How Is the Grace of Giving Imparted?
David W Palmer
(2 Corinthians 8:6–7 TPT) That is why we appealed to Titus, since he was the one who got you started and encouraged you to give, so he could help you complete this generous undertaking on your behalf. {7} You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity.
Yesterday, we saw the amazing outcomes from receiving God’s grace for Giving. Once we understand what it is and what it does, it is a blessing we certainly desire in our lives today. So, how do we receive it; how does Father impart his grace for giving to us? To find the answers, we look at how God operated with the Corinthians.
As we read the above passage, we see that Titus had an important role in their receiving the impartation of God’s giving grace. But some of how it happened was also their own responsibility; the apostle Paul told them to “make sure” they excelled in this grace. What part did Titus play, and what part did the Corinthians play in ensuring that this grace operated in them?
Paul could have simply said, “Make sure you excel in giving.” He could have said, “Make sure you give generously.” Or he could even have said, “Make sure you don’t let the Macedonians out-give you.” But this would have relied on their own will power—motivated by guilt, obligation, or competition. The apostle Paul could have used his apostolic authority to command them to give, but he clearly said otherwise: “I am not commanding you to do this” (2 Cor. 8:8 NLT). So, what was his approach? He wanted them to have God’s grace for giving perfected in them. If it were, the sowing and reaping and associated blessings would spring up automatically:
(2 Corinthians 8:6 NKJV) So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.
(2 Corinthians 9:6 NKJV) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
We should always remember that God’s covenant with us includes a very clear and definite promise that he will multiply our seed:
(Genesis 22:17 AKJV) That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed …” (See also: Heb. 6:14)
As well as instructing the Corinthians to excel in this grace of giving, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul gave Titus the job of imparting and completing it in them. What did Titus do? How is this grace imparted and brought to completion?
First, we see that there is a clear connection between Jesus, the Living Word, and God’s grace:
(John 1:14, 16–17 NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ... {16} And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. {17} For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Three times, the opening chapter of John connects grace and Jesus. In other words, the Holy Spirit connects grace with God’s “word.” About Jesus, he says:
From this, we could safely conclude that when Jesus speaks the word, that his words are full of grace and truth, and that we receive grace when we receive his word. This is confirmed in what the Holy Spirit said about the words Jesus preached:
(Luke 4:22 NKJV) So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
Here we see that the words that came out from our Lord’s mouth were “gracious.” In other words, they were packed with grace for the hearers. The Holy Spirit confirms through the apostle Paul that wholesome, spirit-led words impart grace to those who hear them:
