The Secret to Abounding in Christ

ABOUNDING IN CHRIST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

2 Corinthians 8:7 says "But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that you abound in this grace also."

Which is this grace?

In the passage of 2 Cor. 8, Paul was exhorting the Corinthians to emulate the faith of the Macedonians who  liberally gave their contribution to the Jerusalem saints who were faced with famine yet there was every reason to excuse them because of their poverty and afflictions. The Macedonians were a poor Christian community compared to the Corinthians.

The Corinthians, a more privileged community, were slothful in honoring their pledge and one year down the line they still had not fulfilled it.

Paul therefore used the opportunity to encourage them to make good their promise even as they abounded in Christian faithfulness. 

In the course of his exhortation, Paul outlined some important truths in the above Scripture that we shall briefly examine. 

The Apostle recognized that the Corinthians should abound in five key areas, which we can recognize as important pillars of Christian growth and maturity - faith, speech, knowledge, diligence and love. 

Just what do these things mean to us?

1) ABOUNDING IN FAITH

Faith here represents our convictions on the truths that God has graciously revealed to us in Christ. These convictions begin the moment we come to saving knowledge of Christ They are thereafter firmed up with time as we mature in Christ. 

It is instructive that the Corinthians were a young Christian assembly that struggled with with fundamental spiritual truths. Paul acknowledged that they were now steadily abounding or growing in faith. This is a far encouraging assessment if we can recollect his sharp rebuke in his first Letter.

2) ABOUNDING IN SPEECH

Our speech should be pleasing to God and should demonstrate the spiritual wisdom that is fashioning out in us as we grow in Christ. The Corinthians were often given to ungodly boasting and pride. They stoked divisions in the church as they focused a seif leaders of choice.

The Bible describes the tongue as a dangerous human organ that should be controlled or tamed (James 3:1-12). It can build or destroy relationships. 

The Bible exhorts "...let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19).

Colossians 4:6 says "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."

Titus 2:8 exhorts to be of "...sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you."

What do you convey by your speech? Someone said that a person's character can easily be discerned from their speech...

3) ABOUNDING IN KNOWLEDGE

A famous Kenyan cartoonist once depicted a character who claimed to be knowledgeable in global affairs and had widely traveled. Someone commented that the man knew "geographia" (kiswahili for Geography).

The man replied that he had never been to "Geographia"! By this he betrayed his empty boasting. The man had actually never been to school and had never traveled beyond Kenya! 

The Greek word "gnosis" for knowledge is employed in Greek philosophy to denote a person of great wisdom and understanding in matters of their specific discipline. 

The Gnostics were a Christian sect that believed to posses superior knowledge of God. Unfortunately, they denied the humanity of Jesus Christ. They could not comprehend that Jesus was fully God and fully Man at the same time. Gnostic heresy was decidedly rejected by the early church fathers. 

Paul's use of the Greek word "gnosis" was in connection with the believer's knowledge of Christ and the pursuit of the things of God. The more we grow in the knowledge of Christ, the stronger will be our faith.  

Philippians 3:7-8 says "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ."

Knowing Christ crucified and the purposes of His finished works of the cross is the ultimate knowledge that we can ever possess on earth. 

Do you seek to grow in the knowledge of Christ? His mind and His voice are found in the biblical Scriptures and in nowhere else.

4) ABOUNDING IN DILIGENCE

A diligent Christian community is a watchful group of believers. They are careful to watch their moral and spiritual conduct as they look forward to the soon return of Jesus Christ. It is motivated by the call to "...live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-14).

We should be conscious of the constant intrusions that impact on our Christian practices so we do not drift away in the manner that the Ephesians did (Revelation 2:1-7). 

We should discern the times and discover the will of God in our circumstances. 

5) ABOUNDING IN LOVE

Paul notes that the Corinthians abounded in love towards him and his apostolic team. This statement is instructive. 

The Corinthians had a violent conflict over leadership that resulted in sharp divisions. Paul rebuked them for their immaturity in his first Letter.

At the time of writing the second Letter, Paul acknowledged that the Corinthians had grown in their love towards the very people who they originally embraced as they delivered the gospel to Corinth but later disobeyed them amidst the confusion from their wrangles.

Christian love is a natural response that comes from the hearts of people whose hearts have been transformed by Christ.

A Christian community should not only love one another but hold their leaders in esteem, knowing that they labor for them in ministry. This is the agape love that seeks nothing in return other than to glorify God.

1 Peter 1:22 says "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

Love is the greatest expression of the depth of our transformation from darkness to light. Christian love transcends race, culture, class or region. It is the cord that binds us together as God's household, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9). 

This love propels us to Christian submission and causes us to bear with one another in Christ. Love is the greatest of all Christian values above all is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

How is our love for God's people and is it discernable in our Christian living?