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  He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.   2 Corinthians 8:14 – 15: "At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: 'The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.'" Exodus 16:16 – 18: "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person according to the number of people in your tent.' The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little; everyone had gathered just as much as they needed." Practical, immediate concerns loomed larger than God ’ s promised word. Even though the reality was harsh, crossing the wildernes...

  They first gave themselves to the Lord   2 Corinthians 8:2-5: "In the midst of many trials (*dokim ē *) of affliction (*thlipsis*), their overflowing joy and deep (*bathys*) poverty (*pt ō cheia*) caused their abundant (*ploutos*) generosity (*haplot ē s*) to overflow. For I testify that they gave not only according to their ability (*dynamis*) but beyond their ability (*para dynamin*), of their own accord (*authairetos*), earnestly begging us (*parakale ō *) for the privilege of participating in this grace and ministry to the saints (*koin ō nia diakonia*). And they did this not only as we had hoped (*elpiz ō *), but they first gave (*did ō mi*) themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God." *Thlipsis* ( θλ ί ψεω ς ) signifies a pressure that compels one to draw near to the Lord within the spirit amidst difficult circumstances. *Dokim ē * ( δοκιμ ῇ ) implies an attempt or a proving; it suggests that one must increasingly attempt to approach the throne of ...

  (5) The Meaning of Salvation Through the Death and Resurrection of the Cross God has presented the path of salvation to those who repent. That path is the death and resurrection of the cross. God does not forgive the sins of those who wish to become like Him. The sin of sons rebelling against the Father is precisely this kind of sin. However, the way God forgives sin is by taking on the form of sin Himself and dying miserably to it like a sacrificial lamb. It means to believe that sinners, too, have died in this way. This is the union of faith. In Romans 6:3-7, God acknowledges that those who possess faith united with the death of Jesus on the cross have also died to sin on the cross, and that those united with the resurrected Christ are also resurrected. Therefore, the Bible (Ephesians 2:5-6) reveals that they are those who have spiritually returned to the Kingdom of God. It means that although the physical body is in the world, one is spiritually in the Kingdom of God. Th...