Now, God is powerful that all grace overflows to you so that always having all sufficiency, overflowing unto all good works, just as it is written 'he gives to the poor that his righteousness, enduring for all time.' The one supplying seed, the sowing, and bread to the extent of food supplies and increases your seed also growing the harvest of your righteousness (1 Corinthians 9:8-9)
The word sufficiency (αὐτάρκεια (autarkeia, from autós, "self" and arkéō, "to suffice, be sufficient") meaning a competence of the necessaries of life; a frame of mind viewing one’s lot as sufficient, contentedness.* We know sufficiency comes from grace and God's power, “my grace is sufficient (ἀρκέω (arkeō)) for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..” (2 Corinthians 12:9). To be sufficient is that God is enough, he is able or powerful, competent and capable to meet or satisfy our needs. So in context of the opening verse grace overflows so that God's power is working through us to the extent we overflow with all good works. The sufficiency to sow and supply that which increases and grows a harvest.
Now godliness with sufficiency (autarkeias | αὐταρκείας) is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6)
Sufficiency in this verse is usually translated as contentment and certainly contentment is an outcome of the sufficiency of God's grace abounding to us in which his power works through us. Self-sufficiency (to do good works) comes through the sufficiency of God's grace and power. The outcome of such good works flows from the seed that was sowed.
... overflowing to the extent all good works, just as it is written 'he gives to the poor that his righteousness, enduring for all time.' The one supplying seed, the sowing, and bread to the extent of food supplies and increases your seed and grows the harvest of your righteousness (1 Corinthians 9:8-9)
To meet the physical needs of a person is one thing, but to meet the needs of the spirit and soul is another. Sometimes the physical need is met so as to supply seed to meet the spiritual. We see this in regards to churches giving to the church in Jerusalem which was under heavy persecution ((Romans 15:26-27), "They accepted the confiscation of all their belongings because they knew they had a better and abiding possession" (Hebrews 10:32-35). Personally I believe this is why the church in Jerusalem pooled their resources, selling all their belongings and giving all.
The greater need of anyone by all means is the spiritual. Thus the greater need to be supplied to the poor, the needy, those seeking food that endures unto everlasting life is the seed that is imperishable (unlike gold and silver) and the food that endures unto life (unlike earthly food). How can we compare the two? One satisfies the physical need and the other satisfies the soul and endures unto eternal life. To give to the physical need and not the other would be a tragedy. Jesus tells us to seek food that endures, the kind that he supplies (John 6:26-27). Surely, if this is what Jesus wanted the people to seek, it is also what he would should supply. We can say that we give to those who are sowing but this is not the example of Paul's ministry. And I believe Paul is talking about supplying seed for the greater, of the spiritual, in these verses.
now the one taught the word shares all good of that taught (Galatians 6:6)
Is Paul saying because he teaches the word he has a right to share in all material things from those being taught? Or is he speaking of something much greater, of the word of life, which is food that endures unto life? We know Paul worked as a tent maker (Acts 18:1-4). He set an example of working with his own hands to supply his physical needs, "yourselves know these hands provided that my own needs and of the ones with me" (Acts 20:33-35). The giving he refers to is something greater than the physical.
it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35).
Amazingly we see in context of the above verses, there is a blessing associated with giving and giving is that of the spiritual, "in all this I show you that being spent with labor in this way it is proper to aid the weak, remembering the words of the Lord, because he himself said, "it is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35). The weak in faith need to be taught. And a blessing comes to those who teach thus both share in the good of that being taught. It is more blessed to give, to sow into someone the words of life.
now, the one sowing sparingly reaps sparingly also the one reaping, sparingly. And the one sowing to the extent blessings reaps, and reaping to the extent blessings, each just as deciding in his heart, not from sorrow nor under constraint for it is a cheerful giver God loves. Now, God is powerful that all grace overflows to you so that always having all sufficiency, overflowing to the extent all good works (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
We see how sufficiency is supplied to do good works, through sowing seed. Jesus said, the seed that is sown is the word of God (Luke 8:11). When it is taught (sown, rooted, and nurtured to endure) it will bear fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some hundredfold (Mark 4:15-20). Those who sow the word of God will reap blessings. The one teaching is the one sowing thus the teacher is blessed, sharing in all good of the one being taught. There was a harvest that Jesus spoke of while in Samaria and a food that he ate that was not of earthly origin and he said the apostles, who had not sown, would share in the reaping of a harvest, the sower and reaper would be glad together (John 4:28-34).
because the service of this ministry is not only providing the needs of the saints but also overflowing through much thankfulness to God through the approval of this service, the glory of God to the extent of your submissiveness to the confession to the extent of the gospel of Christ and the purity of mind, of your fellowship with them and unto all... (2 Corinthians 9: 12-15)
The approval of Paul's ministry was the glory of God, not gauged by outwardly deeds of giving and serving but of inward purity of mind and obedience of the truth of the gospel and fellowship with Christ who is the word of life. Such is the inexpressible gift that Paul speaks of. The greater is fellowship together in Christ, not a "partnership" in his ministry by giving gifts of money. But that his teaching was producing a fellowship together in Christ, to the glory of God. This gift is what he had been boasting to the Macedonians about and why he was sending brothers ahead so that he would not be let down and find that they were not as mature in Christ as he had been boasting.
I know this is not what is traditionally taught. But don't take my word for it, read 2 Corinthians 8-9 as close to the original Greek as you can, like in this interlinear Bible.* Especially pay close attention to words translated like partnership, generosity, gifts and look at their origin and most used Greek meaning.
The one supplying seed, the sowing, and bread to the extent of food supplies and increases your seed and grows the harvest of your righteousness (1 Corinthians 9:8-9)
Usually evangelism and outreach is put ahead of growth, even to the point were the brother in the church who is in need is overlooked, both physically and spiritually. The scriptures put a important emphasis on growth, this verse speaks to that along with the opening verse. Supply the seed, the word of God, and there will be an increase and a harvest of righteousness. And grace will be sufficient as "God is powerful that all grace overflows to you so that always having all sufficiency, overflowing unto all good works."
Only through the sowing of the seed of the word of God, the living bread, will one increase and grow the harvest of righteousness. This is both true in regards to imputed righteousness and the fruit that comes from abiding in the word of God. The needs, spiritual nourishment, of the saints are met through the sowing of God's word. It is living, both drink and food, Spirit and Life. This type of sowing unto the Spirit reaps eternal life (Galatians 6:8). The outcome of this type of sowing, of supplying the spiritual needs of the saints, will cause increase and overflow unto all good works. Sow the word of God so to be rooted and founded. Sow so to endure. Sow so to grow up and bear fruit.
blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one blessing us in all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)
The blessings that we have in Christ are spiritual and heavenly. If we could but comprehend fully how blessed we are in Christ we would have a better mind set into what really qualifies as a blessing. The saints of old "died according to faith not receiving the promises rather seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, also acknowledging that existing strangers and exiles in the earth, for they speak in such a way to make clear that they seek their native home" (Hebrews 11:13). We have better promises in a new covenant, in Christ all the promises of God are yes and amen.
We are blessed. So "... remembering the words of the Lord, because he himself said, "it is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35). The word of God, which exists Spirit and Truth, sown and nurtured in our hearts will grow up to bear fruit some thirty, some sixty, some hundredfold. Let us give so that a harvest may be reaped.