Question
Do Not Receive God’s Grace in Vain
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Key Verse 6:1
1. Read verses 1 and 2. What does it mean to “receive God’s grace in vain”? What causes a person to receive God’s grace in vain? Why should one be careful not to receive God’s grace in vain? (2)
2. Read verses 3-10. Compare the following expressions with what Paul says in verse 3. Why did he go through so many difficulties? What do the following expressions in verses 4-10 indicate about the nature of the grace the Corinthians received?
in great endurance;
in troubles, hardships and distresses;
in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;
in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
in truthful speech and in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich; and
having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
3. Read verses 11-13. What does “you are withholding yours from us” indicate about the Corinthians’ relationship with Paul? Why is it important for them to open their hearts wide to God’s servants (such as the Apostle Paul)? (Cf. 2Co 5:20)
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Message
Do not receive God’s grace in vain
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Key Verse 6:1
“As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.”
In the passage the Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthians not to receive God’s grace in vain. Specifically what should the Corinthians do in order not to receive God’s grace in vain? There are four things: first, use their talents for God; second, make good use of time; third, work hard; forth, keep an open heart.
First, fellow workers (Using talents for God)
In reading verse 1 we are surprised to see the Apostle Paul calling the Corinthians as “fellow workers.” Supposedly the Corinthians were spiritually immature. After all they studied the Bible with the Apostle Paul only for about one and a half years. So one could have regarded them as spiritual babies; it looked like they were too young to be called as “workers”. But the Apostle Paul calls them not just as workers but as “fellow” workers. By the word “fellow” Paul puts them on the level equal to his.
Indeed other Bible passages indicate that the Apostle Paul intended to establish the church of Corinth as one of the most important strategic points from which to spread the gospel to the Gentile world. (2Co 1:15-17)
Paul’s idea of calling young Christians as fellow workers is not entirely new to us, for in the Bible we see God saving people not for nothing but for a purpose; God saves man for he has a glorious work that must done in and through that person. In fact before God saves anyone he first has already prepared in advance the work God intends to fulfill through that person. When God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden, God had in his mind the work for Adam and Eve to do. Thus, the Bible says, “the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” When God called Abraham, God had in mind the vision to save all peoples on earth in and through the example of his faith, so from the outset of God calling Abraham, God said to him, “I will make you a blessing; all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” We see the same design in the way the Lord God organized the New Testament Scriptures, for the first four books (the four gospels) represent God’s grace, whereas the fifth book that follows the gospel of grace is entitled the book of “Acts”. Thus the disciples of Jesus received God’s grace and after Jesus’ ascension translated it into action. In Ephesians 2:10 then the Apostle Paul straightforwardly says: “We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
“As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.” This exhortation is another way to encourage the Corinthian brothers and sisters to work hard for the gospel. In the previous passage the Apostle Paul already exhorted them to no longer live for themselves but for Jesus Christ. He encouraged them to make it a goal to please Jesus Christ and live for Christ’s sake.
This then tells us that we should not separate God’s grace from the work God has in mind. God’s grace and God’s work are one; both of them come to us as one package. So we must receive not only grace but also the work that comes with it. [For further details you may wish to delve into the Apostle Paul’s discussion on the grace and apostleship in Romans 1:5.]
What then is the work we are called to do? In general term we are called to live for Christ. But what are the works God wants each of us to do? What mission did God have in mind when he saved each of us?
One way to figure out the details of God’s purpose in saving us is to look at the way God already equipped us. We already know that God has given us His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the major way for God to equip us. No wonder that the Bible calls the Holy Spirit, the “gift” of God. Gift has the meaning of talent. Talent or talents have to do with the work Jesus has in mind.
There are other gifts or talents the Lord God has already given us. The gifts or talents may differ from person to person. But the truth is that there is no one who has never received any gifts from God. If one examines oneself carefully, one can always find something he or she can do naturally well.
In case of the Apostle Paul, the Lord already trained him to be fluent in both Greek and Hebrew languages, so he could preach the gospel freely in the Greek Roman world still freely being able to communicate with the fellow Jewish believers in Jerusalem such as Peter, John or James. The Lord also trained Paul to be familiar with the Greek philosophies and Greek culture, so that he could preach the gospel to the Greeks such as the Corinthians without many difficulties.
So I would encourage each person to sit down and do the homework: that is, prepare a piece of paper, and write on it what you are really good at doing. Then you can figure out how you can best advance the gospel by making the most use of what you are good at doing. In so doing you also may wish to write down on the paper other resources the Lord might have already blessed you with: your job training, your finances, your other resources like your computer, your time, etc. Then combine all these with the Spirit of God working inside. You will be surprised to find out that there are tons of different ways in which you can work for the Lord to please him, especially in sharing the gospel with others.
Second, now is the day of salvation (Making the best use of time)
In living our life in the way worthy of Jesus’ calling grace, there is one thing which we must never forget, that is, the time factor. Look at verse 2. “For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” This passage indicates that in working for the Lord we can work most efficiently by concentrating ourselves on the time called “NOW”. As used here the time called now is different from the time called yesterday or tomorrow. The time called now represents the present time. Past is past, It is gone. Future is only illusory, for one does not know exactly what will happen tomorrow. So now is the only real time to work with.
From May 15-17, 2007 Bill Gates invited to the Redmond City the HQ of MS company the world top 100 IT gurus; there he hosted a special meeting called “MS CEO Summit”. Knowing that the time called now is the only real time he made the conference schedule tight. All the CEO’s attending the summit had to wake up early enough to punctually show up at the meeting at 6:30 a.m. and then the daily meeting schedules went all the way to 9:00 p.m. The highlight of the summit was the dinner at his personal residence located at the Washington Lake. People expected the menu to be rich. They thought that they could eat in a relaxed environment. But surprisingly it was a simple buffet, and all the guests had to eat while standing, so the guests could use the dinner time to talk about latest ideas on the way to do businesses.
When Jesus came he set a good example in making the most use of the time called now not to promote money making businesses but to promote the ministry that saves life, for in John 9:4 Jesus said, “As long as it is day we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” Then he made a mud pack out of dust mixed with his saliva, and opened the eyes of a man born blind. Some scholars say Jesus’ public ministry lasted for about three and a half years. Some scholars argue that it was much shorter than that, for they maintain that there are evidences that say that 18 months is a good estimate. Anyway the time period of his public service was not that long. Yet, because Jesus used the time called now most effectively, he could do so much work, that the Apostle John says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If everyone of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25
In our ministry some are in their teens, some twenties, some thirties, some forties, some fifties, and some sixties. Teens are good time to serve the Lord. Twenties are excellent time to work hard for the Lord. Thirties are great time to work efficiently for the Lord. Forties are fabulous time to work hard for the Lord. Fifties are glorious time to work diligently for the Lord. Sixties are extraordinarily great time to work for the Lord’s kingdom purposes. Some are single, some are yet to develop careers, some are yet to be married, and some are yet to have children, some are yet to see their children growing up, and becoming independent. American norm is that people think that they can do God’s work only after they have resolved this problem or that problem. Some might be tempted to say, “Okay, I can fully give myself to God’s work only after I am done with my school studies.” Or some might say, “Well, right now I am busy with my kids; maybe after all of my children are all grown up, I might consider doing God’s work fully.” But the Apostle Paul says that now is the time of salvation. What he means is that the time called now is the best time to work for God’s kingdom purpose.
Third, we commend ourselves in every way (working hard)
The Apostle Paul set a good example in not receiving God’s grace in vain. In order not to receive God’s grace in vain, he himself set a good example by working hard to advance the gospel. How did he work? In verses 3-10 he set a good example in every way possible.
“We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way.” Notice that he calls himself a “servant”. A servant’s major duty is to work, work, and work.
With a servant’s attitude what did he do? Look at verses 4b -5: “in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger”. This passage gives out the image of a hardworking servant.
But he did not work hard just physically but also spiritually, for he continues to say in verses 6-7: “in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left.” This passage indicates that Paul was a spiritual man; he had Christ’s love in his heart. He also was wise in using the instruments provided by God, that is, the living word of God and the Holy Spirit. The work we are called to do is more spiritual than menial. And we can get God’s work done God’s way using God’s weapons (or tools), that is, the power of prayer and the word of God through the wisdom, love and power of the Holy Spirit.
God’s worker also must be willing to be misunderstood by people. If God’s servant wants to get along with people and please people, he will end up trying to read people’s mind, and never say or do anything that might offend them. But the Apostle Paul did not try to please men; he tried to please Jesus Christ. So what did he get? Look at verse 8: “through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors.” Some people spread slanders against Paul. Some called Paul as a liar or a deceiver.
Look at verses 9-10: “known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” In the past while he did not know Jesus, the Apostle Paul worked hard to climb up the rung of success in the Jewish society. As a result, using his brilliant mind, he was able to reach at the top, for according to Jewish tradition, he became the member of the Jewish ruling council called Sanhedrin. But after meeting Jesus he regarded all of his human achievements as sheer garbage. Following Jesus’ example he remained subservient to many, living without any title, working hard to save people, making many rich. Indeed it is thanks to his service that even to this very day tons of Christians living in the Gentile world are continually being made rich in the Lord.
Overall we can see that the Apostle Paul strove hard to follow Jesus’ example, for Paul’s example reminds us of what Jesus said on our position as a servant, for he said to his disciples: “So you also when you have done everything you were told to do should say, “We are unworthy servants: we have done only our duty.”
Fourth, open your hearts also (Keeping an open & wide heart)
The Apostle Paul is known as one of the most fruitful workers among the gospel workers in God’s redemptive history. One of the secrets of his great success can be called partnership. What do we mean by partnership? We already know the answer for at the outset the Apostle Paul calls the Corinthian brothers and sisters as “fellow workers”.
The key for fellow workers to work together in good partnership is the importance of all the fellow workers forming a unity of love, with all becoming one in mind, heart, and spirit. The question then is how can fellow workers form one unity – one in mind, heart, and spirit?
We find an answer to this question in verses 11-13. “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.” The key here is to open one’s heart wide. It is not to withhold affection from one another. Ethnically the Apostle Paul was a Jew. The Corinthians were Gentiles. But in Jesus they became members of a family. In Jesus Paul became like their spiritual father and they became Paul’s spiritual children. So just as blood family members do not withhold their mutual affection from one another, so also Paul asks them to open their hearts wide and share affections freely. Why? It is to establish a team spirit, so that in the spirit of love and power, like one person, they could work with one mind, heart, spirit, and purpose, especially with one goal to please Jesus. Then they can build a dream team. In this way they can serve the Lord’s world mission purpose with a joyful heart. During the West Coast Summer Bible Conference, several coworkers from different chapters are going to join. Let us all welcome them in the spirit of Jesus’ love and power. In our ministry as well we have a considerable number of fellow workers working together. Let us fully open our hearts towards one another. Let us also welcome new comers coming to the ministry that they too would open their hearts wide and join with us to advance God’s kingdom in the West Coast college campuses, all North American campuses, and beyond.
One word: do not receive God’s grace in vain (in other words, work hard for the Lord.)
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Biblenote
Do Not Receive God’s Grace in Vain
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Key Verse 6:1
1. Read verses 1 and 2. What does it mean to “receive God’s grace in vain”? What causes a person to receive God’s grace in vain? Why should we be careful not to receive God’s grace in vain? (2)
** God has a purpose in showing his grace to us, that is, for us to be saved by his
grace. If we receive God's grace in vain, God's purpose remains unfulfilled in us.
(i.e. not fulfilling the intended purpose, like the Corinthians still remaining unsaved by themselves remaining in sin, and thereby remaining cut off from the relationship with God the Father).
** Most likely it is because of a person not fully appreciating the value, the cost, and the stake involved for them to receive this grace. One does not thank God for this grace, mostly because the person does not think about (or simply ‘ignores’ or ‘does not pay attention to’) the meaning, the cost (like the efforts others made so that person could receive this grace), and the reason for (why they made so many sacrifices to get) this grace.
Examples: Adam and Eve in Genesis 1-3; the Israelites in Matthew 23:37
** Time is limited. The opportunity is not going to remain open indefinitely. Sooner or later, the door will be closed, and the hope of getting saved will be gone.
2. Read verses 3-10. Compare the following expressions with what Paul says in verse 3. Why did he go through so many difficulties? What do these expressions, in verses 4-10, indicate about the nature of the grace the Corinthians received?
in great endurance;
in troubles, hardships and distresses;
in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;
in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
in truthful speech and in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
poor, yet making many rich; and
having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
** In order that the ministry (of the New Covenant which is based on God’s grace, rather than the Law of Moses) would not be discredited (discredit – to refuse to accept as true or accurate; to cause disbelief in the accuracy or authority; to deprive of good refute). In other words, he did his best to make the [unbelievable] message of reconciliation believable, so that the Corinthians would truly believe in the gospel, and be saved.
The expression “stumbling block” refers to all the complex requirements of the Jewish Law such as that of the Sabbath, circumcision, keeping Jewish festivals etc. It was due to Paul ridding the ministry of the new covenant, of such ritual requirements and replacing them with the simple principle, that is, salvation by faith in Jesus that he had to receive so many persecutions.
** It was very costly. The same is true with the way in which God’s grace fell upon us. For example, in order that God’s grace might fall upon us, the Lord Jesus had to suffer even to the point of shedding his blood.
3. Read verses 11-13. What does “you are withholding yours from us” indicate about the Corinthians’ relationship with Paul? Why is it important for them to open their hearts wide to God’s servants (such as the Apostle Paul)? (Cf. 2Co 5:20)
** It reveals that there was no relationship. Once upon a time the relationship was there, but due to slander being spread against Paul, they started questioning Paul’s integrity, rendering their relationship with Paul and his fellow gospel works virtually non-existent (or non-operational).
** Paul was not a mere individual representing only himself but Jesus Christ, so as they rejected Paul, they rejected Jesus Christ himself, and as they rejected Jesus, they rejected the one who sent Jesus. Read Matthew 10:40
The end
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