Tuesday 17 September 2013

Some more thoughts for Today, Christian Ministry





2 Corinthians 6

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
‘In the time of my favour I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.’[a]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s hardships

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: 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 dishonour, 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; 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.

Warning against idolatry

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]

17 Therefore,
‘Come out from them
    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,
says the Lord Almighty.’[e]
Footnotes:
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

f.     The Bible Panorama

2 Corinthians 6

V 1–2: PLEADING PREACHERS Christian workers plead with people to accept God’s grace immediately and be saved. 

V 3–10: TRANSPARENT TESTIMONY The lifestyle of those serving God is to be transparent and spiritually minded. Their testimony, in the face of much hardship and opposition, should reflect God-enabled blamelessness, patience, perseverance, purity, knowledge, longsuffering, sacrifice, kindness, love, truthfulness, power, consistency, rejoicing, self-giving, generosity and contentment.

 V 11–16: SCRIPTURAL SEPARATION Paul appeals for open hearts and states it is illogical, inconsistent and unscriptural to compromise with worldliness and ungodliness. Christians are to walk with God, who indwells them, and this calls for clear separation from unbelievers in things that are doubtful or inconsistent. In this way they will have a clean walk with God.

 V 17–18: FATHER’S FAMILY As His children come out from uncleanness to separation, their Father calls them all to experience the blessings of being sons and daughters of ‘the Lord Almighty’. Their separation is in two parts—from sin and to God. Only in that way can the family likeness be noticed!


The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

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