In chapter nine Paul goes on to liken our giving to the sowing of seed. Because his deep thought was not fully expressed in chapter eight, Paul went on to write another chapter related to giving. This chapter reveals another aspect of giving, the aspect of sowing. Paul’s thought here is that we must sow and then we shall reap. Furthermore, when we sow, we should sow not merely for ourselves, but sow with blessings for others.
Many translations of the Bible do not render verse 6 literally. Instead of saying “with blessings,” some versions speak of bounty or of sowing bountifully. According to these translations, if we sow bountifully, or with bounty, we shall reap bountifully, or with bounty. This, however, is a natural understanding of this word. What Paul speaks of here is literally sowing with blessings. Our giving must be with blessings to others.
Other Scriptures help us to understand the word blessings in 9:6. In the Old Testament we can see that giving was a blessing. When Jacob met his brother Esau, Jacob gave him something. That gift was a blessing. Regarding this, Genesis 33:11 says, “Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Other verses that indicate that giving is blessing are 2 Kings 5:15; Judges 1:15; and Ezekiel 34:26. Our giving to others is a blessing to them.
When we sow with blessings to others, we shall reap with blessings from God. Furthermore, the harvest will always far surpass the amount of seed sown. It may be multiplied thirty or even one hundred times. This does not happen miraculously; it takes place according to natural law. God controls the life supply among His children by miracles. Because of this, no Christian family can maintain its wealth for generations. But sowing is according to natural law, not according to miracle. Regarding this, there is no need for God to do anything miraculous. We all need to sow, to give. The more we give, the more we shall reap. However, we should not do this in a superstitious way for the purpose of gaining riches for ourselves.
The two illustrations of gathering and sowing are related to Paul’s profound thoughts in these chapters. In chapter nine the deep thought is that as Christians we give in the sense of sowing. If we do not give, we are not farming, not sowing. Moreover, we should not sow sparingly. If we sow sparingly, then according to natural law we shall reap sparingly. We need to sow with blessings to others. If we sow with blessings to others, then, also according to natural law, we shall reap with blessings from God to us. This blessing will be many times more than what we have sown. I can testify that, in my Christian life, I have never seen a believer who has given to God who has not been greatly blessed by Him. The Lord will always honor the natural law He has ordained.
We need to recognize the Lord’s miraculous hand and also care for His natural law. According to both aspects, we need to give. Perhaps at present you do not see God’s balancing hand. But over the long run, perhaps over a period of many years, you will see it. Then you will be able to testify of how God balances the daily supply among His children. We also must realize that giving is a matter of sowing. Therefore, if we would reap, we must sow with blessings to others. Then we shall reap with blessings from God.
We should sow more and in turn reap more. The goal is not to make ourselves rich. The result is the abounding of thanksgivings to God. I hope that in the time to come many of the saints will become a factor of thanksgiving to God. This means that your giving will abound in much thanksgiving to God. I have the full confidence that if the saints in the Lord’s recovery are willing to give, the recovery will never be lacking in material supply. Instead of lack, there will be abounding in thanksgiving to the Lord through many saints. Therefore, let us all practice our giving, a giving which is carried out by gathering and by sowing.
In 9:5 Paul says, “Therefore I thought it necessary to entreat the brothers, that they would go before you and make ready beforehand your previously promised blessing, that this might be ready thus as a blessing, and not as covetousness.” This blessing is a bounty, a willing gift of generosity as a blessing to others. Willing and generous giving makes the gift a blessing to the receiver. Unwilling and grudging giving, from a withholding and covetous heart, makes the gift a matter of covetousness to the giver.
In verse 7 Paul says, “Each one as he has purposed in his heart, not out of sorrow or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” This comes from Proverbs 22:9, where the Septuagint reads, “God loves a cheerful and liberal man.” The Greek word rendered cheerful also means hilarious, gleeful.
In verses 8 and 9 Paul continues, “And God is able to make all grace abound unto you, that, in everything always having all sufficiency, you may abound unto every good work; even as it is written, He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness abides forever.” The words “all grace” in verse 8 refer to every kind of grace. The scattering in verse 9 is the scattering in sowing. The word poor in this verse denotes one who is obliged to do menial work to eke out a living. It is not the common word for poor.
In verse 9 Paul speaks of righteousness abiding forever. Generous giving is, on the one hand, a blessing to the receivers, and, on the other hand, righteousness in the eyes of both God and man.
In verse 13 Paul speaks of the approvedness of this ministry of giving material supply to the needy saints. It refers to the approval by the needy saints in Judea of the Gentile believers’ ministry to them. The Greek word, dokime, means test, trial, experiment; hence, approvedness, proof. It indicates that the ministry to the saints will be tested, tried, and approved by the saints to become a proof of the generous character of the ministry.
The Greek word for fellowship in verse 13 also means communication (see “communicating” in Romans 12:13, and “shared” in Philippians 4:15). It refers to the ministry of supply, which is a fellowship between the Gentile believers and those in Judea.
In verses 14 and 15 Paul concludes, “And in their petition on your behalf, longing after you on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” This indescribable gift is God’s grace given to the believers.