The Grace of God
—2Corinthians 6
Paul began this chapter (2Corinthians 6) with a plea not to receive the grace of God in vain. Then Paul wrote briefly on several matters which could not work without the grace of God. Some points concerned his ministry; the rest were about the goal of his ministry: salvation.
1 A Ministry to the Gentiles
2Cor 6, verses 1-2
Paul quoted Isaiah who told how God promised to hear and help the Gentiles at an acceptable time, a day of salvation. (Isaiah 49:8)
Earlier, God said to his Son, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6 NKJV).
Paul taught that God by grace had given his only begotten Son, to enlighten the world and provide all people the opportunity to hear, believe, and obey his gospel of salvation. In the time between Christ’s first and second comings, every day is the day of salvation, and every moment is the acceptable time for sinners to be saved.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that his work, and theirs, was to constantly further the salvation of souls, both Jew and Gentile.
2 A Ministry in Tribulations
2Cor 6, verses 3-5
Paul described himself and his companions as "ministers of God in much patience..." There were many tribulations and a great need for patient endurance. This was a mark of their character and ministry and it commended them.
Paul listed some of the tribulations: needs, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleepless nights, hunger.
3 A Ministry by God’s Power
2Cor 6, verses 6-7
Paul mentioned certain blessings that were marks of God’grace which characterised the work of Paul and his companions. They did not receive them in vain.
- Purity —not scandals.
- Knowledge —not ignorance.
- Longsuffering —not impatience.
- Kindness —not offence.
- The Holy Spirit —not idols.
- Sincere love —not hypocrisy.
- The word of truth — not false teaching.
- The power of God —not weakness of self.
- The armour of God — not unrighteousness.
4 A Ministry Maligned
2Cor 6, verses 8-9
Paul then returned to the hardships that he and his companions endured —in particular the false reports and judgments of their ministry which attacked their reputation.
- Dishonoured —They suffered reproach, yet some recognised the glory of Jesus in Paul’s ministry.
- Misreported —some told lies about them, but others gave true reports of their work and doctrine.
- Deceivers —some treated Paul and his companions as impostors, whilst others judged them to be honest men.
- Unknown —some treated them as nobodies and others treated them as well known and highly regarded.
- Dying —some saw them as courting death, while others were aware that God helped them remain alive.
- Chastened —some saw them as chastened, while others saw them as preserved alive.
- Sorrowful —some regarded them as miserable while others could see that they rejoiced.
- Poor —some despised them for their hardship, but others admired their spiritual riches.
- Having nothing —some regarded them as destitute, but others understood that they possessed all things that mattered.
5 A Wide Open Ministry.
2Cor 6, verses 10-13
Paul and his companions did not do anything in a corner, but were open and transparent in their ministry. They did not operate in an ivory tower or a back room. These very letters, which Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, were for the whole church to read uncensored. Paul wanted the church to respond from the heart, with unrestricted openness, in return for his openness with them. A child could understand this. In Australia we call that honest openness "being fair dinkum".
6 An Equally Yoked Fellowship
2Cor 6, verses 14-15
Paul realised that he was yoked together in his ministry with the brethren at Corinth, so they could all pull together as believers in Christ. They were equally yoked in the truth of the gospel. There was always the possibility, however, that some would leave the grace of God and attach themselves to promoters of false gospels.
The righteousness and light of belief in Christ had no fellowship with the lawlessness and darkness of unbelief fostered by the devil. Paul was warning the brethren that the yoke of Christ was the proper yoke to bear (Matthew 11:29).
7 A Living Temple
2Cor 6, verse 16
Paul illustrated the impossibility of fellowship between Christ and the devil. He asked how acceptable idols would be in the temple of God. The temple of God was his people, the church. God inhabited that living temple made of Christians. He was their God, and they were his people. There was no place in that temple for other gods or devil’s doctrines.
8 A Call to Separation
2Cor 6, verses 17-18
Paul finished the chapter with a composition of Old Testament references that encouraged the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain:
"Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
Isaiah 52:11 Ezekiel 20:34,41 Ezekiel 37:27 2 Samuel 7:14 Isaiah 43:6