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Heavenly Supplier

May 17th, 2024

2 Corinthians 9:8-15

These words seem like they could come from a millionaire televangelist urging people to donate “seed-faith” so that God can richly bless them as they want. Unfortunately, many people have a health-and-wealth faith, believing that God blesses people based on their level of faith. These words seem to imply that if we give, “You will be enriched in every way.”

However, we must remember the author. In chapter 11, Paul gives his resume. “Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea . . . I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food” (vv. 25, 27). That is not how most people would describe being “enriched in every way” (9:11).

Paul urged the Corinthians to give generously so that they could see that God would supply what they needed. More likely than not, they would learn they needed less than they thought they did.

Author: Ryan Quanstrom