2 Corinthians 9:6

2 Corinthians 9:6 says, But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Paul was making the comparison of giving to God to a farmer sowing seed.  If the farmer doesn't sow many seed, he is not going to reap a large crop.  If we don't give a lot to God in faith we cannot expect to reap a large crop for Him.  If a farmer hoards his seed, they do him no good.  It is only when he sows them that they are useful.  The same is true with the things God blesses us with.  If we hoard it all for ourselves, it is useless to God.  We must use, or sow, what God gives us for His glory.  Verse seven adds, Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  Paul did not say that everyone was to give a specified amount, but that they were to give what they knew in their heart was right for them to give.  Paul also said that they were not to give grudgingly or out of necessity.  If we give to the church, or even to a fellow Christian, feeling that we must but don't want to, then we cannot expect our gift to be honored by God.  As Paul then concluded, God loves a cheerful giver.  For example, if we are writing out a tithe check and mentally complaining with every stroke of the pen, I don't believe that we are pleasing God.  Verse eight continues, 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:  Paul said that when we give willingly and cheerfully that God will provide us with a sufficiency in all things.  We do not need to read this to mean that God will give us everything we want, but that He will sufficiently supply all our needs.   Verse nine states, (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  The verse ten adds, Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)  Since Paul did not divide the verses, then these two verses in parentheses should be considered together.  Paul said that just as God had dispersed the gospel abroad to the poor, He would likewise provide for the needs of those who gave to His work.  We don't work for a reward from God, but we work or give with faith that He will meet our every need.  Verse eleven continues, Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.  Paul stated this in conjunction with giving by faith to help others.  I do not believe that this means that when we give to others that we will become materially rich, but that God will always be bountiful in meeting our needs.  Then, because God does meet our every need, we should always give thanks to Him.  Verse twelve declares, For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;  Paul said that giving to others not only helped them, but it resulted in many thanksgivings to God.  This is only possible when those giving do so with a cheerful heart.  If we give, but hate doing so, there can be no thanksgiving to God on our part.  Verse thirteen adds, Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;  Paul said that the giving to others for the spreading of the gospel proved to others that they were subjected to the gospel themselves.  The way that we use what God has blessed us with shows how much we are subjected to the gospel.  Verse fourteen continues, And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.  Paul said that those who were being helped prayed for the grace of God to be exceedingly great with the church at Corinth.  We should always be in prayer for other believers, but especially for those who are giving freely to those less fortunate so that the gospel might be preached to all.  Verse fifteen concludes, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.  This should always be our declaration, whether we are the giver or the receiver of help.  Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift, which is not material things, but salvation through Christ.