For the Bible Tells Me So #36

Beyond the Walls Radio

Continuing from last week's message, "Prosperity Heretics and Poverty Heretics - Satan Loves Them Both," listeners discover that in the midst of an entire chapter of the New Testament (contextually dedicated to the practical subject of little more than church fundraising) comes one verse that may have won the most Bible-butchered contest of the ages - 2 Corinthians 8:9. Few verses from the Bible have caused preachers to do interpretive gymnastics more than this verse. Pastor Gordon appeals to reason without caving to popular theological pressures emanating from the parallel ditches (ditches of hyper-prosperity and/or poverty) by carefully laying out the evidence. By carefully reviewing the passage with an eastern paradigm, he slaughters yet another sacred cow in our times: when was Jesus "rich" and when did Jesus become "poor" for our sakes? Put on your thinking caps, lay aside presuppositions, and prepare yourself by embracing objectivity. Jesus did become poor. The Bible says so. Jesus was rich. The Bible says so. But WHEN did these things happen to Jesus "...so that we might become rich"? Further, is it true that when the verse blatantly says the words, "that we might become rich," it isn't talking about money, even though it is written in the middle of a fundraising letter written for the purpose of teaching Christians about the grace for generosity? Inquiring minds want to know! This is a "No Eisegesis Zone."