Abounding Grace / Part 1

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All Scripture references are from the New Scofield Reference Bible.
(This message was originally published in 1988. It is also included in the hardback book,
The Best of J. Vernon McGee, Volume 2, copyright 2006 by Thru the Bible Radio Network.)

At the outset, I want to make a very sharp distinction:
This message is for Christians only, and that is O-N-L-Y. Why? Because it is on the topic of Christian giving, and God never did ask a non-Christian to give one dime to Him or to His cause. We misrepresent God when we make people believe that He will take a gift from just anyone; He will not. If you are not a Christian, I recommend that you do not give to God’s work, because you may gain the impression that you can buy your way into heaven. Some folk think they’ll be able to purchase a ticket to heaven — that if they put up enough cash, somehow or other they will get God’s acceptance. You cannot do that.

My friend, today the gate to heaven is marked, “Free Admission.” It is the only entrance through which bankrupt sinners may enter, which means that in order to get to heaven every member of the human family must go through the entrance marked, “Free Admission.” The prophet Isaiah said, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)

Salvation is a gift. If you gave so much as a red cent toward it, it would no longer be a gift, but you would be making a down payment on a purchase. Salvation is an outright gift of God. Your ticket to heaven has already been purchased by Another, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those of us who have received God’s greatest gift, however, find there are many things He wants to talk to us about. One of those things — and He makes no apology for it — is our relationship to the material things that He gives us and how they are to be used. We have here in the second Corinthian letter, chapters 8 and 9, the most extended and complete section on Christian giving in the entire Word of God. All that you and I need to know about giving to the work of the Lord is here.

First of all, we notice that there are no rules for Christian giving, none whatsoever. God does not give rules to those who are His own. However, He does give certain clear-cut principles.
These great principles are to be put into practice in the life of the believer. I repeat: there are no rules for Christian giving. Paul was very clear about this, because the important word throughout this section of 2 Corinthians is the word “grace.” It is the high word on the highway of Christian giving.

The word “grace” occurs seven times in chapter 8 and three times in chapter 9. It might be well to look briefly at these different passages in order to pick up the mechanics.
The first place “grace” occurs is in the first verse of chapter 8, for at the very beginning, Paul set the pace and moved to the level of flight that he then sustained all the way through the passage.

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 8:1)

He spoke of “giving” as being a grace that was bestowed on the churches. You see, it had nothing in the world to do with rules. He put down none here, as we are going to see.
The second place in which the word “grace” occurs is verse 4. Unfortunately, the King James
translation does not make it clear. Don’t misunderstand me, the King James translation is unusually good here, but the Greek word translated here as “gift” is actually the word for “grace.”

Beseeching us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift [grace], and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (2 Corinthians 8:4)

Paul, you see, was saying that the gift they had taken up was a grace.
The third place it occurs is in verse 6:
Insomuch that we besought Titus that, as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. (2 Corinthians 8:6)

Having given the Macedonians as an example, he said in effect, “I’ve sent Titus to you Corinthians so that this grace, which worked in the hearts of the Macedonians, might work in your hearts also.”

Then we find in verse 7:
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Giving is a grace, Paul said, in which they should abound. It is not ordinary grace, but abounding grace.

Now we find this high word again in verse 9:
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Then again in verse 16 — and here it is difficult to see because, when it was translated into English, the word “thanks” was used. You will find in several places that the English word “thanks” is really the Greek word for “grace.”

But thanks [grace] be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. (2 Corinthians 8:16)

Now again in verse 19:
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and to show our ready mind. (2 Corinthians 8:19)

The offering that Paul took was a grace. That is an interesting way to speak of an offering, is it not? We call it today the collection; some people like to call it the offering. Well, the Scriptures call it a grace. I have a notion that if we said in the Sunday morning service, “We’re now going
to receive the grace,” many would think we were going to return thanks for some food that was to be served! We don’t use that word for the collection, but it was Paul’s word for it.

Now in the next chapter, we find in verse 8:
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

You see, Paul was not after only grace, but abounding grace. And then,
And by their prayer for you, who long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. (2 Corinthians 9:14)

Then he closed this section, as he opened it, with the word “grace,” translated again by our English word “thanks.”

Thanks [grace] be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)