Exploring the Giving Principles of 2 Corinthians 8
The eighth chapter of 2 Corinthians forms the foundation for one of the most practical and grace-centered teachings on Christian giving in the New Testament. In this passage, the Apostle Paul addresses a collection he is taking up for the impoverished saints in Jerusalem. He holds up the Macedonian churches as a shining example and urges the Corinthians to complete what they had begun a year earlier. While the chapter does not command a specific percentage (the New Testament does not repeat the Old Testament tithe as a binding law for the church), it overflows with rich principles of **grace giving**. These truths flow from the gospel itself and find their highest motivation in the person and work of Christ. Here is a clear, verse-by-verse exploration of the key giving principles in 2 Corinthians 8. 1. Giving Is a Work of God’s Grace (vv. 1, 6–7) > “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia… Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as...