2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: ALL GRACE - even in external goods, while ye bestow on others. THAT - `in order that.' God's gifts are bestowed on us, not that we may have them to ourselves, but may the more 'abound in good works' to others. SUFFICIENCY - so as not to need help of others, having from God "bread for your food" (). IN ALL THINGS - Greek, 'in everything.' EVERY GOOD WORK - of charity, which will be "your seed sown" ()....

8._And God is able _Again he provides against the base thought, which our infidelity constantly suggests to us. “What! will you not rather have a regard to your own interest? Do you not consider, that when this is taken away, there will be so much the less left for yourself?” With the view of driving away this, Paul arms us with a choice promise — that whatever we give away will turn out to our advantage. I have said already, that we are by nature excessively niggardly — because we are prone to distrust, which tempts every one to retain with eager grasp what belongs to him. For correcting this fault, we must lay hold of this promise — that those that do good to the poor do no less provide for their own interests than if they were watering their lands. For by alms-givings, like so many canals, they make the blessing of God flow forth towards themselves, so as to be enriched by it. What Pa...

6-15 Money bestowed in charity, may to the carnal mind seem thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is seed sown, from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given carefully. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design. Due thought, as to our circumstances, and those we are about to relieve, will direct our gifts for charitable uses. Help should be given freely, be it more or less; not grudgingly, but cheerfully. While some scatter, and yet increase; others withhold more than is meet, and it tends to poverty. If we had more faith and love, we should waste less on ourselves, and sow more in hope of a plentiful increase. Can a man lose by doing that with which God is pleased? He is able to make all grace abound towards us, and to abound in us; to give a large increase of spiritual and of temporal good things. He can make...

Verse 2 Corinthians 9:8. _GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND_] We have already seen, 2 Corinthians 8:1 that the word χαρις, in the connection in which the apostle uses it in these chapters, signifies a _charitable gift_; here it certainly has the same meaning: God is able to give you, in his mercy, abundance of temporal good; that, having a sufficiency, ye may abound in every good work. This refers to the _sowing plenteously_: those who do so shall _reap_ _plenteously_-they shall have an abundance of God's blessings....

AND GOD IS ABLE ... - Do not suppose that by giving liberally you will be impoverished and reduced to want. You should rather confide in God, who is able to furnish you abundantly with what is needful for the supply of your necessities. Few persons are ever reduced to poverty by liberality. Perhaps in the whole circle of his acquaintance it would be difficult for an individual to point out one who has been impoverished or made the poorer in this way. Our selfishness is generally a sufficient guard against this; but it is also to be added, that the divine blessing rests upon the liberal man, and that God keeps him from want. But in the meantime there are multitudes who are made poor by the lack of liberality. They are parsimonious in giving but they are extravagant in dress, and luxury, and in expenses for amusement or vice, and the consequence is poverty and want. “There is that withhold...

EXPOSITION Encouragement to the Corinthians to fulfil their promises by giving speedily (2 Corinthians 9:1), amply (2 Corinthians 9:6), cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), and thereby earn God's blessing (2 Corinthians 9:8) in a cause fruitful of blessed consequence (2 Corinthians 9:12). He concludes the subject with a heartfelt thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:15)....

AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARDS YOU,.... By "all grace" is meant, not the love and favour of God, the source of all blessings enjoyed in time and eternity; nor the blessings of grace, the fruits of it; nor the Gospel which reveals them; nor the various graces of the Spirit implanted in regeneration; nor gifts of grace, fitting men for ministerial service; all which God is able to make to abound, and does, when he gives enlarged discoveries of his love, makes fresh applications of covenant grace, leads more fully into the knowledge of his Gospel, carries on the work of his grace in the soul, and calls forth grace into act and exercise, and increases gifts bestowed; nor even merely temporal blessings of every sort, which men are unworthy of, are all the gifts of his goodness, and are given to his people in a covenant way; and which he can, and often does increase: but by i...

2. EXHORTATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CHAPTER 9 _ 1. Further Exhortations to Liberality. (2 Corinthians 9:1)_ 2. The Blessings Connected with Giving. (2 Corinthians 9:6 .) Again he exhorts them to liberality in giving. He knew their willing mind and had boasted of it to them in Macedonia and told them they were ready a year ago. This had stimulated many. He hoped that they would measure up to this report and fall not behind in this expectation “lest our boasting should be in vain in this behalf.” To encourage them in giving and carrying out what they had purposed, he speaks of the blessing: “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully.” There is, then, blessing according to faithfulness in thi

This concern brings him, however, to a renewed consideration of the grace or liberality, and of the blessings attached to it. He touches in succession on the proper temper of such liberality (2 Corinthians 9:6 f.), viz. generous self-determination to sacrifice, such as meets with the Divine approval (quotation from Proverbs 22:8, LXX), the source both of the impulse and of the means for such liberality (2 Corinthians 9:8 ff.), and the ultimate issue of it in widespread thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:12). God it is who is able to make every kind of grace, including this of liberality, to abound; and it is He a

THE WILLING GIVER (2 Corinthians 9:1-5)...