God's laws of prosperity are founded upon the basic fact He owns everything and we own nothing.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
PHI 4:14-15 However, you have functioned honorably when you shared money with and entered into partnership with me, in my adversity. Now you yourselves also recognize, Philippians, that in the beginning with reference to the Gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me with reference to the doctrine of giving and receiving but you alone;
Verse 16 - causal use of the conjunction translated “For” - a legitimate translation for hoti but this is its causal use.
Hoti has many meanings, but sometimes it simply indicates quotation marks, or the conclusions from thinking, or sometimes it is explanatory; here it is causal translated “Because.”
Assensive use of kai - “even in Thessalonica”
= a prepositional phrase, en + locative Thessolonica - “Thessalonica.”
This indicates that the Philippian congregation immediately undertook the support of Paul simply because they had responded quickly and positively to doctrinal teaching.
You sent - aor-act-ind -
- epempsate - e*pevmyate = to send an offering; here it sends whatever is in the context.
Culminative aorist - views several financial gifts in their entirety, but regards the giving from the viewpoint of its existing results.
The Philippians took up regular offerings and then administered and processed them, and then they took up another offering and processed it, and they took up another offering and processed it, and X is the point of sending.
Culminating aorist - gathers into one entirety everything necessary, the motivation, the actual offering as an expression of the Royal priesthood, then the proper, honest administration of that offering, and then its being sent is the result.
All of this is the result of spiritual growth which motivated true giving. Active voice - growing believers of Philippi produced the action of the verb, from grace motivation of doctrine resident in their souls = true motivation for giving is based on the application of resident doctrine. The indicative mood is declarative for historical reality.
kai hapax kai dis - once and again = “once and twice” - an idiom meaning more than once.
Needs - noun chrelan = even in Thessalonica you sent an offering more than once unto my necessity.
eis + chrelan = Paul had a need; they didn’t know it, they didn’t have to know it.
1. To send an offering once might indicate emotional giving, but to send an offering more than once denotes again correct motivation.
2. It is not the impulsive one shot emotional gift that counts but the consistent and faithful application of doctrine.
3. Grace orientation in giving is based on maximum doctrine resident in the soul, and-or spiritual growth.
4. Giving in the Christian life must never be associated with bribing God for blessing.
5. Grace giving reflects grace motivation.
6. Grace giving denotes grace growth.
7. Grace giving is that spiritual function of the royal priesthood expressing worship commemorating God’s grace, and with the Philippians denoting occupation with the person of Jesus Christ.
3. The third law for prosperity = God’s laws of prosperity are founded upon the basic fact that He owns everything and we own nothing.
1TI 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
1CO 4:7 For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
DEU 10:14 “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.”
1CO 10:26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.
HAG 2:8 “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts.
PSA 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.
God’s laws of prosperity require us to trust in Him instead of trusting in riches.
The world’s way is to trust in material assets and to continually try to accumulate more of them.