2 CORINTHIANS [5:17-] 6: 1-2 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series]
THAT THE GRACE OF GOD BE NOT IN VAIN
[Luke 16:1-13]
The first two verses in the sixth chapter carry on the instruction from chapter 5 concerning our calling and task as ambassadors. God has just finished a passionate plea that each person who is a new creation in Christ Jesus participate in the ministry of reconciliation. Each one reconciled by Christ is to be involved in reconciling the world to God (CIT). But not all those in the church are. They have missed their ministry. According to our text, they have received the grace of God in vain.
When one receives the grace of God, the life should vindicate itself by being God's steward or workman (Eph 2: 8-10). God expects those who have received grace to be involved in the ministry of reconciliation. For not only are we saved by grace, the grace of God sanctifies us as we join Him in the ministry of reconciliation. The grace of God penetrates and changes us as we carry out the stewardship which has been entrusted to us.
I. GRACE'S OUT WORKING, 6: 1-2.
[II. HOLDING UP THE MINISTRY, 3-4.
III. IN DIFFICULTY, 4b-5.
IV. IN INTEGRITY, 6-7.
V. IN DIFFICULTY AND VICTORY, 8-10.]
The following thought is based upon the teaching in 5:17–21 where we are exhorted to be ministers of the word or message of reconciliation. Here God emphasizes His exhortation to us. Because we have received the grace of God we are to work together in this ministry of reconciliation to win others to Christ as verse one urges. “And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
This verse is intimately connected with the preceding chapter (dè kaì -but also). Paul is describing the new creation's discharging of duty. God has blessed us by saving us by His grace so that we might be co-workers with Him. One of the highest compliments ever bestowed upon believers is calling us co-laborers with the Almighty God. He who scattered the stars in space, set the world upon its axis, created night and day and all forms of life has allowed us to join Him in His creative work. God is busy making sinners into new creations (2 Cor. 5:17), and He has called us to be His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20). Wow! We are Christ’s ambassadors of reconciliation to earth.
As partners with Jesus we go out and offer God's reconciliation to people. As His ambassadors we experience His empowering grace flowing in us as He works through us and situations to bring about reconciliation with Him. God here is entreating us who have received His grace to work together with Him and become His laborers.
How could one "receive. . . the grace of God in vain?" A Christian’s salvation is forever secure, but some of us choose to spend our lives on ourselves rather than on the purposes to which God has called us. Those who do not join together with God in this ministry of reconciliation have received the grace of God in vain. Justification is not grace's end result. The justifying grace of God seeks to bring us into fuller sanctification. "You can not accept pardon and refuse sanctification" [Hodge, Charles. The Geneva Series of Commentaries. I & II Corinthians. 1859, 1974. Banner of Truth. Edinburgh. p. 529]. This grace given to sanctify us is in vain unless we join with God in what He would have us do, so that we may become what he would have us be (1 Pet 1:22; 2:9).
Grace refers to the unmerited favor God demonstrated in the sacrificial death of Christ (5:14–19). Christ’s death is the reason why people can freely enter into a relationship with God. This grace received in salvation must not be received in vain [kenon] meaning “without content, empty, without result, or useless,” but is to be taken as a stewardship. [There is no indication that the salvation of the Corinthian believers is in jeopardy, but the salvation of others is.]
God has called us to be ambassadors for Christ and given us the ministry of reconciling the world unto Him, not to do so is to receive the grace which saved us in vain, or to no avail for all the lost souls around us. Ephesians 2:8, 9 & 10 indicates that we were created to be His workman. Receiving the grace of God in vain means that their practice did not measure up to their profession as Christians, that their inconsistent lives constitute a denial of the logical implications of the Gospel, namely that Christ died for them so that they might no longer live to themselves, but to His glory (5:15).
For all those who accept His grace, God has supplied a challenging and worthy purpose for living, giving eternal meaning to all our days. Acting in faith on His plan rather than on less significant personal preferences is putting the grace of God to worthy use.
Verse 2 quotes Isaiah 49:8 as an appeal to them and us of God’s readiness to receive any who turn to Him. “for He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to You, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time,: behold, now is the day of salvation [deliverance].’”
“For He says” indicates that Paul is quoting an Old Testament Scripture found in Isaiah 49:8. These words were originally addressed to the Servant of YHWH, promising to sustain Him in the time of his ministry & to invest Him w/ spiritual power so that He might be a light to Israel & the nations. However, the passage not only has messianic implications but is addressed also to Messiah’s people, who represent Him. Since his readers have put their faith in the Messiah of whom Isaiah wrote, a specific application is made. So we don’t miss it, he underscores it w/ repeated behold now: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” The intensified form emphasizes that the time is NOW! The force of his statement is that God conveys His grace & salvation to men in the day and time suited to Him & it is incumbent upon men to appropriate that grace in the time appointed by God (Rom 10:18).
This quotation would remind the Corinthian believers of the time when they repented and received the gift of salvation during Paul's reconciling ministry that came in a demonstration of the Spirit & of power (1 Cor 2:3-3). Paul has taken on himself the task of the servant & bids these that possess the knowledge of the messianic prophecies fulfillment to join wit him & others in taking full advantage of this day of offered salvation. Join with Christ in reconciling the world unto Himself so that the grace of God would not be in vain.
This acceptable time was created by Christ's reconciling death, God listened to us and gave us salvation. And we must use this time of acceptance so that it can be the day of salvation, a day of deliverance, for others also.
Notice that God helps us in the day of salvation. Salvation is always initiated by God as an act of His grace. By God’s grace He had restored Israel from exile, now He offers by His grace to reconcile people to Himself through Christ.
[The day of salvation also refers to the “day” when God will deliver His people from their enemies (see 1 Thes 5:2).]
William Hart in the Detroit Free Press told about the work of a prison doctor. Dr. Cynthia Miller was a humanitarian working in a very inhumane place. 1 incident described by her associate gives an insight into the compassion she brought to prisoners. When a female inmate near death from an overdose of narcotics was rushed to the prison clinic, Dr Miller worked hard to save this life that society had already classed as unwanted. As she struggled to keep the woman breathing, she pleaded w/ the inmate's friends to tell her what drug had been taken & when. She said, "look, if you use drugs, that's you choice. I'm not a cop. But don't wait until the last minute before you bring someone to me. I'm trying to save lives."
Imagine yourself as a writer, typing away on a personal computer. You're in the middle of creating a multi-page article. The words are flowing, and you're beginning to think about you acceptance speech for the Pulitzer Prize. Suddenly and without warning, the lights dim and your computer screen blinks. From an adjoining office you hear someone yell, "Hit the save button!" But it's too late. You were so intent on getting your ideas down that you failed to save any of it. When the electricity went off, your document vanished. It's gone forever because it wasn't saved.
What's true of computer documents is true of people. Every person who rejects Christ will realize when death comes, which can strike more suddenly that an electrical outage, that it's too late to "hit the save button." According to the Bible, our destiny is sealed for eternity when we die. That's why we are urged to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today (Acts 16:31). Imagine the horror of realizing it's too late. You will have lost everything -forever.
Do you think you'll always have tomorrow to "hit the save button'? Please don't put off receiving Christ as your Savior any longer, or you may end up like the rich man in Jesus' illustration of Luke 16. Trust Christ today. It's never to early to receive Christ, But at any moment it could be too late.
The gospel is a word of grace for our ears and heart. The gospel is the means of grace and the means of salvation (Rom. 1:16). The offer of the gospel is the offer of salvation, and the present opportunity is the proper time to accept these offers. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. We know not what will be tomorrow, nor where we will be. We now enjoy a day of grace; so let us all be careful not to neglect it.
In Genesis 6:3 God says, “My Spirit will not always strive, or wrestle, with men.” He will not pull on the strings of your heart or whisper in the ear of your soul indefinitely. If you continually say no to Him, there will come a point when He will let your decision stand. [Oh but for the grace of God go I.]
IN CLOSING,
God offers salvation to all people. Because of the reconciling work of Christ on the cross, today is indeed the day of salvation. There is no guarantee that any sinner will have the opportunity to be saved tomorrow. Many people put off a decision for Christ, thinking that there will be a better time-but they could easily miss their opportunity altogether. "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found (Isa. 55:6). There is no time like the present to receive God's forgiveness. Don't let anything hold you back from coming to Christ- or from telling others about how they can be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. Don't say you can't. God grace is available to all to complete this life & death ministry.
Father of All Grace, unworthy though I am, thank You for making me a co-laborer with my Lord & Savior. May the grace of God take hold of me so that I join with You in the ministry of the word of reconciliation. Amen
