And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
The poor believers in Macedonia first surrendered themselves wholly to God without reserve, and then placed themselves at the disposal of His workers in keeping with His will. Out of that consecration, made joyful by the grace of God working in them, they gave money for the needy saints even beyond their ability and begged for the privilege of sharing. Their giving was willing and uncompelled, flowing from love for God and for their brethren rather than to earn favor. No service or gift is acceptable until the soul itself is first given, for without that holy root there can be no acceptable fruit. In this they followed the pattern of Christ, who became poor that others might become rich, and their example is set before believers today to stir the same self-denying liberality.
Macedonian Setting and Need
The givers were the churches of Macedonia, including the Philippians, living in deep poverty and in great trial of affliction yet with abundance of joy. Some were people with large families dependent on daily labor, and newly come believers exerting influence by letting their light shine. Their gift was pecuniary assistance for the needy saints in Jerusalem and Judea. Famine had come there and Christians had been scattered, leaving those who remained deprived of human sympathy and exposed to isolation and religious enmity and hostility.
The collection for Jerusalem had been begun more than a year before. Paul urged that it no longer be delayed but be gathered and sent, desiring Titus to finish the same grace in Corinth also so that Corinth would abound in it. He pressed Corinth to perform what had been promised and not be outstripped in liberality by the poorer Macedonian churches.
What they did went beyond what Paul hoped and expected. He expected only a limited sum and was happily disappointed and greatly surprised at the amount given and at the wholehearted eager manner in which it was bestowed. He was filled with thanksgiving and given courage by their self-denial and self-sacrifice. Their character and movement gave him great satisfaction as symmetry of Christian character.
First Giving Themselves to God
The order in the verse is the order of the experience: entire consecration of soul and of all possessed came first, with nothing kept back and nothing held in reserve, and only then came the giving of themselves to Paul and his fellow workers and to their ministry. That first surrender to the Lord was the foundation of the willing support given to the needy saints, the spring from which generosity flowed amid deep poverty and beyond all expectation. Moved by the Spirit of God, the wholehearted consecration issued in voluntary and joyful giving of means to support the gospel and meet the needs of others, even when it required the sacrifice of necessities. It was an act of willing Christian fellowship and generosity, offered to help Christians in Jerusalem facing famine and hardship, and set before believers for study as the foundation and teaching of true liberality and the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings.
The words unto us by the will of God mean that, having given themselves to the Lord, they joined in serving others, the apostolic work, and the church in keeping with God's will. Their gifts flowed from self-surrender and love formed by Christ's grace, and giving to God's work and to others in this way is evidence of received grace and sincere love, not a way to earn God's favor. Their surrender led them to recognize that will and to make any sacrifice needed to help the afflicted, sharing freely even from poverty to relieve suffering believers in Jerusalem who were enduring famine, isolation, and religious hostility. Wholehearted consecration came before generous giving and is the first step in belonging to Christ and acknowledging that all possessed belongs to God.
Giving self to the Lord means laying aside all selfishness and doing the will of God, making the salvation of souls for whom Christ died the burden of the message. It is giving oneself to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, a personal consecration urged upon children and parents with the call to practice the lessons of the chapter. This surrender shapes all work, both practical and religious, so that God's will and Word guide daily life and selfishness is put away, and those who thus give themselves to God then serve others by spreading truth and freely giving what they have received. It is not enough to give means, for God requires unreserved personal service in whatever business and calling is followed, and giving substance by proxy does not meet His requirement.
This giving of self means trusting in Christ, humbling self before Him and walking circumspectly, with the cross of Calvary as hope and crown of rejoicing, that He may mold and fashion the life. Accepting Jesus Christ means accepting suffering and humiliation as well as spiritual and temporal advantages, in accountability to God and dependence upon Him. As soon as it is realized that all possessed and all that one is belongs to the Lord, giving becomes easy, and by liberality and self-denial believers cooperate with God as laborers together with Him.
Spirit of Willing Liberality
Because they had first given themselves, the Macedonians gave to their power and beyond their power, beyond all expectation, willing of themselves with wholehearted eager gladness and abundance of joy unto riches of liberality, as if giving itself were a privilege. Their liberality and unselfishness flowed from entire consecration of themselves and all they had to the Lord, keeping nothing back, and this joyful, willing self-giving overflowing in help to others is the pattern of transformed character made partaker of the Holy Spirit and likeness of Christ. What was hoped for was exceeded, and the amount and manner of the gift brought happy surprise.
They begged with much entreaty for the privilege of sharing in ministering to the saints, coming to the apostles and laying their offerings at their feet and praying that the gift would be received. Even when Paul would have restrained them they urged him to accept it, importuning him to carry it to the afflicted saints. Where they had no money they denied themselves food and clothing, sacrificing necessities and sharing what they had without first weighing whether enough would remain for themselves.
Their offering was voluntary and joyful, not urged and compelled, but brought forward of themselves with rejoicing in the opportunity. It was an act of willing Christian fellowship and generosity flowing from commitment to God, from Christian simplicity, integrity, and love for the brethren, feeling it a privilege thus to express trust in God and to abound in the fruit of benevolence through self-denial. Even when it required sacrificing necessities, the giving was cheerful and free, willing even beyond what had been expected.
This joyful, willing self-giving to the Lord that overflows in help to others beyond power is the true basis of charity according to the Word of God and the foundation and ground of true liberality set before believers for study. From first giving themselves to the Lord and then serving His workers according to God's will came their willing support for the needy saints, teaching the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings.
Grace and Acceptable Service
The grace bestowed on Macedonia produced liberality and unselfishness, so that even in deep poverty and great trial of affliction joy abounded unto riches of giving beyond power and beyond expectation. The Holy Spirit wrought a great change in those who sought truth, making them partakers of the Spirit, tasters of heavenly manna, transformed into the likeness of Christ. Yielded to the working of the divine Spirit, their hearts were drawn out in tender Christlike compassion for the relief of the needy and suffering. In this the Macedonian church stands as representative of what a church enlightened by the word may be, and the same grace is able to do the same transforming work in character today.
Giving to God's work and to others in this way is evidence of received grace and sincere love, not a means of earning God's favor. It is proof of sincere faith, a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God, fruit to His honor, and deeds by which the heavenly Father is glorified. Paul's account of their generous self-sacrifice was not display for praise but a setting forth of what Christ's grace had wrought in them. Liberality in lines that advance the kingdom, with love expressed in tangible deeds that counterwork selfishness and self-indulgence and return to God the fruit of His vineyard, is the very best evidence of sincerity of faith and the true nature of fruit-bearing.
Acceptable service begins with entire consecration of the soul, for the worth of their good works and generosity lay in that they first surrendered themselves to the Lord. Without a holy root there can be no acceptable fruit. Even the most splendid service is not accepted without this first surrender, so piety, virtue and godliness must first be revealed in the life.
This follows the pattern of Christ, who laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, clothed divinity with humanity, and for our sakes became poor that through His poverty we might become rich. Believers are called to deny self and sacrifice as He did, as Christlike workers with the graces of Christ, for withholding leaves the character incomplete. First grace is received from Christ's fullness, then grace is bestowed, and as it is imparted it is received still more abundantly.
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of the work there is denying of self and gifts flow into the treasury for the proclamation of present truth. As soon as believers realize that all they have and are is the Lord's, giving becomes easy. By such liberality and self-denial they cooperate as laborers together with God, bringing their firstfruits and seeing entrusted means in a correct light to meet pressing emergencies in aggressive warfare. Money, time and labor given after self-giving are tokens of loyalty that test fitness for His pure heavenly kingdom and decide eternal destiny, while being helped by large outside donations can deprive those ready to deny themselves of this blessing.
Example and Present Application
Paul held up the self-giving of Macedonia as the correct example to arouse Corinth to contribute to the suffering brethren at Jerusalem. He openly told of their generous self-sacrifice and of the grace Christ had wrought in them, not as display for praise but by inspiration of God to stir the same spirit in others. He laid no command on Corinth but set before them the need of the church at Jerusalem and the example of those who had fewer advantages, sending Titus to finish the collection so Corinth would abound in this grace and not be outstripped in liberality by the poorer churches. This shows a true organizer works by example rather than by many commands, and his own life of self-denial in tent-making and other labor fitted him to organize good works.
The chapter belongs to the directions on giving that God's people are to follow by taking the word as counsellor. In that connection giving is linked with God's will and with sowing bountifully unto a bountiful harvest that glorifies God and makes His glory the rereward. Giving begins with giving oneself to the Lord to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and then serving others according to God's will as the pattern behind material giving. Children and parents are urged to make this personal consecration, to practice the lessons of the chapter, and to surrender for that guidance and control.
The same privilege is open now to every believer to do his best and help in an emergency for God with the gifts entrusted to him, laying up treasure in heaven. Poverty does not shut the poor out from giving. All who share the grace of Christ must first give themselves to God without reserve and then give of their substance to advance the truth, bearing burdens in connection with the work, supporting every department of it with interest, and entering the great missionary field as doers of the word and not hearers only, which leads to eternal life. Giving substance by proxy does not meet God's requirement, for He demands unreserved personal service in whatever business and calling is followed. That personal giving means standing with those who labored for one's salvation and joining them, according to light and knowledge received, in sharing the truth in the spirit and love of Jesus with those who have had fewer opportunities.
The principle applies to giving according to circumstances with gratitude for blessings to advance the work and meet mission needs. It means willing giving wrought by the Spirit upon hearts, giving that sustains local work yet unites freely without complaint to give for other parts of the field and to meet the pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare, with believers receiving as they impart liberally. It means restraining wants to help the needy and support necessary building, relieving the debt of the institutions in Scandinavia, building a house of worship, and bringing means to the treasury so there may be meat in His house in the delight of doing God's will on earth as angels do in heaven. It specifically calls for supplying the necessary means for a substantial, economical building for the Sydney Sanitarium and for the Glendale Sanitarium as memorials that uplift Christ before the suffering, and for laboring for the hard, destitute Southern Field instead of doing scarcely anything in it and withholding and diverting to more favored fields the means and entire book profits designated for it. Even the poor, moved by God in affliction and deep poverty, are to bestow liberally when there is earnest longing to help where help is needed, that their example may awaken the same spirit of self-denial, self-sacrifice and beneficence afterward.
Every converted soul will show great benevolence from appreciation of the rich gifts of God. Character cannot be complete unless benevolence is expressed in returning to God His due by sustaining every good work. Everyone who has received the great gift is required to reveal the power of the truth in counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence, which is the true nature of fruit-bearing and of making returns to God of the fruit from His vineyard. Liberality in lines that advance the kingdom of God, with love expressed in deeds, something tangible, is the very best evidence of sincerity of faith.
The poor believers in Macedonia first surrendered themselves wholly to God without reserve, and then placed themselves at the disposal of His workers in keeping with His will. Out of that consecration, made joyful by the grace of God working in them, they gave money for the needy saints even beyond their ability and begged for the privilege of sharing. Their giving was willing and uncompelled, flowing from love for God and for their brethren rather than to earn favor. No service or gift is acceptable until the soul itself is first given, for without that holy root there can be no acceptable fruit. In this they followed the pattern of Christ, who became poor that others might become rich, and their example is set before believers today to stir the same self-denying liberality.
Macedonian Setting and Need
The givers were the churches of Macedonia, including the Philippians, living in deep poverty and in great trial of affliction yet with abundance of joy. Some were people with large families dependent on daily labor, and newly come believers exerting influence by letting their light shine. Their gift was pecuniary assistance for the needy saints in Jerusalem and Judea. Famine had come there and Christians had been scattered, leaving those who remained deprived of human sympathy and exposed to isolation and religious enmity and hostility.
The collection for Jerusalem had been begun more than a year before. Paul urged that it no longer be delayed but be gathered and sent, desiring Titus to finish the same grace in Corinth also so that Corinth would abound in it. He pressed Corinth to perform what had been promised and not be outstripped in liberality by the poorer Macedonian churches.
What they did went beyond what Paul hoped and expected. He expected only a limited sum and was happily disappointed and greatly surprised at the amount given and at the wholehearted eager manner in which it was bestowed. He was filled with thanksgiving and given courage by their self-denial and self-sacrifice. Their character and movement gave him great satisfaction as symmetry of Christian character.
First Giving Themselves to God
The order in the verse is the order of the experience: entire consecration of soul and of all possessed came first, with nothing kept back and nothing held in reserve, and only then came the giving of themselves to Paul and his fellow workers and to their ministry. That first surrender to the Lord was the foundation of the willing support given to the needy saints, the spring from which generosity flowed amid deep poverty and beyond all expectation. Moved by the Spirit of God, the wholehearted consecration issued in voluntary and joyful giving of means to support the gospel and meet the needs of others, even when it required the sacrifice of necessities. It was an act of willing Christian fellowship and generosity, offered to help Christians in Jerusalem facing famine and hardship, and set before believers for study as the foundation and teaching of true liberality and the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings.
The words unto us by the will of God mean that, having given themselves to the Lord, they joined in serving others, the apostolic work, and the church in keeping with God's will. Their gifts flowed from self-surrender and love formed by Christ's grace, and giving to God's work and to others in this way is evidence of received grace and sincere love, not a way to earn God's favor. Their surrender led them to recognize that will and to make any sacrifice needed to help the afflicted, sharing freely even from poverty to relieve suffering believers in Jerusalem who were enduring famine, isolation, and religious hostility. Wholehearted consecration came before generous giving and is the first step in belonging to Christ and acknowledging that all possessed belongs to God.
Giving self to the Lord means laying aside all selfishness and doing the will of God, making the salvation of souls for whom Christ died the burden of the message. It is giving oneself to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, a personal consecration urged upon children and parents with the call to practice the lessons of the chapter. This surrender shapes all work, both practical and religious, so that God's will and Word guide daily life and selfishness is put away, and those who thus give themselves to God then serve others by spreading truth and freely giving what they have received. It is not enough to give means, for God requires unreserved personal service in whatever business and calling is followed, and giving substance by proxy does not meet His requirement.
This giving of self means trusting in Christ, humbling self before Him and walking circumspectly, with the cross of Calvary as hope and crown of rejoicing, that He may mold and fashion the life. Accepting Jesus Christ means accepting suffering and humiliation as well as spiritual and temporal advantages, in accountability to God and dependence upon Him. As soon as it is realized that all possessed and all that one is belongs to the Lord, giving becomes easy, and by liberality and self-denial believers cooperate with God as laborers together with Him.
Spirit of Willing Liberality
Because they had first given themselves, the Macedonians gave to their power and beyond their power, beyond all expectation, willing of themselves with wholehearted eager gladness and abundance of joy unto riches of liberality, as if giving itself were a privilege. Their liberality and unselfishness flowed from entire consecration of themselves and all they had to the Lord, keeping nothing back, and this joyful, willing self-giving overflowing in help to others is the pattern of transformed character made partaker of the Holy Spirit and likeness of Christ. What was hoped for was exceeded, and the amount and manner of the gift brought happy surprise.
They begged with much entreaty for the privilege of sharing in ministering to the saints, coming to the apostles and laying their offerings at their feet and praying that the gift would be received. Even when Paul would have restrained them they urged him to accept it, importuning him to carry it to the afflicted saints. Where they had no money they denied themselves food and clothing, sacrificing necessities and sharing what they had without first weighing whether enough would remain for themselves.
Their offering was voluntary and joyful, not urged and compelled, but brought forward of themselves with rejoicing in the opportunity. It was an act of willing Christian fellowship and generosity flowing from commitment to God, from Christian simplicity, integrity, and love for the brethren, feeling it a privilege thus to express trust in God and to abound in the fruit of benevolence through self-denial. Even when it required sacrificing necessities, the giving was cheerful and free, willing even beyond what had been expected.
This joyful, willing self-giving to the Lord that overflows in help to others beyond power is the true basis of charity according to the Word of God and the foundation and ground of true liberality set before believers for study. From first giving themselves to the Lord and then serving His workers according to God's will came their willing support for the needy saints, teaching the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings.
Grace and Acceptable Service
The grace bestowed on Macedonia produced liberality and unselfishness, so that even in deep poverty and great trial of affliction joy abounded unto riches of giving beyond power and beyond expectation. The Holy Spirit wrought a great change in those who sought truth, making them partakers of the Spirit, tasters of heavenly manna, transformed into the likeness of Christ. Yielded to the working of the divine Spirit, their hearts were drawn out in tender Christlike compassion for the relief of the needy and suffering. In this the Macedonian church stands as representative of what a church enlightened by the word may be, and the same grace is able to do the same transforming work in character today.
Giving to God's work and to others in this way is evidence of received grace and sincere love, not a means of earning God's favor. It is proof of sincere faith, a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God, fruit to His honor, and deeds by which the heavenly Father is glorified. Paul's account of their generous self-sacrifice was not display for praise but a setting forth of what Christ's grace had wrought in them. Liberality in lines that advance the kingdom, with love expressed in tangible deeds that counterwork selfishness and self-indulgence and return to God the fruit of His vineyard, is the very best evidence of sincerity of faith and the true nature of fruit-bearing.
Acceptable service begins with entire consecration of the soul, for the worth of their good works and generosity lay in that they first surrendered themselves to the Lord. Without a holy root there can be no acceptable fruit. Even the most splendid service is not accepted without this first surrender, so piety, virtue and godliness must first be revealed in the life.
This follows the pattern of Christ, who laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, clothed divinity with humanity, and for our sakes became poor that through His poverty we might become rich. Believers are called to deny self and sacrifice as He did, as Christlike workers with the graces of Christ, for withholding leaves the character incomplete. First grace is received from Christ's fullness, then grace is bestowed, and as it is imparted it is received still more abundantly.
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of the work there is denying of self and gifts flow into the treasury for the proclamation of present truth. As soon as believers realize that all they have and are is the Lord's, giving becomes easy. By such liberality and self-denial they cooperate as laborers together with God, bringing their firstfruits and seeing entrusted means in a correct light to meet pressing emergencies in aggressive warfare. Money, time and labor given after self-giving are tokens of loyalty that test fitness for His pure heavenly kingdom and decide eternal destiny, while being helped by large outside donations can deprive those ready to deny themselves of this blessing.
Example and Present Application
Paul held up the self-giving of Macedonia as the correct example to arouse Corinth to contribute to the suffering brethren at Jerusalem. He openly told of their generous self-sacrifice and of the grace Christ had wrought in them, not as display for praise but by inspiration of God to stir the same spirit in others. He laid no command on Corinth but set before them the need of the church at Jerusalem and the example of those who had fewer advantages, sending Titus to finish the collection so Corinth would abound in this grace and not be outstripped in liberality by the poorer churches. This shows a true organizer works by example rather than by many commands, and his own life of self-denial in tent-making and other labor fitted him to organize good works.
The chapter belongs to the directions on giving that God's people are to follow by taking the word as counsellor. In that connection giving is linked with God's will and with sowing bountifully unto a bountiful harvest that glorifies God and makes His glory the rereward. Giving begins with giving oneself to the Lord to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and then serving others according to God's will as the pattern behind material giving. Children and parents are urged to make this personal consecration, to practice the lessons of the chapter, and to surrender for that guidance and control.
The same privilege is open now to every believer to do his best and help in an emergency for God with the gifts entrusted to him, laying up treasure in heaven. Poverty does not shut the poor out from giving. All who share the grace of Christ must first give themselves to God without reserve and then give of their substance to advance the truth, bearing burdens in connection with the work, supporting every department of it with interest, and entering the great missionary field as doers of the word and not hearers only, which leads to eternal life. Giving substance by proxy does not meet God's requirement, for He demands unreserved personal service in whatever business and calling is followed. That personal giving means standing with those who labored for one's salvation and joining them, according to light and knowledge received, in sharing the truth in the spirit and love of Jesus with those who have had fewer opportunities.
The principle applies to giving according to circumstances with gratitude for blessings to advance the work and meet mission needs. It means willing giving wrought by the Spirit upon hearts, giving that sustains local work yet unites freely without complaint to give for other parts of the field and to meet the pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare, with believers receiving as they impart liberally. It means restraining wants to help the needy and support necessary building, relieving the debt of the institutions in Scandinavia, building a house of worship, and bringing means to the treasury so there may be meat in His house in the delight of doing God's will on earth as angels do in heaven. It specifically calls for supplying the necessary means for a substantial, economical building for the Sydney Sanitarium and for the Glendale Sanitarium as memorials that uplift Christ before the suffering, and for laboring for the hard, destitute Southern Field instead of doing scarcely anything in it and withholding and diverting to more favored fields the means and entire book profits designated for it. Even the poor, moved by God in affliction and deep poverty, are to bestow liberally when there is earnest longing to help where help is needed, that their example may awaken the same spirit of self-denial, self-sacrifice and beneficence afterward.
Every converted soul will show great benevolence from appreciation of the rich gifts of God. Character cannot be complete unless benevolence is expressed in returning to God His due by sustaining every good work. Everyone who has received the great gift is required to reveal the power of the truth in counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence, which is the true nature of fruit-bearing and of making returns to God of the fruit from His vineyard. Liberality in lines that advance the kingdom of God, with love expressed in deeds, something tangible, is the very best evidence of sincerity of faith.