Proclaimer Blog
The six graces
I’m preparing my Christmas carol service from 2 Corinthians 8:9 this week – one of my favourite Christmas texts. It’s well known territory, but I’m trying to resist the idea that I know the passage and can preach this particular text with my eyes closed. So, back to first principles, and some textual work on the whole chapter.
As I’ve done that, I’ve been struck by the six graces. We tend to think of five graces (from Greek mythology: charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility). But in fact there are six, according to the Holy Spirit. There they are in chapter 8 verse 7. “But since you excel in everything: in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
The strong implication is that alongside giving as a grace (a gift), these other characteristics should be seen in the same way. That’s a rather challenging list, is it not? It’s a good example of how preaching too fast through a passage can sometimes soften the things the passage says in the detail. I’d want to preach 2 Cor 8 as a unit, certainly. But I think I’d want to come back to some of the detail too.
For when I pause and think of how I live, here is real challenge. Faith? Speech? Knowledge? Complete earnestness? Giving?
There’s a book in there somewhere, I know. But more importantly, there’s something to help me pray, confessing my sin and crying out to God the Spirit to conform me to the image of his Son. Amen and amen.