January 1, 2006

ABOUNDING IN EVERYTHING

2 Corinthians 8:7

 

   "Moreover, as you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also" (2 Cor. 8:7). How was it the church at Corinth "abounded in everything"? What did they have that was so special? What about us today? Should we also abound in that grace?

   Paul said they abounded, that is, they had received an over-abundance of everything grace listed, and perhaps even more: faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, and love. He suggested they should abound in one more, "the grace of giving"!

   Paul had written of, "the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; so that in every thing you are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge...so that you lack no gift..." (1 Cor. 1:4-7). No other church had been so abundantly blessed with spiritual gifts! We are impressed by their fulness and variety! "Concerning spiritual gifts... there are diversities of gifts...differences of administrations, and diversities of operations, but...the same God works all in all." These "manifestation of the Spirit were given to every man to profit for all...to one is given..the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge...to another faith...to another the gifts of healing...to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues, but all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit..." (1 Cor. 12:1-11)!

   All these gifts were active when Paul knew only "in part" and could speak and preach only the "part" he then knew. When the perfect fulness of God's revelation to him was completed, then these partial gifts were done away. (See 1 Cor. 13:8-10.) His prison epistles list only the gifts of "apostles, prophets, evangelists and teaching pastors..." These abiding gifts are to lead the church toward becoming "the full-grown man." We are blessed abundantly with every spiritual gift in the heavenlies in Christ! (See Ephesians 1:3; 4:10-16.) We too can abound in faith, love, diligence, and the grace of giving, not only for our own good but for the blessing of all!

 

Ivan L. Burgener