"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. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
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.
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack." (II Corinthians 8:7-15; Exodus 16:18)
A simple passage but so powerful -- in that it teaches us to become a flow-through in every thing in faith, and in utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in His love toward us -- so that we abound in this grace also. But this message is not written only here but confirmed in other passages as well so that we would know without a doubt that the good news gospel of Jesus Christ -- our Lord God and Saviour -- is the only message that will matter at the end of our days.
Whether we accepted Jesus the Christ into our hearts to become our Lord and Saviour? Whether we believed so much in His name that we desired to be clothed in His righteousness through baptism in the precious name of Jesus? And as a consequence, received His precious gift -- the Holy Ghost? (Acts 2:37-42)
Paul, called an apostle of Jesus Christ wrote: "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ, that in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you -- so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall also confirm you unto the end -- [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ ..." (I Corinthians 1:1-8)
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit .. for the body is not one member but many. If the foot shall say, "Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?"
And if the ear shall say, "Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?" If the whole body [were] an eye, where the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where were the smelling?
But now God hath set the members EVERY ONE OF THEM in the body, as it hath pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble are necessary; and those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely [parts] have no need but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that which lacked -- that there should no schism in the body but [that] the members should have the same care for another, and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it' or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ ..." (I Corinthians 12:13-28)
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give] not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace about toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things] may abound to every good work; (As it is written, He that dispersed abroad, He hath given to the poor: His righteousness remaineth for ever." (II Corinthians 9:7-9)
Note that repeatedly Paul would write, "But I speak this by permission, not of commandment." (I Corinthians 7:6) "I speak not by commandment but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love." (II Corinthians 8:8)
In readiness of heart.
This is why we "look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others -- let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus -- who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross -- wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name ... that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things under the earth] that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:4-11)
So that He -- He who knew no sin -- could make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory -- even us, whom He hath called." (Romans 9:23-24)
But by an equality -- equal in the body of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ. Stand in the offering plate.
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