6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (II Corinthians 9)
We saw yesterday in II Corinthians 8 that generous giving is one of the important ways we see the grace of God at work in our lives. He actually spends the rest of that chapter and this one talking about it: it is that important. In this passage above he begins by saying that it is part of the sowing and reaping principle we see so often in scripture: if we invest in sin, we reap its consequences; if we sow the word of God in our lives, we will see Godly character; and here, If we sow grace by giving, we reap not more money necessarily, but all kinds of fruit of the grace of God. Notice in verse 11: you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which will produce... thanksgiving." It will also develop real relationships in the body of Christ, and prayer for one another. Grace giving does not necessarily mean God will give us a bunch of money back, (though he may so we can give more to those in need), but He does take that invested "act of grace" to bring Him the thanks and glory He deserves, and to develop spiritual fruit in and among His people. This excites Paul to the point of overflowing: "Thanks be to God for His inexpressible Gift!" - the gift of Christ, and thereby His grace, and all the blessings that come with it. May His grace flow in and through us.
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