Christian Giving Bountiful giving is a mark of true grace. We see its sublime expression in the Lord of glory, who by his poverty became one with us and made us rich (2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:5-8). We have received his unmerited favor in salvation, and we give sacrificially in response to “this gift too wonderful for words!” (9:15). Jesus taught that generosity would be one evidence of those who follow him (Matt 25:34-36), and he stressed the importance of a person’s intentions and attitude, not simply the amount given (Mark 12:41-44). Paul dedicates a lot of his attention in 2 Corinthians to the theme of giving. The church at Corinth was encouraged to give generously in response to human need, specifically the needs of the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:6-7; 9:1-5). It would be a sign that the Gentile Christians were one body with the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Paul’s teaching on Christian giving in can be summarized as follows: (1) Our giving should spring from a willing mind and heart (2 Cor 8:12; 9:7). Paul emphasizes motives because all giving should hinge on why we give. (2) True giving is a joy, in contrast with grudging gifts (9:5). There is jo...