Daily Scripture Reading 2Corinthians 9:5 - 10:9
In our society, bravery is good and cowardice is bad. Defending your home is brave. Allowing invaders to take over your home without resisting is cowardly. Confronting a person to his face over something he needs to fix or make right is brave. Ignoring the problem is cowardly.
Our society also thinks it is cowardly to say something in writing that we are not willing to say face to face; thus, we encourage people to have those face to face conversations. That is not necessarily wrong, but Paul very knowingly, and deliberately, said something to the Corinthians in writing that he was not willing to say face to face. Perhaps we need to reexamine our philosophy regarding this topic.
Ever since Paul wrote 1Corinthians, the church in Corinth had a desire to make a collection to help the saints. In yesterday’s passage, we read that Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to complete this work, so that they would not be put to shame if any Macedonians visited them and learned that their work was not finished.
2Cor. 9:5 So I regarded it necessary to encourage the brothers that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised blessing, so that the same would be ready as a blessing and not as a begrudging obligation.
The word “brothers” refers to Titus and an unnamed brother. See 2Cor 8:16-18
Paul was intending to visit Corinth again, and one of his purposes in this letter was to make sure that their collection for the saints was complete before he arrived so that they would not begrudgingly complete it after Paul arrived.
2Cor. 9:6 ¶ Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing.
This is counter-intuitive, and contrary to the mindset of many people. The common advice about accumulating wealth is to save as much as possible, and spend as little as possible. Taken to its logical conclusion, that would mean giving away as little as possible.
This verse communicates a different mindset. Being stingy will result in little, while being generous will result in much. Keep in mind, reaping sparingly does not only mean you will have little money, it also means you will have little credit in heaven for being generous. Likewise, sowing generously does not necessarily mean you will become rich here on earth, it means you will reap an abundance of rewards from God.
2Cor. 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Note the contrast between giving willingly versus begrudgingly, and that God loves cheerful giving.
2Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
God is able to give anyone and everyone an abundance so that they can perform good deeds.
2Cor. 9:9 as it is written,
“HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE NEEDY,
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS STANDS FOREVER.”
This is a quotation from Psalm 112:9. Psalm 112 teaches us that the man who fears Yahweh does not need to fear life because Yahweh gives freely to the needy.
2Cor. 9:10 Now He who supplies SEED TO THE SOWER AND BREAD FOR FOOD will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
2Cor. 9:11 you will be enriched in everything for all generosity, which through us is bringing about thanksgiving to God.
2Cor. 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God.
2Cor. 9:13 Because of the proven character given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the generosity of your fellowship toward them and toward all,
2Cor. 9:14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you.
2Cor. 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
2Cor. 10:1 ¶ Now I, Paul, myself plead with you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ—I who am humble when face-to-face with you, but courageous toward you when absent!
It is generally regarded as cowardly to offer criticism in writing that you are not willing to articulate face to face. The conventional wisdom is people should not behave that way. However, that is essentially what Paul was doing to the Corinthians.
Paul wrote what he wrote in his letters because it needed to be said. He apparently believed that sending his message via letter was a better way to make sure the truth was communicated. If we are ever in a situation where we know the truth will not or can not be communicated face to face, then sending the message in writing is better than not sending it at all. Perhaps we should focus on getting the job done, not necessarily in looking brave.
2Cor. 10:2 But I beg that when I am present I need not act so courageously with the confidence that I consider to daringly use against some, who consider us as if we walked according to the flesh.
2Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
2Cor. 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds,
We Christians are human and have fleshly bodies; however, as Christians we are engaged in spiritual warfare, not fleshly warfare.
2Cor. 10:5 as we tear down speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
2Cor. 10:6 and are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is fulfilled.
As Christians, our top priority should be the spiritual condition of men, not the political situation (fleshly warfare) within which they live.
2Cor. 10:7 ¶ You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.
2Cor. 10:8 For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame,
2Cor. 10:9 for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
It is generally regarded as cowardly to offer criticism in writing that you are not willing to articulate face to face. However, that is what Paul did to the Corinthians. Paul apparently believed that sending his message via letter was a better way to make sure the truth was communicated. If we are ever in a situation where we know the truth will not or can not be communicated face to face, then sending the message in writing is better than not sending it at all.
What is a situation you know of where it was better to say something in writing than it was to say it face to face?
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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.”