by Hugh DeLong<\/p>\n
In II Corinthians 8-9, we find instructions for the disciples to share with one another on an ongoing basis-specifically, addressing the needs of poverty and famine among their fellow disciples. The situation in Judea was bleak; the disciples simply were in serious need of help. Thus, the instructions given by Paul were that brethren were to show their love by means of taking up a contribution for these needy saints. Paul instructs the Corinthians that such a contribution was based upon at least two considerations. Each disciple would determine for himself how much he could help. “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver<\/em>” (II Corinthians 9:7).<\/p>\n Secondly, in I Corinthians 16:1, Paul instructed that such consideration was to be based upon how much the disciple has ‘prospered.’<\/p>\n These two principles remain the foundation of how we express our love for one another. God, in this way, provided for the needs of His people. He could have provided manna as He did in the time of Moses, but He chose to work through the hearts of His people. The overflowing of His graciousness to them was shared with those who were in need. Such was a proof of their love, not only for God but for their brothers in the Lord.<\/p>\n As we have the opportunity, this continues to demonstrate our love and service. What God has bountifully given is given for us to use. As God makes “all grace abound to you, so that you have all sufficiency in everything in order that you may have an abundance for every good deed<\/strong><\/em>” (II Corinthians 9:8)\u00a0and that you might be “enriched in everything for all liberality<\/strong><\/em>” (II Corinthians 9:11).<\/p>\n How are you using God’s gracious gifts unto you?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Hugh DeLong In II Corinthians 8-9, we find instructions for the disciples to share with one another on an ongoing basis-specifically, addressing the needs of poverty and famine among their fellow disciples. The situation in Judea was bleak; the disciples simply were in serious need of help. Thus, the instructions given by Paul were…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[194,834,585],"class_list":["post-90799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-benevolence","tag-generosity","tag-sharing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18293,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-about-the-contribution-mentioned-in-romans-1526-isnt-that-making-fellowship\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":0},"title":"What about the contribution mentioned in Romans 15:26? Isn’t that making fellowship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 7, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What\u00a0you have said\u00a0has been\u00a0very\u00a0helpful and I am growing in my understanding now. This is what you said: \u201cFellowship is\u00a0a description of who they were. They were a people of one heart and one soul. Thus fellowship is\u00a0a description of their state or attitude toward each other. When people turn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24655,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/fellowship-a-word-study\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":1},"title":"Fellowship: A Word Study","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Becky Rene It is essential at this point that we understand how our spiritual fellowship is expressed. So we will take the time to examine the noun \u201cfellowship\u201d (koinonia) in all the contexts in which it appears. Some of the verses are difficult to understand because the translators have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/fellowship.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":31132,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-church-treasury-only-in-an-emergency\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":2},"title":"A Church Treasury, Only in an Emergency?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Gordon J. Pennock via\u00a0Truth Magazine\u00a0- January 1961 It seems that considerable controversy has arisen regarding what we call the church treasury, meaning of course the funds contributed by the members of local churches. This controversy seems to be a by-product of the discussion of scriptural and unscriptural ways in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88650,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-new-testament-principles-of-giving\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":3},"title":"The New Testament Principles of Giving","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Banks Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testaments, the people of God have been required to give of their money and material possessions for various purposes. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel, under the Law of Moses, were required to give a tithe (tithe = 10%)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31129,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-local-church-treasury\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":4},"title":"The Local Church Treasury","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert F. Turner via\u00a0Guardian of Truth\u00a0XXX: 15, August 21, 1986, pp. 486, 505 My first experience with one who questioned a \"church treasury\" was in 1943, in Phoenix, Arizona. While taking some exercise, I made a chance acquaintance with an elderly gentleman and we walked along together. When we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9622,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-giving-to-the-church-optional\/","url_meta":{"origin":90799,"position":5},"title":"Is giving to the church optional?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: One of our members mentioned that he was not contributing monetarily to help support the local work. Upon hearing him make that statement I informed him that he was wrong, that his first responsibility is to help support the local work. As an individual, if he wanted to help\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90799\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}