During the Thanksgiving season, Christians commonly spend time thanking God for the many blessings He has given them. The most important blessing we have received is the gift of salvation.
Like the Apostle Paul, we should praise the Lord for His grace in saving us. Nothing else in our lives can compare to the salvation we receive when we place faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In the context of Paul’s declaration in 2 Corinthians 9:15, we can also show our gratitude to God by giving help to the needs of others. The believers in Corinth lived out their faith by giving to others. We, who are rich in Christ, should be the most generous when meeting the needs of others.
Verse Background and Context
To understand a verse of Scripture, we must look at the surrounding context. In chapter 8 of the epistle, Paul mentions how the Corinthian believers had promised to give aid to the believers in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:6). Hence, in chapter 9, Paul urges the Corinthians to carry out their promise.
The Macedonian Christians, who were poor financially, gave eagerly and more than they were able to (2 Corinthians 8:1-3).
Paul reminds the Corinthians that “I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action” (2 Corinthians 9:2).
Using the example of the church in Macedonia, Paul sought to motivate the Corinthians to fulfill their promise of giving to the Jerusalem church.
If the believers in Corinth failed to give, then they would experience shame and embarrassment in front of Paul and any Christians from Macedonia who accompanied him (2 Corinthians 9:4). He reminds them that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Also, their act of giving would support their confession as followers of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:13). Thus, this passage of Scripture included significant information for the Corinthian church but is also applicable to believers today.
God’s Indescribable Gift
At the end of chapter 9, Paul declared: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). The gift in this verse refers to salvation (Ephesians 2:8). We have done nothing to deserve this gift since God gives us salvation based on His unmerited favor.
Because of God’s grace, He sent His Son to save us (John 3:16). Jesus willingly gave up His life by dying on the cross (John 10:18). He bore our sins and took the punishment we deserve for our sins (1 Peter 2:24).
When we believe in His death and resurrection for salvation, we receive the greatest gift we could ever receive. We are made right with God (Romans 5:1), cleansed of our sins (1 Corinthians 6:11), and given a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Earlier in his epistle to the Corinthian church, Paul described the riches that Jesus gives us in salvation. As the apostle wrote, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
As God the Son, Jesus humbled Himself by adding humanity to His divinity and took the position of a servant (Philippians 2:6-8). What He gives freely to us cost Him everything.
The Apostle Paul describes the gift of salvation as “indescribable” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Other versions of the Bible translate this unique Greek word as “inexpressible” (ESV), “unspeakable” (LSV), or “too wonderful for words” (CEV).
The Amplified Bible adds the description “precious beyond words.” The idea is that salvation is more wonderful than anyone can ever describe.
In the epistle, Paul praises the Lord and offers gratitude for God’s grace. The proper response to the gift of salvation is praise and thanksgiving. No one deserves salvation, but Jesus died for us anyway. We can and should thank the Lord for His “indescribable gift.”
Giving as an Act of Thanksgiving
The Corinthian believers had received the “indescribable gift” of salvation, which meant they could give abundantly to others.
We know from Paul’s letter to the Romans that the Corinthian believers fulfilled their promise by giving to the church in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26; note the use of Achaia in 2 Corinthians 9:2).
They could not ignore the reminder of Jesus’ extravagant love and His willing sacrifice to save us, which motivated them to give freely to others.
Likewise, since God has richly given us the gift of salvation, we can give to others. David K. Lowery aptly states this truth in the Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament edition, “Those who have benefited from such a spiritual gift (stemming from God’s grace) should not hesitate to benefit others with material gifts” (“2 Corinthians”). Giving to help others is a natural overflow of a heart rightly oriented to God’s grace.
Far from being a mere act of benevolent charity, giving allows us the opportunity to express our love and thanksgiving to the Lord. While we can never repay God for His gift of salvation, giving cheerfully to others is a way to express our love for the Lord.
Jesus views any help given to others in His name as something we have done for Him personally (Matthew 25:40). Our love for God and our love for others results in an openhanded readiness to give.
Living Out God’s Word
Individuals who have placed their faith in Jesus for salvation should give thanks to the Lord. He has given us an incomparable gift, which is beyond description. In response to His grace, we should offer praise and thanksgiving to Jesus.
Also, since we are rich in Christ because of the gift of salvation, we should be more willing to give of ourselves to others.
Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of the grace they had received to encourage them to help the believers in Jerusalem. Like the Christians in Corinth, we can also live out our faith by giving.
While Christians can give to their local churches, they should also think about believers in other places that need assistance. Generally, congregations of believers in America are affluent.
However, believers in other parts of the world struggle to afford training, Bibles, and practical necessities such as food and medical assistance.
As Paul stated, “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” (2 Corinthians 8:14).
Thus, we can apply God’s Word to our lives by thanking Him for our salvation and expressing His love to others through giving.
What Does This Mean for My Life?
God offers everyone the gift of salvation because of His grace. We can receive this indescribable gift when we trust in Jesus to save us from our sins.
Once a person experiences the amazing grace of Jesus, their life is forever changed. When meditating on the gift of God, believers cannot help but praise and thank Him.
Not only are we transformed at salvation, but our perspective of others changes too. Because we have experienced God’s grace, we want to help others. Giving becomes an act of thanksgiving to the Lord as we generously assist our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as others.
For further reading:
‘Every Good and Perfect Gift is from Above’ (James 1:17)
What Does it Mean That the 'Gift of God Is Eternal Life'?
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