II Corinthians 6
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II Corinthians 6:1:
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. |
Partnership is the worlds secret of success. Nations formulate treaties and act in concert with one another. Families form matrimonial alliances and so increase their wealth and and strengthen their position. individuals form partnerships and strengthen their business capabilities. The early apostles went out to by two. The Christian of today is crippled if he stands alone. "Without Me you can do nothing" were the words of Jesus, and any work carried on without Him as a partner will surely fail.
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II Corinthians 6:1-15:
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
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II Corinthians 6:16-18:
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” |
Under the Old Covenant, the temple was the focal point of the life of the nation of Israel. Since we are under the New Covenant, the Scripture tells us that “ye are the temple of the living God.” II Corinthians 6:16b. 
Our world today is looking for men and women with integrity, for communicators who back up their ministry with their lives. Our preaching emerges out of what we are. We are called to be holy people separated from the moral evils of the world.
– Billy Graham |
Roger E Olson Files
I’m not saying here that “the way we were” was perfect or even all good. We, conservative evangelical Christians of the 1950s and 1960s, were, like everyone else, a mixture of good and bad. I’m talking here, now, about our way of life then. I’m afraid we American evangelicals have largely lost our way. Is our new way better than the way we were? I’m not sure; I actually doubt it. We have largely succumbed to the world, allowed it to press us into its own mold, contrary to Romans 12:2 (Phillips paraphrase). We do largely conform to this world (secular and pagan society around us), contrary to 2 Corinthians 6:17 that calls Christians to come out from among “them” (secular and pagan people) and be separate.
--Roger E Olsen; The Way We Were; 7.8.23
--Roger E Olsen; The Way We Were; 7.8.23
Herman Bavinck Files
“Scripture speaks in a very human way about the essence of God, but it never transfers the sexual differentiation to him; God is never portrayed or presented as being feminine…God is a Father who takes pity on his children, but he also comforts like a mother comforts her son." - Herman Bavinck
"God is a unique substance, distinct from the universe, immaterial, imperceptible to the human senses, without composition or extension."
-Herman Bavinck, 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘰𝘨𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴, II:185
“Scripture speaks in a very human way about the essence of God, but it never transfers the sexual differentiation to him; God is never portrayed or presented as being feminine…God is a Father who takes pity on his children, but he also comforts like a mother comforts her son." - Herman Bavinck
"God is a unique substance, distinct from the universe, immaterial, imperceptible to the human senses, without composition or extension."
-Herman Bavinck, 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘰𝘨𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴, II:185
AW Tozer Files
"Men think of the world, not as a battleground but as a playground. We are not here to fight, we are here to frolic. We are not in a foriegn land, we are at home. We are not getting ready to live, we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full." "
– AW Tozer, as quoted in Wiersbe, pps 85-86