2 Corinthians 9:3–5: Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
Paul did not tell them how much they had to promise, but he did expect them to keep their promise. If it is acceptable to make financial commitments for things like telephones, cars, and credit cards, certainly it ought to be acceptable to make commitments for the work of the Lord. Notice the words that Paul used as he wrote about the collection. It was “ministering to the saints,” a service to fellow believers. It was also a “bounty” (2 Cor. 9:5), which means “a generous gift.” Was Paul perhaps hinting that the Corinthians give more than they had planned? However, Paul was careful not to put on any pressure. He wanted their gift to be “a matter of bounty [generosity], and not as of covetousness [something squeezed out of them].” High-pressure offering appeals do not belong to grace giving. 1
Personal Application
- Read Matthew 6:1-4. How will the Father reward your giving?
Godly Encouragement
- He who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence. –Romans 12:8
A Biblical Thought to Share with Others
Give because you want to, not because you have to. – TWEET IT
A Prayer to Consider
Lord, thank You for giving everything You had to save me.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
