Giving to Missions, 2 Cor 9:6

Giving to missions is based on God’s promise in 2 Cor 9:6, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” You sow sparingly and you will reap sparingly. That’s a truth. Likewise, you sow bountifully and you will reap bountifully. That’s a promise.  In giving to missions, we should, therefore, seek to sow bountifully and reap bountifully.

To sow bountifully, you need 5 things:

Willingness – you must have:

  • A willing self, 2 Cor 8:3-5, like Rom 12:1-2
  • A willing mind, 2 Cor 8:12a
  • A willing heart, 2 Cor 9:7

Planning – you must set aside each week [1 Cor 16:2] or each pay period a set amount to give to missions:

  • Based on what you have, 2 Cor 8:12
  • Based on equality, 2 Cor 8:13-15. In giving to missions, everybody should plan to give what they can, so that no one is eased or burdened.

Commitment – you must commit to give what you have willingly planned to give, 2 Cor 9:1-2.  When Paul wrote that “Achaia was ready a year ago,” he was reminding them of their prior commitment to give to the necessity of the poor saints who were in Jerusalem.

Faithfulness – when you willingly plan to give to missions, and you are committed, there must be:

  • A performance of the commitment, 2 Cor 8:11
  • A performance despite poverty or affliction, which may cause you to question your ability to give, 2 Cor 8:2.  This leads to the final point.

Dependence – giving sacrificially to missions requires us to:

  • Trust God’s grace for the riches we need to give, 2 Cor 8:1, 9
  • Trust God’s grace for our sufficiency in all things, 2 Cor 9:8

When you sow bountifully and give cheerfully, 7 things occur:

  • You prove the sincerity of your love, 2 Cor 8:8
  • You increase the fruits of your righteousness, 2 Cor 9:10
  • You are enriched and thankful, 2 Cor 9:11
  • You meet the needs of the saints, 2 Cor 9:12
  • You help to glorify God, 2 Cor 9:13
  • You encourage others to pray for you, 2 Cor 9:14
  • You reap the great benefit of God’s love for you, 2 Cor 9:7