2 Corinthians 8:16

But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you... And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches... Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance, which is administered by us, providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men... Wherefore, show you to them and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. — 2 Corinthians 8:16–24

Paul handles the church's money with such integrity that no critic can lay a finger on it—and calls us to give cheerfully, motivated by grace and eternal reward.

Stewardship That Reflects the Grace of God

Over the last four weeks in 2 Corinthians 8, we have seen wonderfully important truths about treasure, wealth, and giving. We have considered the importance of stewarding well the resources we have been given in a way that honors God and reveals His love and grace to the world. We have observed the principles of giving joyfully, willfully, and eagerly. We have seen that God Himself inspires and motivates us to give by His grace, that it is His will for us to give, and that through giving He sanctifies us and transforms us toward a fuller Christ-likeness.

God has blessed us so that we would be a blessing. Knowing His grace is showing His grace, and giving results in great blessing.

The Trouble With "Give So You Can Get"

Unfortunately, some churches and ministries emphasize only that last point—that giving is a path to blessing. It is true that the Bible reveals this, but there is so much more in the biblical concept of being a giver than giving in order to get. Many people, flipping through channels and landing on someone teaching the Bible, hear, "If you give, you're going to get," and they give for the purpose of getting.

Taken out of context, certain passages can be made to support that idea. In Acts 20:35 Paul quotes Jesus: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Solomon said in Proverbs 3:9–10, "Honor God with your substance and with your firstfruits of all your increase... so shall your barns be filled with plenty." And in Proverbs 19:17, "Whosoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed."

So God's Word does promise that God blesses the open hand. But our giving is not to be motivated purely by the promise of blessing. The primary motivating factor is the free grace of God. As Jesus said in Matthew 10:8, "Freely you have received, freely give." Having received such great grace, we extend it freely to others—and we live in a nation blessed like no other, so our potential to give is enormous.

Why We Grow Cautious in Giving

When we give—to a ministry, a church, or an individual—Scripture says we give as unto the Lord. But practically, we are handing it off to another human being, and that has made some cautious. Why? Because every human being is wicked to the core. Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart of man is desperately wicked. Bound up in every heart is selfish greed, so when we give freely to someone, our flesh grows cautious, knowing they are just as wicked as we are.

Have you ever thought, "I'm giving this to the Lord, but I wonder if they'll handle it correctly"? I have. Sadly, there have been ministers and ministries that misused what was given in the name of Christ. Some have failed in integrity because the heart of man is desperately wicked.

The Corinthians' Hesitation

Two thousand years ago it was no different. A year before this letter, Paul had shared with the Corinthians the need of the church in Jerusalem. Their hearts were stirred, and they began receiving an offering. But somewhere over that year, a hesitancy crept in. Part of the concern was for themselves—what would they have if they gave it away? And part was the accusations against Paul's character, which made some question whether they wanted to entrust this sizable gift to Paul and his companions.

Paul recognized the importance of being above reproach in handling wealth, because God instituted His church to express His love and grace by meeting practical needs—both inside and outside the body of Christ. When Paul instructed Timothy about leadership in 1 Timothy 3, twice he insisted that overseers and servants must not be greedy for money. That seems like common sense—but common sense is not all that common. Three chapters later, in 1 Timothy 6, Paul warns that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil; those who have fallen in love with it have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Five Principles of Faithful Administration

In 2 Corinthians 8:16–24, Paul seeks to alleviate the Corinthians' concerns by showing them that this gift is being handled with the utmost integrity. There are about five principles here that still apply to leaders handling financial matters in the church.

First, the offering was received and carried by more than one individual. Paul mentions Titus, two unnamed brothers, and himself—at least four men. Why? Because the heart of man is desperately wicked, and though we are saved by grace, we are not beyond temptation. The enemy loves to lure us with the things of this world, and he would especially love to bring down a leader, because in taking out a leader he can discourage many. So those who take Scripture seriously put administrative plans and procedures in place to mitigate temptation. None of us is above it.

Second, those receiving the offering were of good report among the brethren. Remember Judas Iscariot. In every depiction he looks like a creepy scoundrel, but I doubt he did. Among the twelve, he probably seemed to have his act together more than anyone—why else would they let him carry the money instead of loud-mouthed Peter? Yet the Scriptures tell us he had his hand in the money bag, stealing from it. That is why he was angry when the woman anointed Jesus with costly oil. People are not above temptation.

Verse 16 names Titus, Paul's well-known co-laborer and the go-between for Paul and Corinth. Verse 18 mentions an unnamed brother whose praise in the gospel was known throughout the churches—commentators have speculated it was Luke, Timothy, or Silas, but we simply don't know. The name is unimportant; the character is not. Verse 22 mentions a second unnamed brother, often proved diligent—tested and proved faithful. We don't know their names, but we know their character.

Third, the churches that gave were involved in selecting the men who carried it. Verse 23 calls these brothers "messengers"—in Greek, apostolos, sent ones—of the churches. The churches of Macedonia and Galatia commissioned individuals they had observed and respected. Verse 19 says the first brother was "chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace." A year earlier, in 1 Corinthians 16:3–4, Paul had already told them: "Whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem." The churches themselves appointed the men by letters of recommendation.

This is how we operate at this church as well. First and foremost, we do everything before God, who sees all. But even though He sees the tithes being counted, we never have just one person do it—always two or three, for accountability. When checks are issued, two pastors must sign; and the person who cuts the check is never the person who signs it. Pastor Richard even put together a book on how we handle these things. Sadly, many churches don't, which is one reason we started Calvary Admin Services—to help other churches do it the right way. Because common sense is not all that common.

Fourth, these steps were taken so no criticism could be brought against the ministry or the ministers. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:20–21 (NLT): "We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable."

Prove Your Love

Fifth, when steps like this are taken, the body of Christ can easily fulfill Paul's exhortation in verse 24: show the proof of your love. The gift itself was a demonstration of love. Words are great, but devotion is more fully revealed when it is demonstrated. When a man asks a woman to marry him and gives her a ring, he is saying, "I know I'm a dirty, rotten scoundrel asking you to put up with me until death—but I love you, and I want to prove it in this very practical way." So Paul says: when these men show up, because we are doing this the right way, prove your love by giving this gift.

In chapter 9, verse 1, Paul says it is "superfluous"—unnecessary—for him even to write about ministering to the saints. Why? Verse 2: "I know the forwardness of your mind." He had boasted about the Corinthians to the churches of Macedonia—Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea—telling them how Achaia was ready a year ago, how the Corinthians could hardly contain themselves when they heard of the need. Their zeal had provoked many others to give.

But then Titus returned with word that the Corinthians had grown hesitant. So in verse 3, Paul admits he is concerned: if he arrives with men from Macedonia and finds Corinth unprepared, both he and they would be ashamed. These are audacious, bold words: "You were excited to give. I boasted about your willingness. Now you don't want to give, and I feel like a fool." Could you imagine saying that today?

So in verse 5 (NIV), Paul thought it necessary to urge Titus and the brothers to visit in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift they had promised, so it would be ready as a generous gift and not grudgingly given. He didn't want to arrive with a traveling party only to hear, "Well, I guess we said we'd give it, so we have to." You feel the pressure—and yet a few verses later he says, don't give reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Both are true: deal with this seriously, but don't fail to finish what you started—and don't give grudgingly.

Sowing Bountifully—and the True Reward

Verse 6: "He which sows sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he which sows bountifully shall reap bountifully." This is a favorite verse of prosperity teachers: "Sow seeds of faith, and you'll get a return—sow big, reap big." It spreads like wildfire because our hearts are greedy, and the idea that an investment yields a return fits the American mindset perfectly. Some have indeed taken this verse out of context. But the true meaning is crystal clear.

Consider the farmer. You have a ten-pound bag of seed—all you have left—standing before your field at planting time. As you sow it, there is a real sense of loss: you had much, and now you have none. The harvest remains only a potential until the seed is planted. Plant just ten percent, and you reap only a small portion; sow abundantly, and you can expect a greater harvest—but you plant in hope, experiencing loss until the harvest comes.

Paul applies this to giving. The Corinthians had treasure and the willingness to share it, but concern crippled that willingness. So Paul seeks to reignite their desire: he who gives sparingly receives a moderate reward, but he who gives abundantly receives a greater one.

How is this not prosperity theology? Because the ultimate motivation is the grace and glory of God. In verses 11–15, Paul says they are "enriched in everything to all bountifulness," which produces thanksgiving to God. Their giving not only supplies the needs of the saints but overflows in many thanksgivings to God. Those who receive glorify God for their obedience to the gospel and their liberal generosity, and pray for them because of the exceeding grace of God in them. Verse 15: "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." When we sow bountifully, we increase the bounty of God's glory and thanksgiving.

Reward That Lasts Forever

But we cannot overlook the promise of reward. Verse 7: "Every man, according as he has purposed in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver." The implication is that God loves less the one who gives reluctantly or under compulsion. The word "cheerful" is the Greek hilaros—from which we get "hilarious." God loves the one who gives hilariously.

Verse 8 promises that God is "able to make all grace abound toward you," giving you sufficiency in all things so that you may abound in every good work. He gives you more so you can do more. Verse 9 quotes Psalm 112: "He that has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever." Paul focuses our attention on eternal prosperity, not temporal. Because we are finite and temporal, we are inordinately focused on prosperity here and now, so we filter every prosperity verse through the present. But ultimately they point us to heaven.

I can prove it. In Luke 14, Jesus tells the wealthy Pharisee who invited Him: when you throw a feast, don't invite your rich friends who will repay you—invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Why a "lame party"? Verse 14: "And you shall be blessed; for they cannot repay you: for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Scripture is full of reward—reward, reward, reward—but it is always focused on eternal reward. Because of our finite nature, we filter it the wrong way. This is why Jesus could say, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

A People Who Gave Until Told to Stop

God loves a cheerful giver—someone who gives willingly and eagerly, as Israel did in Exodus. When Moses told them God would build a tabernacle, he said, "Whoever has a willing heart, bring this offering—but if you can't give it willingly, don't bring it." Five times in Exodus 35 it says those whose hearts were stirred gave willingly. And in Exodus 36:7, Moses had to stand before the people and tell them to stop giving—it was too much. I don't know of any other place in the Bible where someone had to say, "We have enough; don't give anymore." Why? Because they gave willingly, eagerly, cheerfully.

How to Become a Cheerful Giver

You may say, "I don't feel cheerful about giving. How do I get there?" Four things.

First, remember—remember the greatness of the gift you have received in Christ. Second, consider—consider the promise of reward in eternity. Third, pray—pray for a change of heart. Fourth, give sacrificially as unto the Lord.

I guarantee you, because I have experienced it myself and heard testimony from others in our church, when you make a deliberate mental decision to go in that direction, your heart will follow. Where the head goes, the heart follows. Remember what He's done, consider what He's promised, pray for a changed heart, and give sacrificially—and your heart will follow.

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You for the sweetness of Your Word, even when it challenges and rebukes us. Lord, You are transforming us more and more into the image of Your Son. Help us to reflect You in a world that is completely opposite of what we see in Your Word, especially in the area of giving. Lord, shine through us, that people would see our good works and glorify You, our Father in heaven. For we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.