Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
Paul asked Titus to return to Corinth to complete the offering for needy believers in Jerusalem that he had earlier started there. That offering had been promised more than a year before and was to be finished without further delay as practical relief for fellow Christians suffering famine, scattering and hostility. The grace to be finished is willing, joyful generosity in giving, begun by first giving self to the Lord and then giving means sacrificially even from poverty, as the Macedonian churches did beyond their power. Such liberality proves the sincerity of love and faith, shows a complete Christian character, and flows from receiving God's grace, above all from Christ who though rich became poor to make others rich. All that people hold is the Lord's entrusted capital, and by faithful, generous sowing they glorify God and decide their fitness for heaven, so these chapters are to be studied and practiced in the churches today whenever needs press.
Historical Setting and Request
Paul desired Titus to finish in Corinth the same grace he had already begun there, which was to complete the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem and Judea. That grace was generous giving carried through from earlier willingness into action, a practical gathering of contributions and money help for fellow believers in need. The work belonged to his appeal for the Corinthian church to provide aid to Christians facing hardship and religious hostility, and it stands as an example to heed in work for people in need and as instruction in giving for parents to understand and practice.
The collection had been proposed and begun more than a year before, with an amount pledged, and it was to be delayed no longer but gathered in and sent to Jerusalem. Paul was anxious that the Corinthians perform what they had promised through the grace of God working upon their hearts. He did not want them outstripped in liberality by the comparatively poor Macedonian churches, but wanted them to show symmetry of Christian character and prove the sincerity of love and faith.
The need arose from famine at Jerusalem, where many Christians had been scattered abroad and those who remained were likely to be deprived of human sympathy. They were displaced and exposed to religious enmity, hardship and hostility, deprived and facing suffering, so the churches were exhorted to send help to their brethren there. The collection helped those saints in their displacement, expressed devotion to the Lord and love for fellow believers, and expressed gratitude to Christ.
Encouraged by the Macedonians and filled with thanksgiving, Paul both wrote by letter and sent Titus to visit the Corinthian church to attend to the collection. Taking courage because their self-denial and self-sacrifice in great trial of affliction and deep poverty far exceeded expectations, he urged Titus to stir up Corinth to the same good works, to present Christian liberality and add to the means already collected in Macedonia. He laid no command but set before them the necessity of Jerusalem and the example of others who with fewer advantages gave to their power and beyond their power willingly of themselves, first giving themselves to the Lord. His purpose in telling of Macedonian liberality was to awaken through the working of the Holy Spirit upon their minds a desire for similar deeds of charity and the same spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and to prepare the way for his own later visit.
Grace of Generous Giving
The same grace Titus was to finish is Christian liberality itself, willing benevolence in offerings for ministering to the saints, the grace of generous giving in which the Corinthians were to abound alongside faith, speech, knowledge, diligence, and love. It had been begun among them as a charitable work of gathering contributions for believers in need, and was to be carried through from earlier willingness into completed action. Paul's urging was to stir them to the same good works already seen elsewhere and to add to means already collected, arousing in Corinth the same spirit of joyful, willing giving.
That grace begins with first giving self to the Lord and then to others by the will of God, arising from self-surrender, devotion to the Lord, trust in God, love for fellow believers, and gratitude to Christ. It is expressed in willing and sacrificial giving, performed through grace working on the heart, so that believers would not be outstripped in liberality by those poorer than themselves. The Macedonian churches illustrate the grace, for in great trial of affliction and deep poverty the abundance of their joy abounded to riches of liberality. They gave to their power and beyond their power willingly and of themselves, praying with much entreaty to share in the gift, in self-denial and self-sacrifice far exceeding expectations, and this willing, joyful liberality is the true basis of charity.
Giving is a grace from God in which believers first receive grace and then bestow grace, learning that as they impart they receive more abundantly, for God gives to them that they may give to others. It follows the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ who though rich became poor so that through His poverty they might be rich. The grace proves the sincerity of love and faith, showing symmetry of Christian character. It shows a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God for the gospel, the gospel working as the power of God, fruit borne to the honor of God, and every duty diligently discharged under the control of God.
Appreciation of God's rich gifts leads every converted soul to benevolence, and character cannot be complete unless benevolence is expressed in returning to God His due and sustaining every good work. Liberality to advance the kingdom is the very best tangible evidence of faith, with love expressed in deeds counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence. All that people have is the Lord's entrusted capital given to test whether they will serve Him and do right because it is right. Though He could carry forward His work without human cooperation and is not dependent on money, time, or labor, He accepts these as tokens of loyalty by faithfulness in which eternal destiny is decided, fitness for the pure heavenly kingdom is judged, and a crown of glory is received. Generous sowing brings a generous harvest and glorifies God, whose glory becomes the rereward of those who follow His directions.
Finishing the Grace Today
The eighth and ninth chapters of Second Corinthians are to be studied and read in the churches as God's directions and Bible principles on generous giving. They teach the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings for ministering to the saints, and the blessings that redound to those who manifest liberality. Giving is there presented as a grace already begun, which as Titus had begun it was to be finished, carried through into generous sowing that brings a generous harvest and glorifies God. Believers are to catch the inspiration of that liberality, learning that as they impart they receive, for God gives to them that they may give to others.
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of the work and to see things in a correct light, there is denying of self and gifts flow into the treasury for the proclamation of the message and truth for this time. This meets the pressing emergencies which arise in aggressive warfare, and practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice in willing giving brings blessings to God's people. Believers lay their offerings at the apostles' feet and pray with much entreaty that the gift would be received, as part of how to gain God's blessing.
Ministers have a responsibility to teach churches to give, and even poor believers are not shut out from the privilege of giving but should share in offerings to help those whose needs are greater than their own. Giving in self-denial is a blessing of Christ's grace, and churches that neglect to support poorer churches miss the blessing that self-denying giving brings. The same call urges believers, even the poor, to finish the grace by giving the necessary means for a substantial, economical building for the Sydney Sanitarium to uplift people to an elevated plane of action, with poverty giving no excuse to be shut out.
The verse also applies to devoting means to God and giving self to His service to build a humble church where new believers can assemble to worship. Intelligent laborers with large families dependent on daily labor finish the grace by giving willingly in deep poverty, to their power and beyond their power, so the meetinghouse can be erected. Finishing the grace is to be kept ever before those responsible for the Southern Field, meaning doing more than beginning where work should have begun years ago. That finishing is done by using the entire profits of the books in that destitute field, making restitution of means diverted to fields with much better advantages, and all must answer for neglect and deception in the judgment according to the measure of neglect of God's purposes and specified methods.
The instruction shows how to assist in lifting the debt from the institutions in Scandinavia, with believers urged to complete among themselves by generous support for God's work the same giving Titus had begun. The chapters are to be studied when tempted to withhold what is needed in foreign and unworked fields, to emulate the liberal spirit that made the Macedonians willing to give beyond their power to the cause calling for help. Selfish motives must not lead to withholding funds needed in unworked fields. The verse belongs to instruction about giving that parents are urged to understand and practice, and it stands as an example to heed when doing work for people in need.
Paul asked Titus to return to Corinth to complete the offering for needy believers in Jerusalem that he had earlier started there. That offering had been promised more than a year before and was to be finished without further delay as practical relief for fellow Christians suffering famine, scattering and hostility. The grace to be finished is willing, joyful generosity in giving, begun by first giving self to the Lord and then giving means sacrificially even from poverty, as the Macedonian churches did beyond their power. Such liberality proves the sincerity of love and faith, shows a complete Christian character, and flows from receiving God's grace, above all from Christ who though rich became poor to make others rich. All that people hold is the Lord's entrusted capital, and by faithful, generous sowing they glorify God and decide their fitness for heaven, so these chapters are to be studied and practiced in the churches today whenever needs press.
Historical Setting and Request
Paul desired Titus to finish in Corinth the same grace he had already begun there, which was to complete the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem and Judea. That grace was generous giving carried through from earlier willingness into action, a practical gathering of contributions and money help for fellow believers in need. The work belonged to his appeal for the Corinthian church to provide aid to Christians facing hardship and religious hostility, and it stands as an example to heed in work for people in need and as instruction in giving for parents to understand and practice.
The collection had been proposed and begun more than a year before, with an amount pledged, and it was to be delayed no longer but gathered in and sent to Jerusalem. Paul was anxious that the Corinthians perform what they had promised through the grace of God working upon their hearts. He did not want them outstripped in liberality by the comparatively poor Macedonian churches, but wanted them to show symmetry of Christian character and prove the sincerity of love and faith.
The need arose from famine at Jerusalem, where many Christians had been scattered abroad and those who remained were likely to be deprived of human sympathy. They were displaced and exposed to religious enmity, hardship and hostility, deprived and facing suffering, so the churches were exhorted to send help to their brethren there. The collection helped those saints in their displacement, expressed devotion to the Lord and love for fellow believers, and expressed gratitude to Christ.
Encouraged by the Macedonians and filled with thanksgiving, Paul both wrote by letter and sent Titus to visit the Corinthian church to attend to the collection. Taking courage because their self-denial and self-sacrifice in great trial of affliction and deep poverty far exceeded expectations, he urged Titus to stir up Corinth to the same good works, to present Christian liberality and add to the means already collected in Macedonia. He laid no command but set before them the necessity of Jerusalem and the example of others who with fewer advantages gave to their power and beyond their power willingly of themselves, first giving themselves to the Lord. His purpose in telling of Macedonian liberality was to awaken through the working of the Holy Spirit upon their minds a desire for similar deeds of charity and the same spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and to prepare the way for his own later visit.
Grace of Generous Giving
The same grace Titus was to finish is Christian liberality itself, willing benevolence in offerings for ministering to the saints, the grace of generous giving in which the Corinthians were to abound alongside faith, speech, knowledge, diligence, and love. It had been begun among them as a charitable work of gathering contributions for believers in need, and was to be carried through from earlier willingness into completed action. Paul's urging was to stir them to the same good works already seen elsewhere and to add to means already collected, arousing in Corinth the same spirit of joyful, willing giving.
That grace begins with first giving self to the Lord and then to others by the will of God, arising from self-surrender, devotion to the Lord, trust in God, love for fellow believers, and gratitude to Christ. It is expressed in willing and sacrificial giving, performed through grace working on the heart, so that believers would not be outstripped in liberality by those poorer than themselves. The Macedonian churches illustrate the grace, for in great trial of affliction and deep poverty the abundance of their joy abounded to riches of liberality. They gave to their power and beyond their power willingly and of themselves, praying with much entreaty to share in the gift, in self-denial and self-sacrifice far exceeding expectations, and this willing, joyful liberality is the true basis of charity.
Giving is a grace from God in which believers first receive grace and then bestow grace, learning that as they impart they receive more abundantly, for God gives to them that they may give to others. It follows the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ who though rich became poor so that through His poverty they might be rich. The grace proves the sincerity of love and faith, showing symmetry of Christian character. It shows a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God for the gospel, the gospel working as the power of God, fruit borne to the honor of God, and every duty diligently discharged under the control of God.
Appreciation of God's rich gifts leads every converted soul to benevolence, and character cannot be complete unless benevolence is expressed in returning to God His due and sustaining every good work. Liberality to advance the kingdom is the very best tangible evidence of faith, with love expressed in deeds counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence. All that people have is the Lord's entrusted capital given to test whether they will serve Him and do right because it is right. Though He could carry forward His work without human cooperation and is not dependent on money, time, or labor, He accepts these as tokens of loyalty by faithfulness in which eternal destiny is decided, fitness for the pure heavenly kingdom is judged, and a crown of glory is received. Generous sowing brings a generous harvest and glorifies God, whose glory becomes the rereward of those who follow His directions.
Finishing the Grace Today
The eighth and ninth chapters of Second Corinthians are to be studied and read in the churches as God's directions and Bible principles on generous giving. They teach the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings for ministering to the saints, and the blessings that redound to those who manifest liberality. Giving is there presented as a grace already begun, which as Titus had begun it was to be finished, carried through into generous sowing that brings a generous harvest and glorifies God. Believers are to catch the inspiration of that liberality, learning that as they impart they receive, for God gives to them that they may give to others.
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of the work and to see things in a correct light, there is denying of self and gifts flow into the treasury for the proclamation of the message and truth for this time. This meets the pressing emergencies which arise in aggressive warfare, and practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice in willing giving brings blessings to God's people. Believers lay their offerings at the apostles' feet and pray with much entreaty that the gift would be received, as part of how to gain God's blessing.
Ministers have a responsibility to teach churches to give, and even poor believers are not shut out from the privilege of giving but should share in offerings to help those whose needs are greater than their own. Giving in self-denial is a blessing of Christ's grace, and churches that neglect to support poorer churches miss the blessing that self-denying giving brings. The same call urges believers, even the poor, to finish the grace by giving the necessary means for a substantial, economical building for the Sydney Sanitarium to uplift people to an elevated plane of action, with poverty giving no excuse to be shut out.
The verse also applies to devoting means to God and giving self to His service to build a humble church where new believers can assemble to worship. Intelligent laborers with large families dependent on daily labor finish the grace by giving willingly in deep poverty, to their power and beyond their power, so the meetinghouse can be erected. Finishing the grace is to be kept ever before those responsible for the Southern Field, meaning doing more than beginning where work should have begun years ago. That finishing is done by using the entire profits of the books in that destitute field, making restitution of means diverted to fields with much better advantages, and all must answer for neglect and deception in the judgment according to the measure of neglect of God's purposes and specified methods.
The instruction shows how to assist in lifting the debt from the institutions in Scandinavia, with believers urged to complete among themselves by generous support for God's work the same giving Titus had begun. The chapters are to be studied when tempted to withhold what is needed in foreign and unworked fields, to emulate the liberal spirit that made the Macedonians willing to give beyond their power to the cause calling for help. Selfish motives must not lead to withholding funds needed in unworked fields. The verse belongs to instruction about giving that parents are urged to understand and practice, and it stands as an example to heed when doing work for people in need.