What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 9:7? Each one should give “Each one should give…” (2 Corinthians 9:7a) • The call is personal. No believer is excused from the privilege of generosity. • Paul echoes Jesus’ invitation to all His followers: “Give, and it will be given to you…” (Luke 6:38). • Early-church practice confirms this individual responsibility: “On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income…” (1 Corinthians 16:2). • Giving is not a spectator sport; it is a discipleship discipline for “each one.” What he has decided in his heart to give “…what he has decided in his heart to give…” (9:7b) • Planned, prayerful, purposeful. Generosity begins in the heart before it ever touches the wallet. • God told Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring Me an offering from every man whose heart compels him” (Exodus 25:2). The same principle carries into the new covenant. • Pre-deciding the amount keeps giving consistent, not driven by passing emotions or clever appeals. • “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest” (Proverbs 3:9) shows that thought-through giving honors God with priority, not leftovers. Not out of regret or compulsion “…not out of regret or compulsion.” (9:7c) • God rejects gift-giving done with a sigh or a shove. • In Deuteronomy 15:10 He warned, “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart.” • Ananias and Sapphira serve as a cautionary tale—external pressure mixed with internal hypocrisy (Acts 5:1-4). • Healthy church leadership will invite, never coerce. The Spirit motivates; manipulation mutilates. For God loves a cheerful giver “For God loves a cheerful giver.” (9:7d) • Cheerfulness is more than a smile; it is joy rooted in trust that God provides. • “If it is giving, let him give generously” (Romans 12:8) ties attitude to action. • The Macedonians, “in the midst of severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (2 Corinthians 8:2). Joy fuels generosity, not abundance. • Proverbs 22:9 assures, “A generous man will be blessed,” revealing why God delights in cheerful givers—they mirror His own open-handed nature. summary 2 Corinthians 9:7 calls every believer to give personally, intentionally, and joyfully. Gifts that spring from a willing heart, free from pressure, delight the Lord and reflect His generous character. |
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