A little Introduction, shall we…

If you have ever set your feet in a church setting, or mingled long enough with other Christians, it is highly likely that you are very familiar with the saying of this passage.

2 Corinthians 9: 6, 7 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [NIV]

This section of scripture appears to tell very plainly and clearly that not only we should give much (i.e. the more we give the better), but that we should do it with a cheerful heart. “Hey,…if you sow a little, you will reap a little, and if you sow a lot, then you will reap a lot! And by the way, as you sow a lot, make sure to sow with a cheerful heart, because otherwise God will not be pleased”. Turn on the TV monitor to one of those Christians channels, and you are bound to hear it within the next hour or two! Without a doubt, this passage is an all-time favorite among preachers (you may conjecture why…). But as Part 6 of how our previous series argued, it is our responsibility to study this passage ourselves. There is also a verse that comes to mind:

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

It is noble in God’s eyes to search the scriptures after they have been taught to us, with the objective of determining whether what we were taught was indeed true. And teachings on this passage, not matter how familiar we might be with them, demand that we subject them to the same scrutiny.

2 Corinthians 9: 6, 7 appears to raise two (2) distinct prerogatives: On one hand is the quantity to give (mainly verse 6), while on the other is the attitude to have in the giving (verse 7).

But is it really what God is saying here? In this series, we will argue that the answer to this question is NO! We will argue that God does not make “at all” reference to the quantity one gives. In quite a contrast, we shall argue that this passage sole focus – and emphasis – is on the attitude in (or the intention behind) the giving. And as a byproduct of this argument, this series will also highlight just how much of an inconvenient truth this passage can truly become. But obviously, not to everyone, for how can the truth be anything else than a welcomed refreshing to those who truly want to nurture their love for God?