All things in comman, through unity
Psa 133:1 How
wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in
harmony!
2 For harmony is
as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over
Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as
refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains
of Zion. And the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life
forevermore.
Rom 5:21 So just as
sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's
wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with
God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:23 For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rev 1:18 I am he that
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death.
Eph :4:1 I therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy
of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness
and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one
body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of
your calling;
5 One Lord, one
faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all.
7 But unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he
saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men.
Eph 4:13 Till we
all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ:
4:13. Gifted people are to
minister till all the church attains (reach translates katante4so4men,
used in Acts of travelers arriving at their destinations) the three
goals, each introduced by the Greek preposition (eis, “unto”):
literally, (1) “unto the unity of the faith (cf. Eph. 4:5) and
full knowledge (epigno4seo4s; cf. 1:17) of the Son of God,” (2)
“unto a mature man,” and (3) “unto the measure (metron; cf. 4:7, 16) of
the stature of the fullness of Christ.” As each believer functions in
accord with the gift(s) Christ has given him (v. 7) the body as a whole
enjoys unity (cf. vv. 3-6) and becomes more spiritually mature (cf. v.
15), more like Jesus Christ in all His fullness (cf. 1:23; 3:19)
Acts 1:14 These all
continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the
women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
2:1 If there be
therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that
ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one
mind.
3 Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:5 Now the God
of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward
another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with
one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
7 Wherefore receive
ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of
God.
Paul’s exhortation in
this passage is in keeping with Christ’s prayer for unity among
believers (John 17:21-23). The four “if”s of Philippians 2:1
represent conditions that are assumed as true and could be translated
“since.” The first verse sets forth the grounds for the believers’ unity
in Christ (2:2).
Apparently some believers
at Philippi were characterized by vain conceit and selfish ambition
(2:3-4). They thought more highly of themselves than they ought to have
and neglected their responsibility to serve others (cf. John 13:1-17).
Humility (“lowliness of mind”) might be defined as a proper
evaluation of oneself in the sight of God and others (2:3; cf. Rom.
12:3; 1 Pet. 3:8; 5:6).
HUMILITY, FOLLOWING
CHRIST’S EXAMPLE
Phil 2:1 Paul now expands
upon his statement in 1:27, “stand fast in one spirit, striving
together with one mind [soul].” The four clauses in this verse are
conditional; their substance will be fulfilled if and when the
conditions stated in 2:2 are fulfilled. consolation in Christ—i.e.,
consolation of which Christ is the source. comfort of
love—comfort or encouragement flowing from love. fellowship of the
Spirit—communion together as Christians, flowing from
joint-participation in the Spirit (see 1 Cor. 12:4, 13, 14). bowels
[tender affections] and mercies—as the issues of fellowship in the
Spirit. The opposites of these rhetorical questions are denounced
in 2:3, 4, to which the four demands mentioned in 2:2 also correspond.
2 Fulfil ye my joy—Paul had
experienced joy because of the Philippians. He now asks
that he might have this joy completed by seeing
full unity and harmony among them. likeminded—lit., “that
you think the same thing” (see 2:5). being of one accord—In Greek
this is a noun meaning “co-souled ones” or “united souls.” of one
mind—lit., “thinking one thing.” If their thinking was focused on
Christ, they would be united in thought.
3 The KJV supplies the
words Let nothing be done, but it could just as well read, “Let nothing
be thought.” Not only our actions but our thoughts need to be guarded
from selfishness. God takes our attitudes as well as our actions into
account. lowliness of mind—actually, “humility.” Humility is the
realization that we are creatures who are totally dependent on God, the
Creator. If we are really humble before God, we are totally relying
on God. This affects our attitudes toward others, for as equally
dependent creatures, we cannot take pride in accomplishments that
put other men down (see Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12). let each esteem other
better than themselves—Instead of looking for good points in
ourselves, we should look for the good in others.
4 This verse is better
translated, “Let each of you look not only to his own
interests, but also to the interests of others” (RSV).
5 Let this mind be in
you—Let this kind of thinking be in you, i.e., the kind of thinking
that existed in Christ Jesus. We should follow Christ’s example, rather
than put ourselves first. He did not think too highly of his own status
to take on our humanity (2:8) with its complement of suffering and
humiliation (Rom. 15:3).
Acts 4:32 And the
multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:
neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed
was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great
power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there
any among them that lacked: for as many as
were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of
the things that were sold,
35 And laid them down
at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according
as he had need.
2 Chr 30:12 At the
same time, God's hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving
them a strong desire to unite in obeying the orders of the king and his
officials, who were following the word of the LORD.
I. Encouragement for
Living the Christian Life (Phil 1:1-30)
A. Paul’s praise of the
saints at Philippi (Phil 1:1-8)
1. Introduction (1:1-2)
Both grace and peace find their source in God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
2. Praise for their
constant witness (Phil 1:3-6)
3. Praise for their
concern for the gospel (Phil 1:7)
4. Praise shown by his
love for them (Phil 1:8)
B. Paul’s prayer for the
saints at Philippi (Phil 1:9-11)
1. Prayer for love (Phil
1:9-10)
2. Prayer for the fruit
of righteousness (Phil 1:11)
C. Paul’s presentation
of himself to the saints (Phil 1:12-30)
1. Stalwart testimony
(Phil 1:12-18)
2. Settled convictions
(Phil 1:19-26)
3. Solemn exhortations
(Phil 1:27-30)
II. Examples for Living
the Christian Life (Phil 2:1-30)
A. The Son of God whose
attitude the believer is to share (Phil 2:1-18)
1. The declaration (Phil
2:1)
2. The exhortations
(Phil 2:2-4)
3. The humiliation of
Christ (Phil 2:5-8)
4. The exaltation of
Christ (Phil 2:9-11)
5. The exhortations
continued (Phil 2:12-18)
B. The servants of God
whose manner of life the believer is to follow (Phil 2:19-30)
1. Timothy and Paul
(Phil 2:19-24)
2. Epaphroditus and Paul
(Phil 2:25-30)
III. Exhortations for
Living the Christian Life (Phil 3:1-21)
A. Believers are to have
no confidence in the flesh (Phil 3:1-14)
1. The exhortation
introduced (Phil 3:1)
2. The example to be
avoided (Phil 3:2-3)
3. The example to be
followed (Phil 3:4-14)
B. Believers are to have
a walk that pleases God (Phil 3:15-21)
1. A walk of maturity
(Phil 3:15-16)
2. A walk of
watchfulness (Phil 3:17-19)
3. A walk completed
(Phil 3:20-21)
IV. Enablement for
Living the Christian Life (Phil 4:1-23)
A. Christ at the center
(Phil 4:1-7)
1. Standing fast in Him
(Phil 4:1-3)
2. Rejoicing in Him
(Phil 4:4)
3. Living in the light
of His presence (Phil 4:5-7)
B. God’s presence with
believers (Phil 4:8-9)
1. Thinking worthy
thoughts (Phil 4:8)
2. Doing worthy deeds
(Phil 4:9)
C. God’s supply of human
needs (Phil 4:10-20)
1. The lesson of
contentment (Phil 4:10-13)
2. The blessing of
giving and receiving (Phil 4:14-20)
D. Conclusion (Phil
4:21-23)
Final greetings came to
the Philippians from Paul, from his fellow workers, and from other
believers.
The apostle sent his
greetings from all the saints (v. 21).
He addressed “all the
saints” (1:1) in writing the epistle.
The brothers who were
with Paul also sent greetings.
Timothy was certainly
included in this group.
The saints (v. 22) who
sent greetings were those in the church in Rome (Rom. 16:1-15).
Those who belong to
Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22) were probably those who had come to
Christ as a result of Paul’s house arrest. They probably included
soldiers and relatives of Caesar’s household. No wonder Paul could say
that what had happened to him had advanced the gospel (1:12).
As was his usual
practice Paul gave great prominence to Christ’s marvelous grace as he
concluded his letter (cf. Phile. 25).
Jer 32:39 And I will
give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for
ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
John 17:11 And now I
am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to
thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast
given me, that they may be one, as we are.
21 That they
all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me.
22 And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even
as we are one:
23 I in them, and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world
may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast
loved me.
Rom 14:15 But if thy
brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your
good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of
God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these
things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Rom 12:9 Don't just
pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong.
Stand on the side of the good.
10 Love each other
with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy in
your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12 Be glad for all
God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
13 When God's
children are in need, be the one to
help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner
or, if they need lodging, for the night.
14 If people
persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray
that God will bless them.
15 When others are
happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
16 Live in harmony
with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company
of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
James 2:5 Hearken, my
beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have
despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the
judgment seats?
James 1:9 Christians
who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them.
Prov 17:5 Whoso mocketh
the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad
at calamities shall not be unpunished.
John 12:26 "If anyone
serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am,
there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will
honor him.
Gal 6:15 For neither
is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
16 And those who will
walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel
of God.
17 From now on let no
one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of
Jesus.
18 The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Col 3:23 And whatsoever
ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men;
24 Knowing that of
the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye
serve the Lord Christ.
Acts 10:35 In every
nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
2 Cor 8:21 Providing
for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in
the sight of men.
Mat 11:25 At that
time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto
them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
1 Cor 1:27 But God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty;
Isa 29:14 Because of
this, I will do wonders among these hypocrites. I will show that human
wisdom is foolish and even the most brilliant people lack
understanding."
Psa 112:9 They give
generously to those in need. Their good deeds will never be
forgotten. They will have influence and honor.
10 The wicked will be
infuriated when they see this. They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.
2 Cor 9:9 As the
Scriptures say, "Godly people give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will never be forgotten."
Deu 15:11 There will
always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you
to share your resources freely with the poor and with other Israelites
in need.
Prov 11:24 It is
possible to give freely and become more wealthy,
but those who are stingy will lose everything.
25 The generous
prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others
will themselves be refreshed.
Prov 19:17 He who
is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for
his good deed.
Eccl 11:2 Give a
portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil
shall be upon the earth.
Luke 6:30 Give to
every man that asketh of thee; and of him that
taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would
that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love
them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love
those that love them.
33 And if ye do good
to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also
do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to
them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also
lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your
enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and
your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the
Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
1 Tim 6:18 That they do
good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate;
19 Laying up in store
for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they
may lay hold on eternal life.
Dan 4:27 "'O King
Nebuchadnezzar, please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right.
Break from your wicked past by being
merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.'
Isa 58:7 I want you to
share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your
homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from
relatives who need your help.
8 "If you do these
things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing
will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call,
the LORD will answer. 'Yes, I am here,' he will quickly reply. "Stop
oppressing the helpless and stop making false accusations and spreading
vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry
and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from
the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.
11 The LORD will guide
you continually, watering your life when you are dry and
keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like
an ever-flowing spring.
1 John 3:17 But if
one of you has enough money to live well, and sees a brother or sister in
need and refuses to help--how can God's love be in that person?
18 Dear children, let
us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by
our actions.
19 It is by our actions
that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be
confident when we stand before the Lord,
20 even if our
hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he
knows everything.
Luke 16:9 And I say
unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness;
that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luke 10:20 But don't
rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names
are registered as citizens of heaven."
Jude 1:21 Live in
such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the
eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give
you.
22 Show mercy to
those whose faith is wavering.
2 Cor 4:18 So we
don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look
forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon
be over, but the joys to come will last forever.
Earthly treasure should serve
kingdom purposes and should never be one’s master (Luke
16:1-13).
James 2:1 My dear
brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our
glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than
others?
2 For instance,
suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and
expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in
shabby clothes.
3 If you give special
attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor
one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"--well,
4 doesn't this
discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?
5 Listen to me, dear
brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be
rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the kingdom
God promised to those who love him?
6 And yet, you insult
the poor man! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you
into court?
7 Aren't they the
ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
8 Yes indeed, it
is good when you truly obey our Lord's royal command found in the
Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
9 But if you pay
special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you
are guilty of breaking that law.
10 And the person who
keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has
broken all of God's laws.
1 John 3:17 But whoso
hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth
up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in
him?
18 My little
children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed
and in truth.
Work to enter God's Rest.
if indeed one has truly entered the "rest of God"
completely.
I have ceased from
fmy work of earning God's favor and am resting in the
righteousness of Christ and all that he did when I was redeemed.
2 Cor 8:12 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.
13 For I mean not
that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 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:
15 As it is written,
He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered
little had no lack.
16 But thanks be to
God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of
Titus for you.
Grace Giving: 2 Corinthians
8–9
Several things help us put
this passage’s teaching on giving in perspective. In the early New
Testament church there were no buildings to finance, no curriculums or
programs to support. Yet there were needs within the body. Funds
were given to the apostles and to others who traveled as missionaries.
Often local elders would be supported to free them for a full-time
ministry. Paul wrote to Timothy about needy widows who were also
supported by the congregation. However the first obligation
for their support fell on children and grandchildren. The great
collections of which the New Testament speaks here and in other
passages (cf. Acts 11:27-30; etc.) were, however, intended for the
support of Christian brothers and sisters in lands struck by famine or
some other natural disaster. Essentially then “giving” in the New
Testament was focused on meeting “people needs.” Its goal was to enable
others to simply survive, or to carry on ministries
recognized as important by the church.
It is not surprising then
to discover that the term used for “giving” in this New Testament
context is not the typical Greek word for making a gift. Instead the
New Testament adopts the Greek word koinonia, which means “sharing.” As Christians shared life in Christ,
their family relationship was expressed by a sharing of financial and
material resources.
In these chapters of 2
Corinthians then Paul wrote to encourage members of this congregation
to share their material possessions with needy brothers. His whole
approach and argument was a demonstration of the revolutionary approach
to motivation explored in our last study guide. Paul held no
rallies and called for no pledges. He sent no
letters filled with underlined appeals. Paul set up no
“buy a brick” campaigns; he put no red ribbon
threaded through a giant thermometer to creep upward toward Paul’s
campaign goal. There was not even an every-member
canvass. In fact, Paul seems to have found an entirely different
way.
If we keep in mind
these two factors, that “giving” is really sharing
to meet needs in the body of Christ, and that New Testament giving
focuses on people needs, we will be able to better understand what
Paul teaches us here.
Two examples
(1 Cor. 8:1-9). Paul began by telling about the
way the churches of Macedonia had shared generously despite extreme
poverty. Their act of service was viewed as a privilege,
and their example provided a standard against which the Corinthians
could measure their own earnestness.
But the Macedonians were
not the prime example of the grace of giving: Jesus is. Jesus demonstrated
this grace in that though He was rich, He gave all (“became poor”)
that through His poverty we might become rich.
There is no appeal here to the
tithe as a standard against which to measure our giving. Instead
Paul pointed to other believers and to Jesus, whose love moved them
to give, first themselves and then money.
Willingness (2
Cor. 8:10-12). Paul was pleased that the Corinthians had
earlier expressed a strong desire to help. But the Corinthians needed
to carry their intentions through to completion, “according to your
means.” This is an important factor in grace giving. Paul said it
again. “If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable
according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”
On the one hand, one need
not be a millionaire for his or her contribution to be significant.
Even the gifts of those who have little and can give little are
acceptable. What God is concerned with is the willingness: the love
that motivates the believer to share (cf. Luke 21:1-4).
The principle
of “equality” (2 Cor. 8:13-15).
Here Paul laid down an important principle. The goal in grace giving is
“that there might be equality.” This is not Christian
communism, in any sense. Paul’s vision is of a worldwide church, an
international body. In the first-century world, as in our own, there
were at times famines or other natural disasters, which left whole
populations on the verge of starvation. The collections which Paul
spoke of here were for the relief of Christians in such areas. What
Paul pointed out is that, at present, the plenty enjoyed by the
Corinthians could supply others’ needs. In their turn those others
might one day supply the Corinthians when they had needs.
The body image is
appropriate here. Just as the food we take in is digested and
distributed to all parts of the body, in order that every bodily part
can function, so the funds God supplies to believers are to be
shared with those in need so they can live and function as God intends.
Action encouraged
(2 Cor. 8:16–9:5). Paul told the Corinthians
that Titus and another brother were coming to take and distribute their
liberal gift, and urged them to “show these men the proof of your
love and the reason for our pride in you” by having it ready.
Giving as sowing
(2 Cor. 9:6-11). Paul turned to another image
that had its roots in the Old Testament. Sharing with others is
like sowing seed: the more generously one sows the more he or she will
reap.
This is not a
promise that one who sends in $10 will get $100 in return. Instead it
is an affirmation of God’s ability to outgive His people. “God
is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” The
conviction that God is able to
supply our needs is intended to
free us to give generously, without
fear that we will
deprive ourselves or
our family by
responding to meet
the needs of
others.
In this context Paul said
that “each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Again, Paul was careful not to place believers under any obligation to
give, and not to specify any percentage as appropriate. Each is to give
“what he has decided in his heart,” and that decision is not to be made
reluctantly or under compulsion.
The outcome
of grace giving
(2 Cor. 9:12-15). Paul now summed up the results
of generous giving. It supplies the needs of God’s people. It overflows
in expressions of thanks to God, and stimulates praise. It demonstrates
the obedience (commitment) that is appropriate to our profession of
faith. It generates prayers for the giver by the one who receives.
And, as Paul had shown
earlier, it permits us to experience the faithfulness of God who is
able, and does supply our needs as we use our material possessions to
help our brothers and sisters.
· Giving is a privilege (2 Cor 8:4).
· Giving flows from commitment (2 Cor
8:5).
· Giving is voluntary (2 Cor 8:8).
· Giving is purposeful (2 Cor 8:13-16).
· Giving has personal consequences (2
Cor 9:6).
· Giving involves head and heart (2
Cor 9:7).
· Giving has spiritual as well as
material results (2 Cor 9:12).
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world.