The Sincerity Test

The Corinthians professed much love for the Lord and His Kingdom. All believers profess the same kind of love because after all, love is synonymous with Christianity. Paul shows, however, that the sincerity of that profession needs to be tried and tested and it is often tested when it is laid next to the zeal of others as they sacrifice self for the benefit of God's Kingdom. Christianity is not a 'stealth' religion--unobserved and unnoticed. Rather, it is earth shaking, turning things upside down, rolling in the dust kind of religion. In other words, true love is observable. It is willing sacrifice that builds the Kingdom because that is the Kingdom. Paul says that it is the size of one's sacrifice not the size of one's contribution that builds the Kingdom. Finally, this passage does not teach a form of socialism, but rather, lays out a clear Biblical principle for situations of legitimate crisis.