Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15).

In Paul's appeal to the Corinthians to fulfill their previously-made commitment to give to their needy Jewish brothers in Jerusalem, Paul reminds them of the gift they received, an "indescribable gift." His reference is subtle but unmistakable, for there is only one indescribable gift. It is the gift of eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). This is the "surpassing grace" given them by God (2 Corinthians 9:15), for "though he [Christ] was rich, yet for their sake he became poor, so that they through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). 

Friends, God's indescribable gift to us, His all-surpassing grace (God's Riches for us At Christ's Expense), should be our daily meditation. When we properly consider our riches in Christ, every other delight, concern, aspiration, or interest amount to nothing. So Asaph wrote,

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25).

What can compare to our eternal salvation in Christ? What is more delightful than beholding our Savior? What concern in this life can distress us when eternal paradise is just around the corner for us? What aspiration can come near what Christ has already accomplished for us? What interest is greater than the unceasing celebration of our soul in tireless gratitude for God's indescribable gift? 

Are you weak? Celebrate Christ! Are you strong? Celebrate Christ? Have you failed miserably? Celebrate Christ! Have you succeeded greatly? Celebrate Christ! Are you sad? Celebrate Christ! Are you rejoicing? Celebrate Christ! Whether in life or in death, whether rich or poor, whether filled with distress or full of peace, in all things, in all ways, on every occasion celebrate Christ!

2 Corinthians 8
5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

The tithing idea is rooted for many in the Mosaic law, and now tradition; this compels many to give to the church institution as a required command. In whatever capacity we should give of our finances "to God" as the Macedonians did. Paul even acknowledges here that they were first giving to God then, to my interjection, the church, and then to the people. I mean to say that we should continue to give of ourselves but for God, not for love or peace or health, but for God. Then because of God we give to support our Body, our union in Christ, namely his church. As Jesus "gave scraps to the dogs," we should then give to people outside the church, but through God, if it is to be an offering for God.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

Is this a promise to name and claim? In other words, if you give your money to the church or help the poor, will God materially enrich you? This is perhaps the strongest verse in the New Testament (cf. Philippians 4:19) to suggest this very thing. However, we ought to approach such a conclusion with at least some hesitation. Consider, for example, this possible translation of these verses:

... and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God (Young's Literal Translation).

Note that the definite "He will supply and multiply..." is replaced by an expressed wish, namely, "may He supply and multiply..." and the definite "You will be enriched" is replaced by the modifying gerund "being enriched," which may carry the conditional sense of what it modifies. 

Now, we should not dismiss the promise of blessing for giving simply because we reject the notion of "prosperity theology." There is a notion in 2 Corinthians 9:8-11, as well as in Philippians 4:19, that God blesses those that support His work and give to the poor. He blesses in such a way that those giving may continue to give. But other Scriptures seem to suggest that giving is no guarantee of getting and generosity is no guarantee of riches; however, perhaps we can see a divine disposition to bless those that are generous in their giving. Thus, even if we are to take Paul's words here as a conditional wish or prayer rather than as a definite promise, it is, nevertheless, only a wish or prayer because Paul believes that such is in keeping with God's will. So we understand clearly that

God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Now, will God's ability to bless turn into an actual blessing for us. Whether a definite promise or a prayerful wish, Paul had an expectation of it for these generous Corinthians. I see no reason why Christians today cannot entertain a similar prayerful wish or expectation, especially when our motivation is in keeping with God's will that we might "abound in every good work." 

Paul writes to the Corinthian church about being generous.

(2 Cor 9:6-11)

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:

"They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever."

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Money is a blessing and a curse they say - although most of us would prefer to have it than not. I have heard from people who don’t come to church say they think Church is all about money and I guess when you see the palaces that some churches build it makes you wonder. God never said money was bad - just the 'love' of money. When we put money ahead of Gods interest, when we hold on to it too tight I believe that we fall into the trap of loving money.

Paul writes that when we sow sparingly we will reap sparingly. But Paul also writes that we are not give impulsively, I believe God wants us to be good stewards. Ultimately its whats in our hearts that matters, not the amount. Jesus talks about the heart of giving in (Luke 21:1-3) 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 "Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

While we can claim its what in our heart that matters, not the amount we should reflect on what Christ gave us (he gave his all - his last breath). I think of the story of the rich man (Mark 10) that asked Jesus what he must do to enter the kingdom of God and Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and the rich man could not and walked away. The key for me to the story was that before Jesus asked the man to sell his possessions, it said that Jesus looked at him and 'loved him'. Jesus was not interested in the mans money, but the man. To be in true fellowship with Christ we cant have anything between him and us - certainly not money. Let us be vessels through which Gods blessing pours through - storing up our treasures in heaven and not on this earth.

Friends, some have asked what happens when we die as Christians. Two things are evident from this passage. We learn from 2 Corinthians 5:8 that we will go directly into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said as much to the thief on the cross: "I tell you the truth. Today, you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

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We also learn another important matter here with respect to our eternal security. God has given us the Holy Spirit as His guarantee of our salvation until we actually inherit the eternal life that He has promised to us (2 Corinthians 5:4-5). Elsewhere, Paul writes that the Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). In fact, if anyone does not have the Spirit, they are not Christians (Romans 8:9).  

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2 Corinthians 5:14-15 is a wonderful passage that summarizes the motivation and mission of a Christian's life:

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

There it is. All of us, who claim Christ as our Lord and Savior, should stop living for our personal wellbeing, our family prosperity, or our earthly ambitions. Instead we should live for Jesus Christ. Someone once told me that they meditated on Genesis 1:1 for something like six months, and it was a revolutionary spiritual experience for them. Hmmm. Sounds like something a mystic would do. Such a practice has no basis in Scripture.

I would challenge this person to instead meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 even for a few minutes. While the former speaks of God's creative sovereignty, which is good to know as well, truly grasping these New Testament verses, which provide a fuller and more glorious revelation, will help this person know God for eternal salvation and fulfill His good, holy and perfect will in their life.

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Paul's letters to the Corinthians have more instruction regarding idolatry than any other book of the New Testament. Why? It is likely because this is the background from which they came. 2 Corinthians 6:11-18 is one of a number of places, where Paul warns against syncretism, allowing pagan influences to come into the church. When Paul writes, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14), this does not mean we are to have nothing to do with unbelievers, for otherwise, how can we fulfill the charge to evangelize them?

We gain greater clarity in meaning from his follow-up questions: "What accord has Christ with Belial?...And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Corinthians 6:15-16). Paul is concerned that these new believers should not corrupt the true worship of the Lord with their former practices as idolators. He wanted there to be no blurring of the lines between following the Lord and following idols. Remember, this is what Paul wrote about the Corinthian Gentiles with respect to their practice of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:2,

You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

In the two citations from the OT (Leviticus 26:12; Isaiah 52:11) in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, Paul is pointing to God setting apart the Jews to be His chosen people, separated in holiness from the unclean practices of the nations around them.

It is interesting that while Paul talks about the importance of avoiding divisions and maintaining unity in the church (1 Corinthians 1-4), Paul talks more about separating from things in the Books of Corinthians than anywhere else in the NT. He speaks of separating from the immoral brother (1 Corinthians 5, especially vv. 7,9,11, and 13), separating Christian communion from the sacrifices of pagans (1 Corinthians 10:14-22), ignoring those who ignore Paul's instruction on the proper perspectve and practice of the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:38), separating from the "bad company" of people that deny the ressurrection (1 Corinthians 15:33), separating from the worship and priorities of unbelievers and idolators (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), and avoiding "false apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

What is the point? Don't judge by appearances. Several people think I'm being divisive because I teach things that are different from what they have heard others preach and teach. They say, why harp on these matters? Didn't Paul teach against division and exhort unity? Yes, but he preached against frivolous, political, personality-based division not legitimate ones over doctrine. What is more, he preached a unity that comes only by holding steadfast to true doctrine and separating from what is false. The Bible does not ignore the issues that I address, so how could I? Jesus once told a crowd:

Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly (John 7:24).

I would encourage the same. Every matter must be tested by Scripture, for the rule of thumb for what any member or "leader" says is this: "Do not go beyond what is written" (1 Corinthians 4:6).

As an aside, I don't know why the scholars, who divided the chapters, did this, but once again (e.g. they did this in 1 Corinthians 11:1, which should better be placed with chapter 10) they put an awkward break in chapters between 2 Corinthians 6:18 and 2 Corinthians 7:1. The context, as well as the word "therefore" clearly connects 2 Corinthians 7:1 with what preceded it rather than what follows it, so that it serves as Paul's concluding remark regarding the section:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

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I love 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 because we have here what appears to be the Corinthians' response to Paul's first letter. We saw this also possibly in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11, where Paul counseled the Corinthians to receive back a repentant immoral brother, whom he had commanded them to kick out of their fellowhsip in the former letter (1 Corinthians 5).

In our present text Paul makes general reference to 1 Corinthians (2 Corinthians 7:8), particularly the strong tone he used in the letter to correct the Corinthian believers in numerous areas. It was not without reason that the Corinthian church is called "the carnal church" among scholars today. They were certainly not the church to emulate with respect to spirituality. Paul recognizes this, and even expresses some regret at his tone. But then, he writes,

Now, I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner... For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted...What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter (2 Corinthians 7:9-11).

In other words, the Corinthians believers repented at Paul's correction and rebuke. This is my prayer for our church and for all churches, that members and leaders would repent of their wrongful thinking and practice and with diligence and zeal do the right things. As Paul also writes here,

Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you (2 Corinthians 7:12).

When I write about the things that I do, often with a particular focus on matters that could cause discomfort in some, I do so not with the intent to personally call out those offending or being offended but so that the whole church might be edified.

Although my primary motivation for this site is obedience to God and not the approval of others, I do wonder if any one of the 250 people registered on this site read all or most of what I share here. Be that as it may, I pray the Lord will regard my work with favor.

Friends,

Some people are confused about the matter of rewards in heaven, and some will not even acknowledge that there are degrees of it. Yet, here we read in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Even if there are no "punishments" per se in heaven, there are certainly rewards given and taken away for what we do in our lives. However, while this might encourage us, it is certainly not the chief motivation for serving the Lord. For that we have to read a little further down in 2 Corinthians 5:14, where Paul writes, "For the love of Christ controls us..." Our service to Him is directed by the inner compulsion of the love of Christ, which arises from our new life in Him.

Some people are also confused about our moral standing after salvation. Does what Jesus did simply clear us of our former sins and bring us to a moral blank slate? Paul clears this up in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. " This verse teaches the doctrine of substituionary atonement and the doctrine of imputed righteousness. Christ took our sins and paid for them on the cross, so that we are forgiven, and He also gave us His righteousness, so that we are declared righteous in God's sight. Therefore, when we believed in Christ, we were not simply forgiven of our sins as if we had never sinned; rather, we were given His righteousness, such that when God sees us, He sees not our righteousness but the righteousness of Christ in us. We are not simply forgiven. We are righteous in Him.

Finally, friends, just a brief comment about 2 Corinthians 8:9-15. This passage is a rebuke to the "rich" churches of today, the massive edifices with beautiful panes and state-of-the-art facilities. This passage is a rebuke to leaders that seem more concerned with building their kingdom rather than the Kingdom of God. The pinciple is "he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack" (2 Corinthians 8:15). What justification is there for a multi-million dollar facility reaching just a handful a year, if that? Would God consider this a good return on His investment? And what example did Christ leave us? "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" (2 Corinthians 8:9). He had everything but made Himself as nothing, so that He might focus on drawing people to God to the glory of God alone (cf. Philippians 2:5-8). Churches in a large sense have lost their hunger for and focus on the main thing. It is even more shameful that we talk of it but are unwilling to make the sacrifices to correct the problem. Let us be courageous and call out our churches on this matter so that we may salvage it in these last days.

There have been times where I've wondered what a world of equality would be like.  By definition the world we live in is inequal as we see with just about everything.  Equality, like judgment, has two contexts.  One out of submission and one out of obligation.  I believe in 2 Cor. 8:13 Paul talks of one out of submission to the Body of Christ & God.  When we truly love others we can openly express it through our needs as well as times of plenty.  We all know others that have less.  A literal interpretatoin would lead us to believe that out of everything that we have (which is not our own but provided by God) we should be ready to give it all up for the sake of the Gospel.  All is quite a bit but required nonetheless.  So how much easier is it to give a little or some?  Sometimes just as hard.  Verse 14 & 15 go on to relate how we can treat our possessions (that we hold so near and dear to our heart).  Maybe closer than we should.  Just recently I asked my wife, "If God were to take away our home would you be OK in an apartment?"  She said yes.  Praise God!

Yujin adds.... Amen, brother Matt! Thank you for that lucid observation about equality. It is very profound because it strikes at the division between liberals and conservatives in America. Liberals are all about equality, while conservatives are all about freedom. Yet, both are desired. However, equality cannot be forced and freedom must not neglect equality. So the equality desired (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:13-14) is not commanded (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:8) but encouraged as a demonstration of their love (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:8b).