Abound in everything

2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also

Interesting that it says 'you abound', not 'I wish that you abound'.

Paul takes it for granded that those believers do abound in all 5 things and he exorts them for one more.

• faith - (Greek = pistis [πίστει])
• speech (Greek = logos [λόγω])
• knowledge (Greek = gnosis [γνώσει])
• diligence (Greek = spoudi [σπουδή])
• love (Greek = agape [αγάπη])
• grace (Greek = charis [χάριτη])

 
Let us see all those things and read our bibles together.

Note the abundant-abound pattern in the following verses.

 
Phi 1:5 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,

26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

 
Mark 11: 22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Many quote this passage without reference to verse 22 which puts everything in context. If a zillion people believe and pray that the earth is flat, no matter how strong they do it, it will never happen.

Possitive thinking and believing does not change things. Faith in God and his word is the necessary ingridient. We can claim a promise written not our own imagination.

1Th 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

1Co 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,

6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you

Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

Col 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it[b] with thanksgiving.

Rom 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

It give a purpose to all knowledge, not just for us but to share it.

 
2Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Eph 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

1The 3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you

1The 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

Phi 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment

1Jo 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us[e] commandment.

2Co 8:1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:

2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack--that there may be equality.

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

Phi 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ[b] who strengthens me.

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΟΥΣ Β΄ 8:7 (1550 Stephanus New Testament) αλλ ωσπερ εν παντι περισσευετε πιστει και λογω και γνωσει και παση σπουδη και τη εξ υμων εν ημιν αγαπη ινα και εν ταυτη τη χαριτι περισσευητε

Let us see these words again:

• faith is pistis - not believing the verb, but the noun
• speech is logos - the word of God
• knowledge is gnosi - not wisdom
• diligence is spoudi - used both for study and haste
• love is agape - not eros (the sexual love) nor fileo (the love used for friends) BUT the love of God
• grace is charis - used specificaly for giving and receiving here.

Charis as it is used here is very close to 1 Peter 2 definition of grace 

19 τουτο γαρ χαρις ει δια συνειδησιν θεου υποφερει τις λυπας πασχων αδικως

19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

Look at the various translations of 1st Peter 2:19

• King James Version For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
• New King James Version For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
• New Living Translation For God is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatment.
• New American Standard Bible For this {finds} favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
• Webster's Bible For this [is] thank-worthy, if a man for conscience towards God endureth grief, suffering wrongfully.
• Young' s Literal Translation for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;
• Darby Translation For this [is] acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly.
• American Standard Version For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.
• Hebrew Names Version For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.
• Revised Standard Version For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly.
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• My own translation

  This is grace, to suffer sorrows unjustly, for the sake of conciousness of God

While this is the only other definition-like verse in the scriptures (the other one being Heb 11:1 " now faith is..." and it says "now grace is..." there is no way to understand that it talks about grace in the English text. It is in harmony with the verse at Corinthian's, since giving material things does bring grief and is suffering a lot of times when there is no abundance.

to be continued...