For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for their need, so that their abundance also may serve as assistance for your need, so that there may be equality; as it is written: “The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.” (vv. 9-15)

God is love, and He pours His love into our hearts so that we may share with others what we have first received from Him. Paul and the other apostles did not live for themselves; they devoted their time, strength, and even their bodies to proclaim the good news so that others might be saved. They cared for brothers and sisters who were suffering persecution and supported those in need.

Many Christians continue to share this love faithfully. Yet it is sorrowful to see that some churches are more concerned with constructing buildings than nurturing living faith. The church is not a structure we enter once or twice a week. It is the people of God. Too often believers are led to think that a church building is the temple of God, but Scripture teaches that God’s temple is our body, where the Holy Spirit dwells.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

This does not mean that the Holy Spirit physically resides in my physical body in a material sense. Rather, it means that through the Holy Spirit, God and I are united. We belong to Him, and He abides in us. In this way, we share a spiritual union that cannot be separated. There are theological terms that attempt to explain this mystery, but we do not need to master technical language to grasp its truth. This union is reflected in the passages about the Lord’s Supper and in John 17, where Jesus speaks of believers being one with Him as He is one with the Father.

What I am saying is that many churches seem more concerned with constructing impressive buildings to display the greatness of their community than with caring for the poor. They collect tithes and various kinds of “offerings,” often directing large sums toward construction projects. A healthy Christian community is indeed vital for spiritual growth. However, it is troubling when excessive amounts of money are spent on buildings while genuine needs go unmet. In such cases, it can appear as though they are building their own kingdom rather than serving God’s.

When churches focus heavily on fundraising for physical structures, many problems can arise—division, pressure, pride, and misplaced priorities. A physical building is not the temple of God.

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? (Luke 12:42)