The Pursuit of God by Tozer – Reflections (18a)

  

 

As I ponder 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, I see an unfolding richness in Christ, gems here and there, beauty, challenge…so much. Perhaps, by His grace, I’ll be able to return at some time and write extended reflections. For now, let’s consider how this passage might challenge our attitude toward possessions, toward the question of who owns the things we have, including our money.

 

The Christians in Judea are poor and need financial help. In response to this Paul has asked Christians in Galatia (a region of modern-day Turkey), Macedonia, and Greece to provide assistance to their brothers and sisters in Judea. (Galatians 2:10; Romans 15:25 – 28; Acts 19:21; 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1 – 6.)

 

In 2 Corinthians 8:1 – 5, Paul points out that the Macedonians, even though they themselves were in “extreme poverty,” begged Paul to be allowed to send money to their brothers and sisters in Judea. This is in contrast to the Corinthians who have been lacking in gathering financial assistance for the Judean churches. Corinth was an economic and commercial center, a financial powerhouse; so we have a situation where those who had little were giving much and those who had much were, at least at this point, giving little.

 

The Thessalonians had an affinity with the Judean Christians, not only with respect to straightened financial circumstances, but also with respect to suffering for Jesus. “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same suffering at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out” (1 Thess. 2:14 – 15).

 

It is often the case that those with little share more of what they have than those who have much. Over the years I’ve seen survey after survey that indicates that Americans in low-income regions give a greater portion of their financial resources than those in affluent areas. My own observations have validated this as have conversations with social workers and pastors.  

 

After providing the Thessalonians as an example of sacrificial giving, Paul then provides the Greatest Example. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

 

Now we come to a passage that I just don’t think we can very well teach, but you be the judge.

 

“For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality – at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack” (2 Cor. 8:13 – 15).

 

There are at least two hurdles for us in the United States with this passage. They are both significant.

 

The first hurdle is the word “equality,” We are usually fine with the ideal of equality, after all our nation is built on the words, “All men are created equal.” However, since those words were first penned, we have engaged in never-ceasing internal and external conflict over just how that ideal should be expressed. This conflict has employed bullets and police dogs and economic and political and cultural weaponry and there is no end in sight. Truly, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…as has any true national notion of all men and women and children being created equal. Well, I suppose all nations need myths in order to survive – if only we would be honest about it (more on this below).

 

Now for those of us who want to know what the real meaning of the word “equality” is in the Greek that Paul used, here is the answer, an answer that may surprise some of us, disappoint some of us, challenge some of us, and hopefully encourage some of us. Drum roll please…the actual meaning of the Greek word that is translated “equality” into English is…EQUALITY!

 

As the article in Kittel (TDNT, Vol. III, page 343ff) discusses, equality was part of the fabric of ancient Greek philosophy and basic to Greek society. It is also embedded in the fabric of the New Testament within various contexts and is connected with righteousness. We cannot have righteousness without equality.

 

Now then, it is one thing to have equality in terms of opportunity (as mythical as that may be), and equality in terms of casting a vote on election day (though in our heart of hearts many of us will do anything to win), or equality in terms of education or access to housing or healthcare (all of which we excel in giving lip service to); most of us will tolerate to some degree superficial discussion about these things, however, the ONE THING most of us draw the line at, the one place we will most certainly erect barbed wire fencing, is when it comes to our money, most of us will not tolerate the use of the word “equality” and “money” in the same sentence.

 

(And really, isn’t this why we disagree on housing and education and healthcare? If these things didn’t cost anything we’d be all for equality…or at least more for it than we are right now. We have no problem with Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffett helping others with healthcare, just don’t ask us to participate.)

 

One of the ways we preempt discussion about financial equality, and therefore one of the ways we ensure that 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 will not (as a rule) be fairly preached, is by using the canards “communism” and “socialism” at any suggestion of economic equality. “Socialism” is our preferred canard at present, and by it we usually mean atheistic Marxism – we dare others to use the term “equality” because if they do we will smear them as Marxists and therefore un-American.

 

Let’s note that Paul is writing to the Church of Jesus Christ, he is not promulgating an economic system for nations, though nations may learn from his teaching, but he is teaching the Body of Christ how it ought to view its economic resources; the Holy Spirit is speaking to congregations, marriages, families, and individuals. As Tozer writes in our chapter, this is about the blessedness of possessing nothing.

 

I am amused at how many pastors and teachers will look at the common fund in Acts 2:43 – 45 and 4:32 – 37 (“there was not a needy person among them” 4:34) and say, “That was for those people in that place at that time, it is not meant for us today,” and at the same time gloss over the teaching of 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, teaching which is clearly addressed to the Body of Christ across national and ethnic and economic boundaries, teaching having to do with our core identity in Christ and in one another. Why can’t we be honest and just remove these chapters from our Bibles?

 

As you ponder 2 Corinthians 8:13 – 15 in its context, what does this look like in your congregation? Your community? Your denomination? In the professing church in the United States?

 

I would much rather see us teach this and admit that we aren’t going to obey it, than ignore it.

 

It is as if there is a gag order on these chapters. It reminds me of a rule in the U.S. Congress prior to our Civil War, you were not allowed to discuss slavery. Isn’t that nuts? The burning issue of the time and congressmen and senators couldn’t talk about it; it was deemed too inflammatory and threatening.

 

Most of us don’t dare teach 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 because what is mine is mine and if you use the word “equality” with regard to money I’ll call you a socialist and we know that is anti-American and therefore must be anti-Christian.

 

Paul must not have been a Christian.

 

There is more to explore here, but this post is now long enough so we will return to it, the Lord willing, in the next post in this series.

 

The is a reason Tozer made this the second chapter in The Pursuit of God, for where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matthew 6:19 – 21).

 

Personally, I’d just like us to be honest about this, rather than seek to justify ourselves and our attitudes towards money and possessions. As Tozer says, we must make no attempt to excuse ourselves, either in our own eyes or before the Lord (page 29).