8:1-7 What is the grace Paul exhorts the Corinthian Christians to abound in here?
8:1-7 What is the grace Paul exhorts the Corinthian Christians to abound in here?
Paul is exhorting the Corinthian church here to abound in the grace of giving like the Macedonian churches.
They were to view their giving as a privilege, not an obligation. They were not commanded to give - it was a free will choice (CP V8 with 9:5).
This is for our admonition also. There must be a readiness and an eagerness in our giving. We do not have to run ourselves into debt or reduce ourselves to poverty level in order to give. The issue is our willingness to give, not the amount (CP 9:7 with Mk 12:41-44).
We give out of what we have, not out of what we do not have.
This is acceptable to God and believers must not feel bad if they do not have anything to give (CP 2Cor 8:12-15). V13-14 here teaches that Christians who are better off at the time should meet the needs of those who are worse off. In this way, V15 teaches, none will lack, and there will be equality for all, like the Israelites with the manna in the wilderness in the Old Testament (CP Ex 16:18).
See also comments on Mt 23:23; 2Cor 9:1-5, 9:6; Ga 6:7-8; He 7:1-10. and author's study To Tithe or Not to Tithe? in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1).