I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
Paul does not lay giving on believers as a command, but takes the earnest forwardness of others as the occasion to test whether their love is sincere. The forwardness he holds up is that of the churches of Macedonia, who though in great affliction and deep poverty gave joyfully of themselves and beyond their power for the needy saints. The mighty motive behind the appeal is the Lord Jesus Christ, who though rich in His heavenly home became poor for their sake, sharing the lot of the lowly, that through His poverty they might become rich in heavenly treasure. To prove love sincere is to abound in the grace of liberality as in faith and knowledge and diligence, first giving self to the Lord and then devoting His entrusted means to people in need and to His work in tangible deeds. Such liberality is the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart and shuts out no one for poverty, for even those of limited means give to their power and beyond their power, denying selfish gratification, and in sowing bountifully they reap bountifully in blessing.
Meaning and Setting
Paul does not lay giving on believers as a commandment but takes the earnestness and forwardness of others as the occasion to prove whether love is sincere. The appeal is an opportunity rather than force, holding up willing generosity as the example and test of sincere love. In this setting liberality means giving to support people in need and the work of God, as part of the grace in which believers are called to abound. When the Spirit makes people aware of the necessities of the work, willing generosity that denies self demonstrates that sincerity.
The forwardness held up is the willing liberality of the churches in Macedonia. Though comparatively poor, they in great affliction and deep poverty abounded with joy unto riches of liberality, beyond their power and willing of themselves. They first gave themselves to the Lord, and their liberality was the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart, requiring neither large wealth nor high education. Grace is first received and then bestowed, and as it is imparted it is received more abundantly, while withholding leaves the Christian incomplete and wanting.
Paul told the Corinthians of the liberality of the Macedonians and of the favors shown to the needy saints at Jerusalem, to awaken in them through the Spirit a desire for similar deeds of charity in the same spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice. Because the Corinthians had proposed and begun a collection, he wrote to them and sent Titus to visit Corinth to see that they finished what they had promised through grace working on their hearts. He set before them the necessity of the church at Jerusalem and the example of those with fewer advantages and less ability, lest the comparatively poor Macedonian churches outstrip the Corinthians in liberality. Everyone who has received God's great gift is thus required to reveal the power of truth against selfishness and self-indulgence by making returns of fruit from His vineyard, with liberality advancing the kingdom as the very best evidence of sincere faith and love expressed in tangible deeds.
The mighty argument behind the appeal is not Paul's commandment but the Lord Jesus Christ. Though rich in His heavenly home with riches and honor and glory as Commander in the heavenly courts, He for their sake became poor, clothing divinity with humanity and taking the lowest place in this world. In the councils of heaven He chose to stand with the poor and oppressed, to share the lot of humble workers and learn the carpenter-builder trade, living without kingly palaces or ease. Through His poverty believers might become rich in heavenly treasure, and He stands as the pattern calling them to prove their love by like self-giving. Love for Him leads believers to help those in need, and those who abound in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence and love are to abound in this grace of liberality also.
Proving Love by Giving
Proving sincerity means abounding in the grace of liberality just as in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence and love, by willingly giving oneself to the Lord and devoting means to God for people in need and for His work, with love expressed in tangible deeds rather than words alone. Giving is not imposed as a commandment but is urged by pointing to the willing liberality of others as example and test, so that response proves whether love is sincere. That pattern is the Macedonian believers, who first gave themselves to the Lord and then gave willingly and liberally to relieve others and support God's work.
Such liberality is the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart and does not require large wealth or high education, for grace is first received and then bestowed. As what is imparted is received more abundantly, while withholding leaves the Christian incomplete and wanting. The Spirit works upon minds to awaken desire for similar deeds of charity and self-denial, moving hearts to give willingly even amid many calls for local work and for other parts of the field, telling of favors shown to needy saints to excite the same spirit.
Means are the Lord's entrusted goods to be given liberally to meet pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare, for God gives to believers so that they may give to others. Everyone who has received God's great gift is required to reveal the power of truth in counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence by making returns of fruit from His vineyard in lines that advance His kingdom. Liberality shown in such lines, with love expressed in something tangible, is the very best evidence of the sincerity of faith.
When by His Spirit God stirs His people to see the necessities of the work for this time, they deny self and what would be spent on selfish gratification, earnestly beg for the privilege of giving, and lay offerings in the treasury for the proclamation of the message, so that gifts flow in. Such self-denial and self-sacrifice bring blessing to God's people. Sowing bountifully reaps bountifully, and taking the word as counselor and acting on Bible principles in generous giving makes the glory of the Lord their rereward.
Proving love in this way shows symmetry of Christian character: evidence of love, a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God for the gospel, the gospel working as the power of God, fruit to God's honor, and diligent discharge of every duty under God's control. Those who prove love in this way count it their highest privilege in gratitude for the knowledge of Jesus Christ to meet God's requirements by liberality to advance His glory. Paul greatly desired to see this completeness lest believers be outstripped by others, sending Titus to help finish what had been proposed and begun through grace working on hearts.
No one is shut out by poverty, for even those in deep poverty with large families dependent on daily labor and those who can contribute only from limited means prove sincere love by giving to their power and beyond their power willing of themselves. They hold that all they have and are is the Lord's to be used unselfishly and without waste to help brethren in hard times and to provide needed facilities such as a substantial, economical building for uplifting people and freeing institutions from debt.
The same test calls for generous help for the destitute Southern field, keeping the Macedonian example ever before the church as a lesson to follow. Hardness of the field is no excuse for doing scarcely anything in it. It requires using the entire profits of the books in that destitute field instead of diverting means appointed for there to fields with much better advantages, making restitution of diverted means and doing more than beginning where work should have begun years ago, since neglect will be met in the judgment and God will reward according to neglect of His purposes and specified methods whose design and facilities originated with Him and are found in His treasury.
The same test calls for liberality for unworked foreign fields, forbidding selfish withholding of funds when fields are ready for advance moves. It requires emulation of the Macedonian spirit in giving beyond ability to the cause calling for help so that more can be accomplished. This applies to raising money to free institutions in Scandinavia from debt and to providing means for the Sydney Sanitarium, with the poor not shut out from the privilege of giving.
Alongside the appeal without commandment stands an express command to use entrusted talents and means to advance the knowledge of truth, requiring believers to hear needs and respond to calls. The record of Macedonian liberality is to be studied to learn the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings and the blessings that come to those who show it. That spirit is proved by willing, liberal offerings for building a house where believers can assemble to worship God and for helping brethren in hard times.
Those who receive Christ prove sincere love by earnest, self-sacrificing efforts in His service, each one having a part to act in the Redeemer's work and allowing no opportunity to advance the cause to pass by. This includes taking hold of the work in meekness and lowliness yet with earnest determination to bless others by helping circulate Christ's Object Lessons and placing its truths before others. Parents are urged to study this instruction on giving and practice it by teaching children self-denial and bringing offerings to support God's work.
Paul does not lay giving on believers as a command, but takes the earnest forwardness of others as the occasion to test whether their love is sincere. The forwardness he holds up is that of the churches of Macedonia, who though in great affliction and deep poverty gave joyfully of themselves and beyond their power for the needy saints. The mighty motive behind the appeal is the Lord Jesus Christ, who though rich in His heavenly home became poor for their sake, sharing the lot of the lowly, that through His poverty they might become rich in heavenly treasure. To prove love sincere is to abound in the grace of liberality as in faith and knowledge and diligence, first giving self to the Lord and then devoting His entrusted means to people in need and to His work in tangible deeds. Such liberality is the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart and shuts out no one for poverty, for even those of limited means give to their power and beyond their power, denying selfish gratification, and in sowing bountifully they reap bountifully in blessing.
Meaning and Setting
Paul does not lay giving on believers as a commandment but takes the earnestness and forwardness of others as the occasion to prove whether love is sincere. The appeal is an opportunity rather than force, holding up willing generosity as the example and test of sincere love. In this setting liberality means giving to support people in need and the work of God, as part of the grace in which believers are called to abound. When the Spirit makes people aware of the necessities of the work, willing generosity that denies self demonstrates that sincerity.
The forwardness held up is the willing liberality of the churches in Macedonia. Though comparatively poor, they in great affliction and deep poverty abounded with joy unto riches of liberality, beyond their power and willing of themselves. They first gave themselves to the Lord, and their liberality was the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart, requiring neither large wealth nor high education. Grace is first received and then bestowed, and as it is imparted it is received more abundantly, while withholding leaves the Christian incomplete and wanting.
Paul told the Corinthians of the liberality of the Macedonians and of the favors shown to the needy saints at Jerusalem, to awaken in them through the Spirit a desire for similar deeds of charity in the same spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice. Because the Corinthians had proposed and begun a collection, he wrote to them and sent Titus to visit Corinth to see that they finished what they had promised through grace working on their hearts. He set before them the necessity of the church at Jerusalem and the example of those with fewer advantages and less ability, lest the comparatively poor Macedonian churches outstrip the Corinthians in liberality. Everyone who has received God's great gift is thus required to reveal the power of truth against selfishness and self-indulgence by making returns of fruit from His vineyard, with liberality advancing the kingdom as the very best evidence of sincere faith and love expressed in tangible deeds.
The mighty argument behind the appeal is not Paul's commandment but the Lord Jesus Christ. Though rich in His heavenly home with riches and honor and glory as Commander in the heavenly courts, He for their sake became poor, clothing divinity with humanity and taking the lowest place in this world. In the councils of heaven He chose to stand with the poor and oppressed, to share the lot of humble workers and learn the carpenter-builder trade, living without kingly palaces or ease. Through His poverty believers might become rich in heavenly treasure, and He stands as the pattern calling them to prove their love by like self-giving. Love for Him leads believers to help those in need, and those who abound in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence and love are to abound in this grace of liberality also.
Proving Love by Giving
Proving sincerity means abounding in the grace of liberality just as in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence and love, by willingly giving oneself to the Lord and devoting means to God for people in need and for His work, with love expressed in tangible deeds rather than words alone. Giving is not imposed as a commandment but is urged by pointing to the willing liberality of others as example and test, so that response proves whether love is sincere. That pattern is the Macedonian believers, who first gave themselves to the Lord and then gave willingly and liberally to relieve others and support God's work.
Such liberality is the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart and does not require large wealth or high education, for grace is first received and then bestowed. As what is imparted is received more abundantly, while withholding leaves the Christian incomplete and wanting. The Spirit works upon minds to awaken desire for similar deeds of charity and self-denial, moving hearts to give willingly even amid many calls for local work and for other parts of the field, telling of favors shown to needy saints to excite the same spirit.
Means are the Lord's entrusted goods to be given liberally to meet pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare, for God gives to believers so that they may give to others. Everyone who has received God's great gift is required to reveal the power of truth in counterworking selfishness and self-indulgence by making returns of fruit from His vineyard in lines that advance His kingdom. Liberality shown in such lines, with love expressed in something tangible, is the very best evidence of the sincerity of faith.
When by His Spirit God stirs His people to see the necessities of the work for this time, they deny self and what would be spent on selfish gratification, earnestly beg for the privilege of giving, and lay offerings in the treasury for the proclamation of the message, so that gifts flow in. Such self-denial and self-sacrifice bring blessing to God's people. Sowing bountifully reaps bountifully, and taking the word as counselor and acting on Bible principles in generous giving makes the glory of the Lord their rereward.
Proving love in this way shows symmetry of Christian character: evidence of love, a lively sense of obligation and accountability to God for the gospel, the gospel working as the power of God, fruit to God's honor, and diligent discharge of every duty under God's control. Those who prove love in this way count it their highest privilege in gratitude for the knowledge of Jesus Christ to meet God's requirements by liberality to advance His glory. Paul greatly desired to see this completeness lest believers be outstripped by others, sending Titus to help finish what had been proposed and begun through grace working on hearts.
No one is shut out by poverty, for even those in deep poverty with large families dependent on daily labor and those who can contribute only from limited means prove sincere love by giving to their power and beyond their power willing of themselves. They hold that all they have and are is the Lord's to be used unselfishly and without waste to help brethren in hard times and to provide needed facilities such as a substantial, economical building for uplifting people and freeing institutions from debt.
The same test calls for generous help for the destitute Southern field, keeping the Macedonian example ever before the church as a lesson to follow. Hardness of the field is no excuse for doing scarcely anything in it. It requires using the entire profits of the books in that destitute field instead of diverting means appointed for there to fields with much better advantages, making restitution of diverted means and doing more than beginning where work should have begun years ago, since neglect will be met in the judgment and God will reward according to neglect of His purposes and specified methods whose design and facilities originated with Him and are found in His treasury.
The same test calls for liberality for unworked foreign fields, forbidding selfish withholding of funds when fields are ready for advance moves. It requires emulation of the Macedonian spirit in giving beyond ability to the cause calling for help so that more can be accomplished. This applies to raising money to free institutions in Scandinavia from debt and to providing means for the Sydney Sanitarium, with the poor not shut out from the privilege of giving.
Alongside the appeal without commandment stands an express command to use entrusted talents and means to advance the knowledge of truth, requiring believers to hear needs and respond to calls. The record of Macedonian liberality is to be studied to learn the spirit of benevolence that should mark offerings and the blessings that come to those who show it. That spirit is proved by willing, liberal offerings for building a house where believers can assemble to worship God and for helping brethren in hard times.
Those who receive Christ prove sincere love by earnest, self-sacrificing efforts in His service, each one having a part to act in the Redeemer's work and allowing no opportunity to advance the cause to pass by. This includes taking hold of the work in meekness and lowliness yet with earnest determination to bless others by helping circulate Christ's Object Lessons and placing its truths before others. Parents are urged to study this instruction on giving and practice it by teaching children self-denial and bringing offerings to support God's work.