Page 948 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_09_MacArthur_Bible_Sept.qxd 8/8/03 16:44 Page 929

SEPTEMBER 16
And He saved them out of their 8 I speak not by commandment, but I am test-
distresses. ing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of
14 He brought them out of darkness and others. For you know the grace of our Lord Je-
9
the shadow of death, sus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for
And broke their chains in pieces. your sakes He became poor, that you through
15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the His poverty might become rich.
LORD for His goodness, 10 And in this I give advice: It is to your
And for His wonderful works to the advantage not only to be doing what you
children of men! began and were desiring to do a year ago; but
11
16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, now you also must complete the doing of it;
And cut the bars of iron in two. that as there was a readiness to desire it, so
there also may be a completion out of what you
17 Fools, because of their transgression, 12
And because of their iniquities, were have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is
accepted according to what one has, and not
afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, according to what he does not have.
For I do not mean that others should be
13
And they drew near to the gates of eased and you burdened; but by an equality,
14
death.
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in
their trouble,
And He saved them out of their
distresses. 8:9 though He was rich. A reference to the
20 He sent His word and healed them, eternality and preexistence of Christ. As the
And delivered them from their Second Person of the Trinity,Christ is as rich as
destructions. God is rich. He owns everything, and possess-
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the es all power, authority, sovereignty, glory,
LORD for His goodness, honor, and majesty (Is. 9:6; Mic. 5:2; John 1:1;
And for His wonderful works to the 8:58; 10:30; 17:5; Col. 1:15–18; 2:9; Heb. 1:3). He
children of men! became poor. A reference to Christ’s
22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of Incarnation (John 1:14; Rom. 1:3; 8:3; Gal. 4:4;
thanksgiving, Col.1:20;1 Tim.3:16;Heb.2:7).He laid aside the
And declare His works with rejoicing. independent exercise of all His divine prerog-
atives, left His place with God, took on human
Proverbs 25:17 form,and died on a cross like a common crim-
inal (Phil. 2:5–8). that you…might become
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s rich.Believers become spiritually rich through
house, the sacrifice and impoverishment of Christ
Lest he become weary of you (Phil.2:5–8).They become rich in salvation,for-
and hate you. giveness, joy, peace, glory, honor, and majesty
2 Corinthians 8:1–24 (1 Cor. 1:4,5; 3:22; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3,4). They
become joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
Moreover, brethren, we make known to
8 you the grace of God bestowed on the 8:12 willing mind. Paul spoke of a readiness
churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of and eagerness to give.God is most concerned
2
affliction the abundance of their joy and their with the heart attitude of the giver, not the
deep poverty abounded in the riches of their amount he gives (9:7; Mark 12:41–44).accord-
liberality. For I bear witness that according to ing to what one has. Whatever one has is the
3
their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they resource out of which he should give. That is
were freely willing, imploring us with much why there are no set amounts or percentages
4
urgency that we would receive the gift and the for giving anywhere stated in the New
Testament. The implication is that if one has
fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first much,he can give much; if he has little,he can
give only little (9:6).not according to what he
gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by does not have. Believers do not need to go
the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he into debt to give nor lower themselves to a
6
had begun, so he would also complete this poverty level. God never asks believers to
7
grace in you as well. But as you abound in impoverish themselves. The Macedonians
everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, received a special blessing of grace from God
in all diligence, and in your love for us—see to give the way they did.
that you abound in this grace also.
929