The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 31

Paul Exhorts them and warns them at the same Time

2 Corinthians 8:11-15 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. KJV

Paul a year earlier (as we have documented in the last two studies) had been made aware of the Corinthian believer’s willingness to aid their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in need in Jerusalem. The Corinthians were at that time ready cheerfully and gladly to lay aside a certain amount of money in their collections every Sunday for just those Jerusalem believers. However, strife among them had reared its ugly head along with discord and disagreements (1 Corinthians 6:1-8) that crippled their ability to cooperate with one another in unity and harmony. Paul, knowing this fact, is now stirring up their remembrance of the commitment they made to him to have money stored up and ready for his collection when he sent someone to retrieve it for the Jerusalem Church.

Paul uses the Greek word prothumia which is translated readiness in our English Bible, and it meant that these Corinthians (before they took their eyes off of our Lord Jesus Christ) were so eager, lively to do, willing, and predisposed to relieve the suffering of their fellow brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Paul was not a year earlier or now writing to them trying to shame them into giving, but only to stir up their own previous disposition to give freely of what our Lord Jesus had blessed them with and to assure them that they were not to give beyond what they themselves could afford. Paul never taught tithing in any of his letters or even used the words tithe or tithing when writing to any of the Churches.

Paul taught that giving to help him and other believers (in need) was never to be done out of duty or obligation, but from the heart that is filled with love for our Lord Jesus Christ and walking in the Spirit, as our Lord Himself said, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep My commandments” (John 14:13-15). Surely those persecuted believers in Jerusalem were asking for help in the Name of Jesus and it is our Lord Jesus’ primary method of using His other sons and daughters to relieve their suffering, which is His suffering, as Paul clearly remembers this being spoken to him the very day he was converted to Christ as recorded by Dr. Luke with these words, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:1-5). Paul (at that time his name was Saul) was jailing and killing sons and daughters of our Lord Jesus Christ, but our Lord Jesus said to Paul that He was being persecuted.

Paul had firsthand knowledge and understanding of the sensitivity our Lord Jesus had to His children who were being persecuted. Therefore, this is why Paul was so eager to gather and collect resources and money from all the fellow believers willing and wanting to help. Paul is not asking them to give all that they have and then themselves be in financial trouble feeling the pressure, anxiety, and stress of how they would live. But, Paul is warning them that they must be mindful that circumstances can shift or turn at any moment being aware that as they are now blessed to have plenty that should motivate them to give bountifully not knowing what a day may bring forth as the Apostle James declares with these words, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:13-17).

Paul certainly has on his heart and mind the brevity of our lives down here on earth and our inability to know what will happen to us in the future and this is why he wants them to finish now what they began to do. It may come to pass, that one day the Corinthian believers will be in need. Paul goes back to the Old Testament account of the manna God the Father sent from Heaven to supply the needs of His people and points out how those who were greedy and disobeyed by gathering more than they needed found that their manna had spoiled, but those who were obedient and grateful and gathered only what was for their daily supply had plenty. Our Heavenly Father will reward His children who are willing, cheerful, grateful, thankful, and generous givers to help other brothers and sisters in the body, but He will likewise take away from His own children what He has blessed them with if any of us are unwilling, ungrateful, and not giving as He instructs, where He instructs, and when He instructs.

My own personal note: God the Father will supply every need of all His children as He sees fit according to His Will, but He will never furnish the greed that many of us harbor.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…