seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Corinthians 6:1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a]
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[c]
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[c]
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d]
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d]
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[e]
a. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
b. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
c. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
d. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
e. 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
This is from the blueletterbible.org site.
Not to receive the grace of God in vain: The Corinthian Christians had obviously received the grace of God. They would not be Christians at all had they not received the grace of God. Yet having received it, they were potentially guilty of receiving the grace of God in vain, so Paul pleads with them to not do this.
What does it mean to receive the grace of God in vain? It means to receive the goodness and favor of God, yet to hinder the work of grace in one’s life. It means to receive the favor of God and to fail in what Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
According to 1 Corinthians 15:10, if Paul did not work as hard as he did, the grace of God would still be given to him, but in some measure it would have been given in vain. Grace, by definition, is given freely, but how we receive grace will help to determine how effective the gift of grace is. Grace is “frequently used by St. Paul to express the favours and privileges offered to the members of the Church of Christ, not to be limited to grace given at any special moment (such as at salvation)... it is offered, independently of man’s faith and obedience, but it will not profit without these.” (Bernard)
Grace isn’t given because of any works, past, present or promised; yet it is given to encourage work, not to say work is unnecessary. God doesn’t want us to receive His grace and become passive. Paul knew that God gives His grace, we work hard, and the work of God is done.
Many Christians struggle at this very point. Is God supposed to do it or am I supposed to do it? The answer is, “Yes!” God does it and we do it. Trust God, rely on Him, and then get to work and work as hard as you can! That is how we see the work of God accomplished. If I neglect my end of the partnership, God’s grace doesn’t accomplish all that it might and is therefore given in vain.
“God’s grace is always coming to my heart and life in very wonderful and blessed experience of now. Yesterday’s grace is totally inadequate for the burden of today, and if I do not learn to lay hold of heavenly resources every day of my life for the little things as well as the big things, as a Christian I soon become stale, barren, and fruitless in the service of the Lord.” (Redpath)
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: Paul is speaking to the overly broad affections of the Corinthian Christians. They had joined themselves to unbelievers, and this prevented their reconciliation with Paul.
The idea of do not be unequally yoked together is based on Deuteronomy 22:9, which prohibited yoking together two different animals. It speaks of joining two things that should not be joined.
In what ways had the Corinthian Christians become unequally yoked together with unbelievers? How can we do this? Certainly by marrying an unbeliever, which is the most common way this principle is applied. “A very wise and very holy man was given his judgment on this point: ‘A man who is truly pious, marrying with an unconverted woman, will either draw back to perdition, or have a cross during life.’ The same may be said of a pious woman marrying an unconverted man. Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, Lead us not into temptation. They plunge into it of their own accord.” (Clarke)
However, Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever. It really applies to any environment where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this world and are not being transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2), we join together with unbelievers in an ungodly way.
This speaks especially to the issue of influence. Paul is not suggesting that Christians never associate with unbelievers (he makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The principle is that we are to be in the world, but not of the world, like a ship should be in the water, but water shouldn’t be in the ship. If the world is influencing us, it is clear we are unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And this unequal yoke, or ungodly influence, may come through a book, a movie, a television show, a magazine, or even through worldly Christian friends. Most Christians are far too indiscriminate about the things they allow to influence their minds and lives.
We all like to believe that we can be around ungodly things as much as we want and that we are strong enough to ward off the influence. But we must take seriously the words of Scripture: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). It needs to come back to the simple question from Romans 12:2: Are we being conformed to this world, or are we being transformed by the renewing of your mind?
The Corinthian Christians thought like worldly people, not like godly people. They gained this way of looking at life – or at least they stayed in it – because of their ungodly associations. Paul tells them to break those yokes of fellowship with the ungodly!
Oh Paul.... this is so timely.... wait.... Paul dictated or jotted this down centuries and centuries ago. Christians should be careful who they hang out with...... wow.... he could have written this today.... and it would be true.
A long long time ago... I use to travel from Lusby to Annapolis and back five days a week for work. My traveling companion was WAVA radio. Many many years before that.... I lived in Virginia Beach and drove a cab.... and I picked up the evangelicals from the 700 club on the way to the airport.... giving them a half hour to preach to me. And.... as I have been saying.... I have also been to churches that met in bars..... with members who were male and female hookers. It's important that the members of the church reflect God.... no matter where they are or who they are with..... we're upgraded and we should show it off.
Yesterday.... on a facebook page for a local church..... a woman decided to talk about how the current president was the best because of his stand on abortion.... and how he should be re-elected because he is so pro-life. Of course I responded that there is a big difference between being pro-life and anti-abortion. The woman had me removed from the facebook page. Oh well..... guess she didn't like my tone..
Right now we live in an anti-abortion life. People are willing to stand up and say no.... to murdering a baby in the womb. Whether from conception or from first heart beat.... babies are now protected by law...... but as soon as they are born.... they are on their own..... those same anti-abortionists are saying "couldn't you keep your knees together if you couldn't afford to take care of a baby?"..... anti.... anti abortion.... anti.... anti baby.....
Jesus told us we should be living a pro-life life. People should be willing to be kind to one another..... be willing to give a hand out or a hand up. People should be willing to feed, clothe and heal the poor, widowed or orphaned. Defaming a woman who has given birth because she didn't consider her financial status before giving birth is not pro-life..... it's mean.
Christians are supposed to be followers of Christ. Jesus loved everyone.... He even had compassion for the rich guy who couldn't or wouldn't give up his riches to follow Jesus. Jesus even had compassion for the guy who beat him.... and the guy who hammered the nails through His palms..... and the guy who made fun of Him while He was hanging on the Cross. Jesus was kind..... Christians are supposed to be living examples of what believing in Jesus and the Salvation He brought us..... kind.... gentle.... giving .... caring......
IMHO..... Christians are value added humans. IMHO..... other humans should be wondering.... "how does she do that.... she just is so kind and good.... it's different.... there's something different about her"..... and other humans might respond.... hopefully.... "oh her.... she's a Christian... she's always that way"
Christianity is an upgrade we can all afford.
