Daily Scripture Reading 2Corinthians 7:8 - 8:9
Humans are naturally selfish. If children are not taught to be selfless, or have a selfless example to follow, they will probably grow up to be a selfish individual, focused merely on providing their own needs.
There are a significant number of people who grow up to love others and are willing to give help to those who are needy or less fortunate, but oftentimes they merely give out of their excess. They have enough wealth that they can provide help to someone less fortunate without suffering any hardship.
It is good to give away some of our excess possessions. However, today’s passage identifies something even better. People who are so generous, they actually give away so much that they hurt themselves.
In the opening verses of chapter 7, Paul wrote that he had no rest when he entered Macedonia because of internal fears and external conflicts. However, he was comforted by the coming of Titus, who reported on the zeal the Corinthians had for Paul.
2Cor. 7:8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—
2Cor. 7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to repentance. For you were made to have godly sorrow, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
Some people insist that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything. Paul obviously wrote something that made the Corinthians sorrowful, which means it probably wasn’t nice. Paul did not merely say something that wasn’t nice, he put it in writing. Paul did not regret writing what he wrote, because it caused the Corinthians to repent.
As Christians, sometimes we need to tell people something that is not nice so that hopefully they repent of their sin or wrong thinking.
2Cor. 7:10 For godly sorrow produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world brings about death.
Paul was sorrowful that he had to write what he wrote, but he knew it was the right thing to do. There are times we need to do things we do not want to do, but it will be the right thing to do.
2Cor. 7:11 For behold what earnestness this very thing—this godly sorrow—has brought about in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
2Cor. 7:12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be manifested to you in the sight of God.
When Paul wrote, he was addressing an issue between two people. He did not write merely to solve the issue, he also wrote to give the Corinthians an opportunity to demonstrate their zeal for doing what was right. They did that when they addressed the problem, proving that it was only the two individuals who were at fault, not the congregation at large.
2Cor. 7:13 For this reason we have been comforted. ¶ And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
2Cor. 7:14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame, but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth.
Paul had visited Corinth on a prior occasion and knew them. He boasted about them to Titus, and their conduct in solving the matter between the two individuals proved Paul’s assessment of them to Titus was correct.
2Cor. 7:15 And his affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
2Cor. 7:16 I rejoice that in everything I am encouraged about you.
2Cor. 8:1 ¶ Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2Cor. 8:2 that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the richness of their generosity.
Paul wrote 1Corinthians while he was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. In that letter he indicated his intent to go to Macedonia. These verses in chapter 8 inform the Corinthians about what he found in Macedonia when he traveled there after he wrote 1Corinthians. The Macedonians were very generous.
2Cor. 8:3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
Look at the phrase “beyond their ability”. It is normal for humans to give gifts and charity out of our abundance. It is good to do that, but Paul praised something even better. Paul testified that the Macedonians went deeper than their abundance.
2Cor. 8:4 begging us with much urging for the grace of sharing in the ministry to the saints,
Note the word “begging”. They did not need to be persuaded or arm-twisted into giving. They begged for the opportunity to give more than they were able. They demonstrated great love.
2Cor. 8:5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
2Cor. 8:6 So we encouraged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
At the end of 1Corinthians, Paul directed the church in Corinth how to go about collecting money to help the saints in Jerusalem. Paul promised to write a letter to help them deliver their gift to Jerusalem. Apparently, Titus was involved in delivering their gift, just as he helped the churches in Macedonia deliver a gift to Jerusalem.
2Cor. 8:7 ¶ But just as you abound in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
2Cor. 8:8 I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.
2Cor. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
It is normal for us to give gifts and charity out of our abundance. It is good to do that, but Paul praised something even better. Paul testified that the Macedonians gave more than they were able, which meant they made a true sacrifice that cost them something.
What are some occasions when you have seen people give away so much that it was a true sacrifice to be generous?
What are some needs you are aware of that perhaps you should consider giving more than you are able?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”