I want you to open your Bibles
with me to the book of 2 Corinthians. Now, most churches are meeting together tonight, learning how to get. We're going to study tonight
learning how to give. Most religious gatherings, the
theme of which is getting your prayers answered, getting financial
and physical help from God, getting a ticket to heaven. But I want us tonight to study
the subject, the grace of giving. the grace of giving because our
Lord tells us it's much more blessed to give than to receive. It's more blessed to give than
to receive if we learn how to give. At the end of the message,
you'll understand why I'm bringing this message on the grace of
giving to perhaps the most giving church in this country, the most
generous church in this country. Why are you preaching this subject
to us? You know that we give and we
love to give and we rejoice for the privilege of giving. Well,
at the end of the sermon, you'll know why I've selected this subject
for tonight. So 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Now
in this chapter, and I hope to touch on most all the verses,
in this chapter Paul, and this background needs to be set forth,
Paul is praising the churches of Macedonia, Maria, Philippi,
Thessalonica. He's praising them for their
liberality, for their generosity. for their gracious spirit in
giving and helping others. He's praising the churches of
Macedonia. You know, when the man said,
well, Brother Ken brought a message on this a couple of weeks ago,
come over into Macedonia and help us. Well, he did, and God
blessed and raised up some churches, and here he's writing to the
Corinthians. But he's praising those churches
in Macedonia for their generosity and liberality. And he's using
those churches over there, Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, to encourage
the Corinthian church, to encourage them to excel in this grace also. Look at verse 7 of 2 Corinthians
8. Therefore, as you abound in everything,
in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence,
in your love for us, See that you abound in this grace also. Excel in this grace, the grace
of giving. He's using this example of the
churches in Macedonia to encourage the church in Corinth to excel
in this grace. Now, chapter 8 of 2 Corinthians,
And chapter 9, those two chapters, now you make a mental note of
this, those two chapters contain all that a person needs to know
about giving. All that anybody needs to know
about giving. How to give, when to give, whom
to help, how to help, so forth. To glorify God, it's right there. And we're not just talking about
Sunday offerings now. and stewardship Sundays. We're
talking about giving. Giving. A life of giving. An
experience of giving. It's like prayer. Pray without
ceasing. Give of myself. Give of my gifts. Give of my
material blessings. Give of my kindness. Giving,
giving, giving. We're talking about giving. The
grace of giving. We're not talking about money
altogether. Money is involved, but that's
not all I did. By any means. By any means. All right, verse 1. Moreover,
brethren, I want to tell you more. That's what he's saying.
The word to wit here is namely, or I want to inform you. Brethren,
I want to tell you more. I want to inform you of the grace
of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. Philippi, Berea,
that's the line. I want to tell you more. about
the grace of God that's been bestowed upon those people. They're
known for their love. They're known for their generosity.
They're known, as he said in the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians,
for their works of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.
They're known everywhere. You know, he said that first
chapter of 1 Thessalonians, so that your fame has gone throughout
the world for your giving and graciousness and kindness People
know about it. But this love and liberality
is the result of the grace of God in them. See, he gives God
the glory here in the first verse. Anything that a man has is by
the grace of God. His grace, not our nature, is
the fountain of good. And the fact that these churches
are generous and gracious and giving simply indicates that
God has given them His grace. See what he's saying? Moreover
brethren, I want to tell you more of the grace of God bestowed
upon these churches. Their love and their liberality
and their generosity is the result of God's work in them and God's
grace upon them. The evidence that God has given
his grace to an individual is that person's love and generosity. All right, in the second verse,
he says, how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance
of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their
liberality. Somebody says, well, these churches
in Macedonia, they were well-heeled, weren't they? No, sir. No, they
weren't. No, they weren't. These churches
were under great trial and affliction. That's what he says here. In
a great trial of affliction. The abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty. These people themselves were
in poverty to a certain extent and in affliction. This did not
keep them from being generous. This didn't keep them from taking
up a collection. for the poor believers in other
places and helping other people. No, it wasn't because they were
rich, it wasn't because they were wealthy, it wasn't because
they had plenty, it was because they loved Christ and loved people. And they gave. And then verse
3, listen to this. Paul says, For to their power
I bear record, yea, and beyond their power They were willing
of themselves. Now, Paul points out three things
about their generosity and their liberality. First of all, he
says, to their power. You see that? To their power. What does that mean? They gave
according to their ability. They gave of what they had. To
their power, according to their ability. That's how they gave.
They gave as they were able to give. But the second thing, he
says this, I bear them record, yea, and beyond their power,
beyond their ability, they gave sacrificially. They gave in a
way of self-denial. They gave according to their
ability to give, and they gave also sacrificially. They deprived themselves and
gave to others. That's what it says. They deprived
themselves, self-denial. And they not only gave according
to their ability, they gave beyond their ability. And notice the
next thing he says about them. They were willing. They were
willing. They weren't forced. They weren't
pushed. They weren't coerced. It was
their idea to take up this offering and send to the poor people in
Jerusalem. It was their idea. He said, I
didn't force them. They were willing of themselves
to give and to help those in need. In verse 4, he says, Now
they gave, verse 3, according to their ability. I bear them
record, yea, beyond their ability. And they did it willingly of
themselves, praying us, beseeching us. They brought their gifts
to us with much entreaty. and desire the gifts they had
collected. They brought them to us with
much entreaty that we would take the gifts, receive these gifts,
and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."
What does that mean? These churches in Macedonia made
up a collection for the poor saints in other places, the other
churches, and they brought these gifts to Paul. He called it later
an abundant gift. An abundant gift. And they said
to Paul, now you know where the need is. You know the people
who have need. We want you to take the responsibility
of taking these gifts and seeing that people have them that need
them. That's what he said. They urged
me, they urged us apostles to take the responsibility of distributing
the gifts to those in need, because they didn't know where the real
need was. But they knew these apostles
did. And so they gave it into the hands of the apostles and
said, you, you give it out where the need is. We don't know where
the need is. You do. You take the responsibility of
distributing these gifts. And generally, the pastor, the
elders, know where the need is. And verse 5, listen, and this
they did, not as we hoped, put the word expected in your margin,
not as we expected. You know, the apostles expected
these churches to help the other churches, but he said they went
far beyond my expectation. Far beyond my expectation. Far
beyond my expectation. They expected the churches to
give to help the needy brethren, but what these people gave, Paul
said, was more than I hoped for. It exceeded my expectation. And
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why. Two reasons,
two purposes. First, they gave their own selves
to the Lord. And secondly, unto us, by the
will of God. They gave themselves to the Lord.
When they gave according to their ability and
beyond their ability, sacrificially, well, we can do without this.
These people need it more than we do. Gave more, and that was
their own. Nobody told them to. Nobody told
them to. They did it because they wanted
to. And brought it to Paul, and they said, now you take this
to those people who are in need, and you distribute it. And it
was far more, he said, than I hoped for. But I know why they did
it. I know why they did it. Because
they cast themselves on the care of God and His good providence,
trusting Him to provide for them. If I give away what I have, what
am I going to do? God will supply. That's what
they believed. They gave themselves to God.
They gave their needs to God, their future to God. their homes
to God, they said, Lord, you'll provide. We're going to give
because we know you'll provide. They gave themselves to the Lord.
And they gave themselves to the servants of Christ, trusting
those servants to give a good account of what they do with
this. I pray so often that God will
send us the means to help others and give us the grace and wisdom
to know where it's needed best. and to give a good account of
our stewardship, a good account. So they trusted God, and they
trusted their pastors. They gave themselves to God.
They said, Lord, we're going to give this away, believing
that you'll supply our need. We're going to help these people
in need. We're going to help them, even sacrificially, because we
know that you'll never let us down. cast our care upon you,
you'll provide. And we know these men to whom
we're entrusting it and giving it, to distribute, that they
are of God and they'll treat us right. They'll treat us right. All right, verse 6. And I'll
tell you, this impressed me, Paul said, in so much. Their
love and generosity impressed me so much, in so much. that
we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish
in you this same grace also." What's he saying here? He's saying,
these people so thrilled my soul and heart by their generosity,
by their gifts, that I turned to Titus. They so impressed me
and blessed me, Paul said, that I turned to Titus and I said,
you go down there to Corinth. You started encouraging these
people to give a long time ago. Now you go down there and finish
this teaching. You go down there and finish
what you began. That's what he's saying there.
What you began, you finish it in them. This same grace also. Titus had dealt with this subject
of giving back there at Carver, but evidently the growth that
Paul wanted to see, wasn't that? Evidently the growth that Paul,
the grace, the growth in grace and the grace of giving that
Paul wanted to see in Corinth, he didn't see. So he's going
to send Titus down there, preach to him, and teach him. And that's
verse 7, watch this now, he's saying, therefore, now he's talking
to the church in Corinth. He's saying, therefore, as you
abound in everything, you excel. This church at Corinth, my friends,
to whom he's writing, excelled in many things. This was a great
church. This was a strong church. This was a church of many gifts.
He mentions a few of them. He said, you abound, you excel
in everything, in faith. They believe God. You remember,
you read a moment ago, He said, I preached the gospel to you,
Corinth, and you received it, and you believed it, and you're
saved by it. That's the church. They excelled
in faith. Secondly, they excelled in utterance,
in preaching. They had some stomped down good
preachers around there, like we have here, some good preachers.
Some of them could speak other languages, had the gifts of the
Spirit to speak, utter the gospel. They had a lot of knowledge.
That's some good doctrine. They've been taught well. Paul
stayed down there two years. They've been well taught. They
were solid in the doctrines of grace. Indeligence. They had zeal. They worked hard. Labored. They were faithful. And in your love to us, they
loved their preachers. They loved their apostles. That's
commendable, isn't it? Don't stop there. See to it that you abound, excel
in this grace also. You're a good preacher, and you're
a hard worker, and you're doctrinally sound, and you love the preachers
and the apostles. Are you generous? Are you gracious? Are you giving? See that you
abound in this grace also. Now verse 8 is so revealing,
I am not commanding you to do anything. I speak not by commandment. This was the law of the tithe.
I heard another preacher the other day in Huntington trying
to whip people in line with the tithe, the tithe, the tithe,
the tithe. The law of the tithe. Let me
tell you something. This law of the tithe was given
to an unregenerate people. an unsaved people, a nation of
Israel. And God commanded them to give
how much to give and when to give and how to give. He had
to tell them. They wouldn't have given nothing.
They had to keep the tabernacle and the temple and the priesthood
and all these things going and the storehouse full. He had to
force them. But God doesn't command covenant
people how much to give. when to give, times to give,
that wouldn't be grace, would it? Would that be grace? If a
fellow stood up here and said, you owe God so much, that wouldn't
be grace. And I tell you this, God wouldn't
accept it. God doesn't accept a time. God doesn't accept anything that
a man feels he has to do. That goes for praying or preaching
or giving or anything else that a man feels like he's obligated
and responsible to give or do. God won't touch it. It's got
to come from a willing heart, a loving heart. You know, Peter said to Ananias
over here in Acts 5. Let's turn over that Acts 5.
When Ananias came up there to give his money, you know, he
had the wrong spirit and the wrong attitude. And in Acts 5,
verse 3, Peter said to a man in the house, he said, Why has
Satan filled your heart to lie to God, to the Holy Spirit, to
keep back part of the price of the land? Now listen, while it
remained, was it not yours? And when you sold it, was it
in your power? Why have you conceived this thing
in your heart? You've not lied unto men, but
unto God. That house was yours. You didn't
have to sell it, and even after you sold it, you didn't have
to give it. God doesn't require or command people how much to
give and what to give and when to give. That wouldn't be grace.
So Paul says here, I'm not speaking by commandment, but I'm telling
you, I motivate you by three things. Look at verse 8. I try
to motivate you by three things. Number one, by the occasion of
the forwardness of others, the example of others. Example of
the people in the way. When you talk about faith, we
use Abraham as an example. Talk about patience, Job as an
example. Talk about love and kindness,
we use David as an example. Talk about something else, we
have these examples. And Paul is saying to the church
at Corinth, look at Macedonia. There's your example. Giving. See what he's saying? Example
of others. By the forwardness of others.
That's how we're motivated by our brethren. Secondly, we're
motivated in this way to prove the sincerity of your love. When
Peter, when the Lord Jesus Christ was going to send Peter out to
preach the gospel, how did he motivate him? He said, Peter,
do you love me? Yea, Lord, I love you. Then feed
my sheep. Do you love me? Yea, Lord, I
love you. Then feed my lambs. Do you love me? Well, you know
I love you. Then feed my sheep. There's the motivation, the sincerity
of your love. But here's the third one. And
perhaps the most outstanding example of all, verse 9, you
know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for
your sakes he gave everything. He became poor, that you through
his poverty might be rich. How can a person whose love was
such love, not love, How can a person who's received so much
freely not give? How can a person who has been
the object of such mercy and grace not show mercy? That's what Paul is saying. There's
the motivation. The example set forth for us
in the Word of God. The sincerity of our love. We're
not giving because it's a duty. We're not giving in order to
get a reward. We're not giving because we have
to. We're giving because we want
to. Because we love to. And because
of the example of our master who gave himself for me. You know, the last verse in chapter
9 of 2 Corinthians, when he closes his exposition on giving, he
said, well, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. All right, verse 10. And herein
I give my advice. I give my advice, for this is
expedient for you. who have begun before, not only
to do, but also to be zealous, willing, a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing
of it. Now listen to this carefully.
Now therefore perform the doing of it. That as there was a readiness
to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which you have. He's talking to Corinth, and
he's saying this. He's saying, you've been talking about giving
a long time, for a year. Titus was down there a year ago.
And you were talking about helping other churches. You were talking
about ministering to other churches and ministers and poor believers.
You were talking about that a year ago, Paul said. Now do it! Isn't
that what he's saying? Read it again. I give my advice,
but this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only
to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now, therefore, perform
the doing of it. Do it. Do it. You know, it's not by words,
but deeds that God is glorified. Something that's interesting
you'll be interested in. I've been here 40, 44 years. I've had people talk about they
had some savings and had some things and when they died they
said, now I'm going to put the church in the will. I'm going
to put the church in the will, the missionary program and these
things. Nobody's ever done it in 44 years. And that's what Paul was saying
to the church at Corinth. He said, quit talking about it
and do it. Quit having committee meetings.
There was somebody who said, we need to get a committee together.
No, we don't either. That's the last thing. When they
came to Kadesh Barnea to go into the Promised Land, they made
Moses a part of the committee, and he did 12 of them. That's
a good number. And they all died in the wilderness because the
committee wasn't in favor. Don't talk about it. Do it. Isn't that what they're saying
to you? Don't talk about it. Now perform it. Now just flat
out do it. It's time to do it. Not in word
only, but in deed and truth. All right. These next few verses
are some things about giving and about sharing. And like I
said, I'm not just talking about Sunday offering. I'm talking
about giving. I'm talking about giving of ourselves. And when
you see a need, do it. Do it. When you see a need, act
on it. Do it. And here's the way, here's
these four or five things. Now number one, verse 12 says,
For if there be first, this is first, a willing mind. Now in
any spiritual exercise, I've already touched on this, but
in any spiritual exercise, especially giving, this is essential. Willing. willing. I know who makes us
willing, but we're willing. When I say He makes us willing,
that's not that He makes us. I mean He enables us, like it
came from us. Our Lord inspires His people
and motivates His people in such a way that they think they thought
of it. Isn't that right, John? It's
so much a part of him that he's
put in them this gracious, generous spirit and willingness to give
that they think that they started with him, that he made them willing.
But you've got to be willing. Secondly, secondly, it is accepted
according to that a man hath and not according to that he
hath not. But I tell you, I'll run down and borrow some money
and give it. Don't you do it. I've heard this seed of faith
where a fellow promises, now next year I'm going to give $200
a week or a month to the missions or to the church. I'm going to
do this for a whole year. I'll plant a seed of faith and
expect God to supply it. You can't give what you don't
have. Isn't that what they're saying? A man gives what he has. It's
accepted. It's accepted a person's gift
is determined by what he has, not by what he does not have. Don't try to keep up with somebody
else in giving, because I tell you, my gift reflects my ability
to give. God Himself enables men and women
to give whatever they give. And here a little boy or girl,
a child, a young person, a teenager, he doesn't have what this businessman
has. He gives his dollar. The businessman
gives his hundred or thousand, but that dollar is just as precious
in the sight of God and just as great a gift. Remember when
the widow gave two mites, wasn't it? And our Lord said, she's
given more than anybody. They gave out of their abundance.
They gave out of their great supply. She gave out of her emptiness. Is that right? So it's a willing
man, and then it's accepted according to what a man has. My gift should
reflect my ability to give. Thirdly, look at verse 13. And
I mean this now, not that other men be eased and you burdened.
In other words, giving and sharing is not the responsibility of
people who have a whole lot, it's everybody's joy. When I
wrote down this statement, giving and sharing with others is not
the responsibility of those who have a whole lot. It's the joy
of everybody. It's my joy to give. It may be
a, it may be a sack of taters, but it's a joy to give. It may
be a, just the simplest, maybe a smile, but it's mine to give. I want everybody gifts. Everybody. I know Brother Wymer will say
amen to this and every missionary I know. When he receives a large
gift from a church, thanks God for it. And when he receives
a ten dollar gift, thanks God just as much for it. And I'll
be honest with you, I answer, when we get a lot of gifts through
the mail here, I write sometimes 30, 40 or more letters a week,
thank you notes to people. There's never anybody ever, ever
sends a $2 or $2,000 gift to this church that doesn't get
a personal letter from this pastor or that secretary. Isn't that
right? Or you. Everybody gets a thank
you. If a man sit down and write a
check for this church, I can sit down and write him a thank
you note. There's no excuse for anybody ever not to thank somebody
for his gift. There's no excuse. I wouldn't
tolerate it. And that's what we do. We thank
people. We thank them. And I'll tell you this, I'm just
as quick to thank somebody for a $3 gift as a $3,000 gift. I get a letter with a shaky handwriting. Really, I'm more inclined to
write that. That's right. I love those precious,
dear old ladies that send three, four, five dollars. And I write
them a long letter. Because that's precious to me.
It's certainly everybody. Everybody gives. That's what
he's saying. Not one or two, everybody. Now fourthly, watch this. But
by an equality. By an equality. There should
be an equality. And that's not only in giving.
That's between givers and receivers. Now watch this. That now at this
time, your abundance may be a supply for their want. Now watch it
now. Cormorant is getting along pretty
good. Jerusalem is hurting. They take
up a gift and help them. Your abundance, watch it now,
is a supply of their want. That their abundance also may
be a supply for your want. All the tables may be reversed. I never will forget, it doesn't
happen very often, but when Brother Shepherd went down to pastor
at Zebulun when the church was first organized, And we sat down
in here and I said, now 13 streets going back to that work, 100%.
We're going to send this X number of dollars every month. Generous,
generous gift every month because we want to help. Well, a few
months went by and Brother Shepard called me and he said, thank
you for your gift. We don't need it anymore. We
have an abundance. God supplied the need, so send
it somewhere else. That's what he's talking about
here. You're abundant, take care of their want, but don't ride
the giver after the need is met. See what he's talking about?
It doesn't happen all the time, once in a while it does. Somebody
says, the need's met, now you can back off. That's the quality. Alright, the fifth thing, verse
15. Now watch, this is a quotation from his Exodus 16, 18. It says,
He that had gathered much had nothing over. He that had gathered
little had no lack. That's when they were gathering
the manna, you know, and some of the stronger people gathered
much and some of the weaker people just gathered little and they
shared. They shared. No man wasted. Let's not waste what God gives
us. I can't stand waste. I can't stand waste. Some of us were brought up during
a time of life when there wasn't an abundance like there is now.
And I think we learned some valuable lessons that things are not to
be wasted. Not to be wasted. No sir, I just, God doesn't put
his approval on waste. Alright, verse 16, But thanks
be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of
Titus for you, for indeed he accepted the exhortation. When
I told him to go on down there and help you out, he'd already
decided to do it. That's what he said. It was already
in his heart. And that God's servants, that's
what he... Brother Scott was out in front
of the church one Sunday morning. He got there first and opened
the doors like I get here early. And he was standing out in the
yard and this man walked up with a Bible in his arm. And he said,
you the pastor here? Brother Scott said, yes, sir.
He said, I'm to preach here today. Oh, Brother Scott said, you are?
He said, yes sir, the Lord told me to come here and preach today. Brother Scott said, you know
that's awful strange. He never said nothing to me about that. You would think if I was going
to have a visiting speaker, he'd have told me something about
that. So if you just don't mind, I'll go ahead and preach this
morning. That's what Paul's saying right here. He said, I told Titus
to go down there and encourage you in your giving. But he already
planned to go. It's already on his heart. Already
on his heart. Now this is important. What he
says in these next verses. You fellas all listen here now.
Verse 18, and we have sent with him the brother, and he never
names this brother. There's a reference here, but
it still doesn't name him. We sent a brother with him, whose
praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, a man of good
report. And not that only, but who was
also chosen of the churches to travel with me, with us, with
this offering, with this gift, this grace, this gift, Macedonian
church took up, which is administered by us to the glory of the same
Lord, and the declaration of your ready mind. Avoiding this,
that no man should blame us in this abundance, which is administered
by us. Providing for honest things,
not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of
men. Brother Mann, what's he saying? All right, listen to
me. They've given Paul this abundant
gift that's in his hands. And he's careful to have another
brother with him, designated by the church, when he's entrusted
with these gifts and with this money these people have given
for distribution. And he says this is not only
to provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, but in the
sight of men. In other words, Paul would not
handle so large a gift alone, lest someone should think that
he applied it to his own use. He wouldn't. Not for 10,000 worlds. But people don't know that. God
does. He sees our hearts, but men can't
see our hearts. And that Paul would think that
somebody would think that he didn't distribute it as it ought
to be distributed. He could be trusted, Titus could
be trusted, but he didn't want people to mistrust him and to have anything
to say. So he takes along with him another
brother, a witness, because he's handling a lot of possession.
Now, that's the reason we have a finance committee, that's the
reason I never I never receive money, I never count money, I
never take up money, I never know who gives or what to give
or when to give or anything like that. I'd never write a check,
never in 45 years have I ever signed a check at this church.
Wouldn't touch it. And again, that goes for any
preacher. And the two or three men, we
have two or three signatures that have to be on every check.
You say, well, don't you trust each other? Oh, yes. Oh, yes. But see this verse here, verse
21, providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the
Lord, but also in the sight of men. That's just good sense.
That's right. I know some preachers who count
the money and sign the checks. I know they're honest men, but
they're not wise men. They're not wise men. Paul wouldn't do it. He wouldn't
do it, because he wants things to be When he went down to Corinth,
he wouldn't even let them pay him. He worked making tents. Well, shouldn't they have paid
him? Absolutely. Absolutely they should. They should have paid
him well. But he didn't want anybody to
think he was in the ministry for money. So he said, I'll work
with my hands. And I'll provide my own fare
and the fare of those who are with me. Keep anybody from saying
he's in the ministry for money. That's what most of them are
in the ministry for right now. Sorry to say. They're sorry too,
but not in the way I'm sorry to say. Verse 22, And we have sent with
them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in
many things, but I am now much more diligent upon the great
confidence I have in you. Whether any do inquire of Titus,
well, you want to know about Titus, he's my partner. He's
my partner, my fellow helper concerning you. Our brethren
be inquired of, they're messengers of the churches and the glory
of Christ. Wherefore, when they come down
there, show you to them and before the
churches the proof of your love. Show the proof of your love and
of our boasting on your behalf. I've told people how wonderful
you are. Prove it. That's what he said. I told him I wonder. I want to,
I know I'm over time, but I want to give you just in chapter 9,
please bear with me. Let me give you just two or three
parts so you can read it later. Chapter 9. If you'll allow me
just to touch on this. Verse 1, chapter 9, he says,
as touching the ministering to the saints, it's superfluous
for me to write to you. It's not necessary. It's unnecessary,
because you know these things. All right, verse 2. Because I
know I'm well acquainted with your willingness, the willingness
of your mind, for which I boast of you. I boast of you to them
from Macedonia. And a cave was ready a year ago,
and your zeal has provoked very many. Verse 3. Yet, now watch,
here's what I said a while ago. Yet, I've sent Titus, these brethren,
and the other brother, lest our boasting of you should be in
vain in this behalf, that as I said, you may be ready. In
other words, Paul says, I know human nature. It's not necessary
for me to tell you these things, you know them. But I know human
nature. And I know we need to be constantly
reminded and constantly taught