Q2. Grace and Giving

[Commissioned]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving?

When giving it is Grace that frees the heart to be favorable to others.

What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace?

. When grace does not accompany giving the act is joyless.

What does it look like when grace prompts your giving?

When giving with grace the recipient is blessed and experiences the favor of the giver.

[wifee]

1a)Motives for giving, earthly rewards,obligated to,instructed to,compassion The root is generous favour to others,act of grace, grace of giving, both are connected,grace implies generous spirit in giving,of time,care,gifts,of kindness.

B)A chore,a duty,tax,exaction,love not present

c)grace opens up/free’s heart, to give a generous gift of love, thanks &care, a blessing to receiver &giver,it reflects sacrificial giving of Jesus.

[Craig]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving? What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace? What does it look like when grace prompts your giving?

 

Giving freely without any conditions is grace -- giving or receiving something they/we don't deserve.  Grace is something given freely out of love and mercy.  When I give I give out of love for God and others.  I give to honor God and to live out my faith to best of my ability.   The reality is that I have a desire to give.

 

When giving isn't accompanied by grace there is an attitude of bitterness, resentment, and duty vice love and joy.

 

When grace prompts gracing there is joy, delight, excitement, and a true sense of being connected with God and a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

[royk]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving? What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace? What does it look like when grace prompts your giving?

 

Sweet surrender to Christ means a flip flow in priorities. Money is just a tool for His Kingdom and His Glory. Once we surrender, He owns all of us, and we are 100% safe from any problem. There are no problems, just situations to be in, to accept as part of God's plan. When we know He owns all of us, what we give is all of it and our  earthly giving reflects this. We are not the same once we have given ourselves away to Him.

[WinstonY]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving? What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace? What does it look like when grace prompts your giving? 

 

Grace establishes the correct relationship between God and people and thus makes possible giving in a manner that is of no intrinsic value to the giver. Grace, in fact, overcomes  the obstacles between us and God- it prepares us for spending eternal life with God. Grace is given by God by Christ through the Holy spirit and allows people in faith, hope and charity. [J P Wawrykow, Thomas Aquinas,(John Knox:Louisville, 2005), 63-68.] Thus in order for an individual or group to give without expecting ANY intrinsic value to the giver grace needs to be involved. It is this grace as provided by God that makes us willing givers. If giving is a chore or a duty to be fulfilled than it is not of the grace of God but of the law. As an example we can see here in these verses of 2 Corinthians 8 that despite the poverty of the Macedonian they had given very generously to the collection of the Jerusalem church. [The province of Macedonian  had rich resources but had been raped of its riches by the Romans- hence the inhabitants were poor.] It is probably to this characteristics of the Macedonian churches to which Paul refers. Grace in generosity. [C K Barrett, 218.] 

 

             When giving  is prompted by grace it should be a giving that is given in love, care and charity, not expecting anything in return.

[lighthouse2014]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving? What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace? What does it look like when grace prompts your giving?

By giving our tithes to the church and benevolence to the poor we are showing our graciousness for the gift of grace we received from the Lord. By god's grace we have been saved from our sins, God gives his grace, so out of grace we freely give to others.

When giving is not accompanied by grace our giving becomes a chore, just another bill to pay or tax, this is because we have become selfish and do not really want to give.

When grace prompts us to give, we give with a cheerful heart, happy to help others in need who are less fortunate than we. This is what brings true joy to our heart  and it pleases the Lord.      

[Krissi]

I think I mentioned this here before, but if not, I've been reading a bio of George Mueller, the man who started orphanages in Bristol England in the 19thC. Much of his bio is involved with trusting God to provide. It's the other side of giving -- receiving.

One thing that struck me about his bio is how he never asked for money. He didn't even let people know of dire and pressing needs. Some Christians, eager to donate, would try to pry out of him the budget shortfall or the needs of the thousands of orphans he cared for, but he never let them know.

Perhaps it's more difficult to give graciously when every Christian group is pressing down for money. Their needs are legitimate, of course, and these causes are quite worthy, but the graciousness of deciding to give feels thwarted when someone aggressively asks for money. Then, it tends to morph into a demand or obligation. It feels coerced.

If I ever go into fulltime Christian ministry, which may happen soon, I've decided to NOT ask for anything but pray to have needs met. Those who give would be motivated by grace, that is, by God Himself. There would be no ambiguity in their minds. The blessing would be theirs.

Also, I feel it's important to give anonymously without any hint of finding out who gave a particular gift. Then, God's grace has utterly motivated the giver -- only the grace-filled giver and God know what transpired.