not the capacity of the recipient. The recipient may have no capacity to appreciate your gift.

People make all manner of demands because they give something. You hear it everywhere you turn: “After all, you owe me that! it is the least you can do to prove your gratitude.” Is that grace? No! That is legalism. If grace flows in, grace will flow out: if legalism flows in, legalism flows out. It is what you have in your soul that counts. So the principle is that the inflow of grace should result in the outflow of grace.

Giving is one of the greatest challenges in Phase Two. It takes more grace to give” and to give properly than almost anything else. It takes less grace to love, to live, to have capacity for life. The amount of giving in itself is incidental to what you are in your soul. So it takes more to give as a part of worship than any of the capacities of life. And the greatest test of capacity for life comes from giving. Remember, the Macedonians had no money to speak of; they gave first of themselves. That means they had doctrine in their souls. So God provided the money for them to give.

Giving brings into focus spiritual and material forces. The spiritual, which is unseen but real, meets the material, which is both seen and real. Giving the grace way requires the motivation of grace and the means of grace the means being materialistic things. Every time a believer-priest gives as an act of worship, it is a twofold expression of God’s grace: God’s grace in the spiritual realm; God’s grace in the material realm! God’s grace in the realm of the invisible; God’s grace in the realm of the visible! Therefore, Paul cites a documentation from Psalm 112:19.

Even as it stands written, he has given generously — he gave to the poor: his grace virtue [righteousness] abides forever (2 Cor. 9:9).

The grace giving of the believer is a manifestation of God’s virtue — His righteousness in providing. The “poor” are all believers in the sense that they are totally helpless and dependent. We cannot deserve nor earn anything from God; so God must provide everything. How is He going to give to us who are totally undeserving and still keep His character intact? Is He trying to bribe us for good behavior? The answer is NO, because the next phrase indicates that He found a way to do this without compromising His character. Through propitiation God is free to give us anything He wants to give. He is able to maintain His righteousness and to give on the basis of the Cross. Therefore, God’s giving is virtuous.

God provides money in grace; the believer gives money in grace. But just having money does not qualify you to give. To the contrary, there must be a simultaneous provision in the realm of grace: the combination of what God has provided for the soul as well as what God has provided materially. Every time you and I give, we must give on the basis of righteousness grace virtue. We do not have the character of God; but we must give on the basis of who and what we are in the soul.

We are what we are as the result of the daily function of GAP and the filling of the Spirit, and as the result of His provision of the attitude of soul as well as the financial mean. All grace function comes under the category of divine good, and all divine good will be rewarded and will last forever. Remember that divine good is what God provides. So when you give, you are performing an act of divine good, provided you fulfill the principles in this passage. The believer’s grace giving results in an increase of his grace virtue, and the increase of grace virtue enlarges capacity for life and love.

GRACE GIVING IS MULTIPLIED

Now he that provides graciously the seed to the sower [the believer] provides graciously for the acts of eating and [at the same time] multiplies your seed sown and even enlarges the harvest of your grace virtue (2 Cor. 9:10).

God supplies money (seed) for your survival, for the necessities of life. You will have an excess of money at times, which you will give under the proper spiritual conditions. Seed which is not sown is not harvested. Just so, money not given is not multiplied. The more money the believer (sower) gives, the more money God supplies. Money given under grace principles definitely has the connotation of divine good; it also adds grace virtue and gives capacity for life. In other words, grace giving experiences the multiplication of grace rather than simply the addition of grace (Prov. 1 1:24,25).

In all things being enriched because of your generosity of mind [or soul], which brings out as a result the act of thanksgiving to God through us (2 Cor. 9:11).

Our enrichment is both addition and multiplication. On the addition side we have the materialistic things of life which accumulate to us. On the multiplication side we have divine good, grace virtue and capacity for life. Enrichment, or multiplication of grace applies to every realm of the believer’s life. The more doctrine, the more enrichment; the more filling of the Spirit, the more enrichment; the more faith-rest, the more enrichment; the more giving, the more enrichment.

“Generosity of mind” results in an overt manifestation. Giving is a mental attitude inside your soul. Consequently, because of your generosity of soul, there is the act of thanksgiving to God. Those believers who are the beneficiaries of the offering are thankful to God. “Through us” refers first to Paul, who, because he had received the money from these people, was thankful. And since the Jerusalem saints in this context would eventually receive the money and thank God for it, we have a further result: the Corinthians would be greatly enriched!

Because the administration of this sacred service [giving] is not only filling up the deficiency of the lack of the saints [in Jerusalem], but also superabounds through many thanksgivings [from Jerusalem] unto God (2 Cor. 9:12).

Do you know that you have a deficiency? Everyone has! And do you know that somewhere in this world there is someone who can meet that deficiency? This is true of the right man - right woman principle; but in this context, the deficiency applies to money. All over this world there is money. God does not send an angel down with a bundle of money and put it under your pillow, like the good fairy. In His matchless grace, God provides for every deficiency. The recipient has the opportunity of exercising his grace character to provide for someone else so he can thank God for it.

As a part of the angelic conflict, we have the doctrine of the implementation of grace. God uses people; but the thanksgiving still goes to God. Hence, grace giving starts a chain reaction that glorifies God. Grace in giving multiplies in supplying the deficiencies of other believers and producing thanksgiving, which is a grace exercise. This principle also applies to prayer. God is providing blessings in all directions. Someone in Houston is restless; he grabs the prayer bulletin and prays for someone on that prayer list. That person may be in the Philippines; his pressure is relieved, and he knows that someone has been praying for him.

RECOGNITION OF GRACE AUTHORITY

Through the testing for approval of this ministry [grace giving] they glorify God upon the subordination of your [Corinthians] acknowledgement to the gospel of Christ [grace principle] through the generosity of the contribution toward them and toward all (2 Cor.9: 13).

Giving is a test when you give to something you instinctively do not like. The Corinthians were Gentiles; the believers in Jerusalem were Jews. The Corinthian culture was the antithesis of the Jewish modus vivendi. The Corinthians knew the money would go to the Jews, but they still gave as unto the Lord. The Jews knew the money came from the Corinthians, but they still gave thanks unto God, and God was glorified.

What was the Corinthian acknowledgement to the Gospel of Christ? The Gospel came to them in grace; they gave in grace. We see here a parallel between the Gospel as a principle of grace and the Corinthian giving as a principle of grace. Giving is a sign of recognition of the authority of grace. Grace giving demands grace authority, and grace authority is found in the Gospel.

Some of the principles of giving are revealed as a backlash from this verse. The Bible emphasizes grace giving, never emotional giving. The Filling of the Spirit and Bible doctrine are the only basis for grace giving. Emotional giving is human good, human viewpoint and contrary to Bible doctrine. This does not mean that you flush all emotion from your soul before giving. It means you must not be motivated by emotion or pressure.

For example, you may hear a legitimate plea for money: and even though you are broke, you want to give so much that you think you should go out and hock your wedding ring or give up your sandwich for lunch or borrow the money. Forget it! You can only give what you have, not what you do not have. That is true from the soul as well as from the pocketbook. If you do not have any money, then you can give with your soul; and until God provides the money, do not rob any banks or throw your rings into the offering plate or go out and hock something. If God does not give you seed in your barn through grace, it will not be grace giving. Everyone cannot give — and that is grace!

And by their intercessory prayer on your behalf are longing after you with a deep love because of the surpassing grace of God upon you (2 Cor. 9:14).

Grace stimulates intercessory prayer. It produces capacity for love and excites admiration. Grace in the believer produces everything that is attractive and wonderful. Surpassing grace comes from maximum doctrine in the right lobe and the daily function of GAP.

THE GREATEST GIFT

Grace to God upon the indescribable gift [the Lord Jesus Christ] (2 Cor. 9:15).

The gift of Jesus Christ from God the Father is the pattern for grace and grace giving. Therefore, giving is an act of worship and remembrance of His sacrificial gift. Yet no amount of giving can approximate what Christ did for us. Neither can you give anything to buy eternal life or gain entrance into heaven. God never asks anything of the unbeliever who does not belong to Him. The unbeliever is said to be “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), and a dead person cannot give anything to anyone. But God in His grace wants to GIVE YOU the priceless gift of salvation. It cost Jesus Christ everything; but it is free to you simply for the believing.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed [reconciled] (1 Pet. 2:24).

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPLES

1. Giving is a mental attitude of grace and inner happiness rather than the amount donated (2 Cor. 8:2).

2. Giving must be an expression of free will apart from human coercion, emotional revolt or legalistic pressure. Giving is an expression of the royal priesthood of the believer in privacy and freedom (2 Cor. 8:3).

3. Giving is a privilege associated with grace (2 Cor. 8:4).

4. Giving is a soul activity; the amount is never emphasized. Since giving commemorates God’s grace, the believer must give on the basis of his own soul and character. Giving is an extension of the soul life and must never be related either to the amount or to the stimulation of emotion (2 Cor. 8:5).

5. Giving is an extension of the daily function of GAP (2 Cor. 8:7).

6. Giving must never be forced or coerced but must be the result of grace orientation. Giving is love giving, not law giving. It is a Category One love response (2 Cor. 8:8).

7. Giving depends on grace orientation, and grace orientation depends on doctrine (2 Cor. 8:9).

8. Money given in the Lord’s work must be properly administered (2 Cor. 8:19).

9. Rebound and the resultant filling of the Spirit stimulates giving with proper motivation (2 Cor. 9:2).

10. Giving should never be associated with embarrassment or pressure. It is a mental attitude which demands the privacy of the believer to give as unto the Lord (2 Cor. 9:4).

11. Grace giving guarantees blessing, in grace giving, the believer gives of self First, then of money (2 Cor. 9:6).

12. Giving is a motivation from doctrine (2 Cor. 9:7).

13. In giving, God provides everything-both the mental attitude and the money. To actually give money, the believer must be the recipient of both spiritual and material blessing from God (2 Cor. 9:8).

14. Money received by the believer from God is added in his general life function; but money given by the believer in grace is multiplied. Grace giving experiences grace multiplication rather than grace addition (2 Cor. 9:10).

15. Emotional giving is not grace giving. Grace giving is divine good based on doctrinal motivation rather than human good based on emotional motivation (2 Cor. 9:13).