2 Corinthians 8:15

Paul illustrated the fact that God wants all of His people to have enough by citing the Israelites’ situation in the wilderness (Exodus 16:18). Some of the Israelites gathered more manna and some gathered less for various reasons. Nevertheless they all had their needs met. God saw to that, though the Old Testament does not explain exactly how He did it. Now the Corinthians needed to see to it that what God had provided them in abundance reached those who did not have enough. As they did this, they would become God’s agents in maintaining sufficiency for all.

God has always wanted all His people to have enough and to share with their brethren who have less when they have more. We should implement this principle of relative equality in our giving. God’s desire is the same today as it has been throughout history. This is clear from Paul’s appeal to the past (2 Corinthians 8:15). There are no easy answers to how we can effect this relative equality in our world with its gigantic population and complex socio-economic-political problems. Moreover God’s will is not exactly the same for every Christian. Paul appealed implying that the Corinthians could decide what they wanted to do (2 Corinthians 8:10-12). Nevertheless our responsibility is clear.