The Grace Of All-Sufficiency Series

So grace has many manifestation, yet they all come from the gift of Jesus Christ. The manifestation of grace giving is no different. A gift or favor of this Grace can be spiritual or earthy or both [depending upon the context]. Here the reference is clearly to earthly goods or to the human enabling to give of earthly goods because of a divine grace that enables Christians to give and receive [abundantly]. This grace is the extending of love and divine energy and when received becomes a blessed and beautiful thing in the eternal soul. God's loving hand's bestowment of the grace of giving on the inward man changes the recipient’s life which is then demonstrated by one’s own giving.

God not only gives all grace but gives it aboundingly or overflowingly. He does not give it scantily, like He opens but one finger of His omnipotent hand that is full of gifts so as too let out a little at a time. His hand is opened wide to all who met His conditions. This fountain is always abounding, pouring itself out with God's ceaseless, inexhaustible love, unmerited and free.

Notice though the text says God is able to make, not that God will make. The responsibility for the overflowing is placed directly upon us. There are conditions, and although we may have access to that full fountain, it will not pour on us “all grace abundantly” grace until these conditions are met. Unless we observe these we will not open up God's ability, His potential to give. And how do we do that? We open up God’s hand upon our life by learning to faithfully, hilariously give or sow (vv. 6-7). We re-train our desire by asking God to do what He has promised. As we become cheerful faithful stewards God opens the doors of heaven upon us. As we sow cheerfully and abundantly God smiles down from Heaven and releases His blessing. For God "is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us" (Eph. 3 :20). Beloved, if our supplies are scant when there is a full fountain gushing out we need to reposition our life so that we come in line with God's conditions. The possibilities and provisions of God’s grace are up to individual Churches and Christians to receive. God is not stating here that He will make every giving Christian wealthy in material things but it does mean that the Christian who practices "grace giving" will always have more than he needs when he needs it. [For the Christian life is to overflow in fruit of the Spirit.]

II. A RESERVOIR, (8b).

The second clause in verse 8 gives the result or purpose of receiving the gift of grace giving is so that the giver will always all sufficiency to help in every good work. “So that always having all sufficiency in everything.”

The result of God’s exuberant outpouring of grace is to insure that the reservoir is not only full but overflowing. The striking literal expression here is, “in all things always, all” [ἑν παντί πάντοτε πασαν - panti pantote pasan] or “in everything always all self-sufficiency.” God is able to so enrich you so that you will have in every respect at all times, all kinds of sufficiency. God will give enough and more than enough of worldly goods and gifts so that we can participate in every good work.