We’ve been looking at Paul’s view of giving.  He’s talked about sowing and reaping as well as giving from the heart.  Now he’ll show us the results of giving into God’s work.

And 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.
2 Corinthians 9:8

This is an incredible promise to us.  It describes the attitude of God toward His faithful children.

I know that a lot of Christians don’t like to hear this teaching.  They believe in a God of “just enough”.  They’re trusting God for just enough so they can get by.

That’s actually the most selfish attitude you could have.  You’re only thinking of yourself.

The truth is that God wants to abundantly bless you.  Not so that you can have all kinds of stuff you never use.  God wants to bless you so that you can be a blessing.

Look at how Paul describes our God.  The first thing he tells us is that God is powerful enough.  All power in heaven and earth belongs to Him, and He can use it however it pleases Him.

The Lord uses that power to cause all of His grace to super-abound toward us.  Please remember that grace is not some ethereal cloud around us.  Specifically, grace is God’s response to our faith. (Romans 5:1-2)

That word, super-abound, is important.  It means to be in excess in quantity and/or quality.  In other words, God wants to give you an excessive amount of His grace – that’s more than you’ll need in your situation.

However, God has a reason that He gives you too much of His grace.  He has an ulterior motive.  The Lord wants you to do something.  In everything you do, at all times, He wants you to super-abound in the good work you’re doing.

That means God wants you to do excessively good works.  He wants you to go over and above what people expect.  Then, when people ask why you’re doing this, you can point to your excessively super-abundant God.

I know that there are some people who would say, “Wait a minute.  The verse says ‘all that you need’.  I told you God only gives you what you need.”

No!  You took the verse out of context.  It says that God gives you all you need to do your good works excessively.  Paul illustrates this with an Old Testament quote.

As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
2 Corinthians 9:9

The word, scattered, in this verse means to disperse liberally.  It implies that God is scattering to the point where it appears to be wasteful.  That’s the God we serve.

If you’re a giver seeking to please and obey God, then He will faithfully and liberally supply all you need.  Not just to bless you, but so you can bless others as well.

Question: How have you been a blessing to others lately?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi