Joyful Thanks Living - Bible study 
part 9 of 10


God's Grace
2 Corinthians 9


2 Corinthians 9:10-11  (NIV 1984)
   ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
 
 
 
God Provides Money
   “The farmer can depend on God, not just to produce a harvest but to give him the seeds for sowing through which God produces the harvest.  So it is with the believer. God not only promises bountiful blessings to the cheerful, generous giver, but God supplies him with what he needs so he is able to give. Paul assures the Corinthian believers that the same God who makes sure the farmer has seed for sowing ‘will also supply and increase [their] store of seed,’ that is, the money and other material goods they need to be able to give.” (People’s Bible pages 165-166)
 
 
 
God Provides Spiritual Riches
   “Paul repeats this thought with the words, ‘You will be made rich in every way.’ Note the word every. The Corinthians would not simply be given sufficient ‘seed,’ that is, money, so they could participate in the offering. They would also ‘be made rich’ in a spiritual way. The Lord would continue to strengthen the new man in them so their giving would be from a proper attitude of the heart.
That is underscored by the word the NIV translates here as ‘generous.’ Paul had already used the word in 8:2. It means ‘single-mindedness’ and thus speaks not so much of amount as it does of attitude. In this context it has the idea of giving that comes from a sincere heart, giving that has no ulterior motives. Believers who are being ‘made rich in every way,’ in whose hearts the Spirit is working daily to produce the harvest of righteous lives, will be able to give in this ‘generous,’ single-minded way ‘on every occasion.’ ”   (People’s Bible pages 166-167)
 

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2 Corinthians 9:14b-15  (NIV 1984)
   ^14bBecause of the surpassing grace God has given you.
¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
 
 
 
Grace: God’s Undeserved Love for Us
   “These are fitting words with which to close this entire section. The ‘indescribable gift’ Paul is speaking of here is God’s grace (see verse 14). Throughout chapters 8 and 9, Paul has kept our thoughts focused on God’s grace. He has reminded us of the grace of God’s Son: ‘You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich’ (8:9). Through the grace of Jesus we enjoy the riches of forgiveness, new life, and the promise of eternal life. That grace in turn moves and empowers Christians to bring their ‘grace gifts,’ their offerings, in thankful response to God’s grace.”  (People’s Bible page 172)
 
 
 
Thanks for Grace
   “The grace of Jesus. The grace of giving. These two are closely tied together. The first will inevitably result in the second. For both, says Paul, ‘thanks be to God.’ ”
(People’s Bible page 173)



Giving Is
   “In these two chapters [2 Corinthians 8+9], Paul has pointed to a number of things Christians are doing as they bring their offerings.  With their offerings Christians are:
 
•  Worshiping God
 
•  Helping to alleviate the spiritual and physical needs of others
 
•  Inspiring others to thank and praise God
 
•  Serving as an example for other Christians to emulate
 
•  Expressing their Christian fellowship with the brothers and sisters in Christ who benefit from their offerings”
(People’s Bible page 172)
 
 
 
The Grace of Giving
   “Christians, therefore, moved and empowered by the grace of God in Christ, will, as Paul has brought out in these chapters:
 
•  Look upon giving as a privilege, not a chore
 
•  Give cheerfully, not reluctantly or under compulsion
 
•  Give proportionately, from what God has given to them
 
•  Trust God to supply what they need
 
•  Value the example others set and seek to be positive examples themselves
 
•  Welcome the guidance and encouragement of their Christian brothers and sisters in the matter of giving, just as they do in every other aspect of their life of sanctification
 
•  Rejoice to work together with their fellow Christians in using their offerings jointly for God’s glory and the advancement of his kingdom”  (People’s Bible pages 172-173)




   Bring to this sacred altar
   The gifts his goodness gave.
   The golden sheaves of harvest,
   The souls Christ died to save.
   Your hearts lay down before him
   When at his feet you fall,
   And with your lives adore him
   Who gave his life for all.
   (Christian Worship hymnal, 614 v.3, public domain)
 
 

 
Let Us Pray:
    Loving Father, thank you so much for your grace, your vast love for me, through which you shower me with every blessing.  You not only continue to provide for my material needs, you have also given me eternal life in heaven through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus my Savior.  
    Grant that I live my daily life for you.  May I cheerfully give of my time and possessions to proclaim the Good News about Jesus. 
   Lord, I love you more than everything.  May my life demonstrate that love, in every way, including my cheerful and generous offerings.   Amen.
 
 
  
For additional study read: 
“The People’s Bible – 2 Corinthians”  pages 167-172.  (2 Corinthians 9:12-14)
 

Bibliography     

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Valleskey, D. J. (1992).  2 Corinthians. The People's Bible.  Northwestern Publishing House.
    
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