(2Co 9:8) “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”  You cannot out-give God: “Give in My Name and you will be blessed ‘in all things’.”  Notice that in blessing us, it is not truly a reward, for we owe Him our very lives; but a matter of “grace”: unmerited favor. Praise His Name.

(2Co 9:7) “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”  Our Lord looks upon the heart of t hose who do Him service. And remember, to minister to others in His Name is to do Him service. True service is not because one has to, nor is forced to do it. True service has a joy in itself, the result of a thankful heart.

2Co 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Here is a principle well worth grabbing hold of by faith: “You cannot out-give God.”  Amazing to me that all we have comes from Him. Yet, He has decreed to reward those who give in His Name, who trust He will meet all their own needs!

(2Co 9:5)  Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.   As in all things that we do, there needs to be the matter of “right thinking”. Two attitudes are given regarding this offering: there is a need (bounty: as in a blessing offered), or there is not (covetousness: fraudulent offering). The Holy Spirit is stressing that this offering is because there was a true need.

(2Co 9:2) “For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”  To send money to meet the needs of others was at first very much in their hearts. Yet, such a desire has a tendency over time to lose its zeal, just as many lose their fervency towards serving the Lord. The Lord knows this, so He seeks to use others and His Word to spur us towards where we should be spiritually.

(2Co 9:1) “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:”  “Superfluous”: excessive; thus really not needful.  Paul’s heart towards them in this matter is more along the line of “let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil 2:3). But remember, the Holy Spirit is urging and directing the penning of these words. He knows our hearts and thus our true need (Rom 8:26-27), so these continued words.

(2Co 8:24) “Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.”  The Holy Spirit is not here or anywhere or anytime encouraging people to act or do falsely. He seeks genuine conduct of one who truly loves the Lord and is thankful for the tremendous price paid for their salvation.  May He find such in each heart of the truly saved!

(2Co 8:23) “Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.”  “…Titus, he is my partner….”  Although Paul led men, he did not treat them as underlings, but as partners in the ministry. From the layman’s position, the pastor is the leader. From the pastor’s position, they are cherished partners, “….and the glory of Christ.”

(2Co 8:22) “And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.”  “Our brother”. I believe the word “our” is referencing that this man is a Corinthian Believer.  When taken as such the “much more diligent” makes sense. He would naturally be spurred to greater faithfulness dealing with those he especially knows.

(2Co 8:20) “Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: (21)  Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”  Accountability can be seen elsewhere in the Bible. When Ezra left Persia for Jerusalem with a large amount of gold given by the many exiled Israelites, he first weighed it to members of the priesthood before departing and then weighted it again when collected upon arrival at Jerusalem. Such honest dealings in the sight of men is right and prudent.