Proving the Sincerity of Love 2 Corinthians 8:8

Paul the apostle and his companions desired for the churches in Corinth to “abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us”, and he charged them to, “see that you abound in this grace also”. In chapter eight and verse eight of Second Corinthians, Paul shared how he wrote these things to the Corinthian church members “to prove the sincerity of” their “love” where we read:

I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others,

and to prove the sincerity of your love.

The verse begins, “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, ...” Paul began with the words, “I speak” which means “Paul uttered, declared and proclaimed” “not by the commandment” which means “through the injunction, mandate and command”, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “by occasion” which means “through time, place, means, ground or reason by which something is or is not done” “of the forwardness” or “of the haste, earnestness and diligence” “of others” which refers to “other people”. Paul shared how he “uttered and declared his words not because he was “commanded” to do so, but because other people were “diligent” in their sharing.

The verse continues, “... and to prove the sincerity of your love.” Paul added the words, “and to prove” which means “to test, examine, discern and scrutinize” “the sincerity” which means “the true, genuine, sincere and not spurious” “of your love” or “of the church members' affection, good will, benevolence and unconditional brotherly love”. Paul also wrote concerning these things to “test and examine” the church members' “true unconditional brotherly love”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see the importance of acknowledging the “diligence” of some while “examining” the “sincerity of love” of others. Paul desired for the Corinthian church members to become as those who already proved themselves in “love”, and when Jesus Christ saves and inspires a group of people, He intends that they not only be “diligent” themselves, but also to “prove the sincerity of their love” to God and others.

Next time Paul shares with the church members concerning, “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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