|
Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
November 14
Click on verses for Full Scripture
|
previous - - - - - - - - - -
next
|
Today's Pathway:
|
Paul concluded chapter 5 by writing about the ministry of reconciliation that had been given to him and to all believers. Chapter 6 is a continuation of that discussion. He opens by stating that he and others who are carrying out this responsibility are working with God to accomplish it. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 3:9,
"For we are labourers together with God".
While it is true that Bible-believing Christians should see themselves as laboring with other Bible-believing Christians to accomplish the work that God has given His people to do, the great encouragement here is that God is also working with us. We can claim the promise,
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
The second half of verse 1,
"that ye receive not the grace of God in vain",
has been interpreted in different ways. Some view this as Paul saying to the Corinthians that there were still some in the church who had heard the message of salvation, yet had never chosen to believe it. Since we know that there were false teachers in the church there, it is logical that Paul would be burdened for the salvation of those people. In II Corinthians 5, verses 13 and 20, it seems possible that Paul is not simply informing the Corinthians about the message that he preaches to others about being reconciled to God, but is actually preaching that message to his readers who have yet to be saved. II Corinthians 6:2 also might indicate that he is encouraging the unbelievers in the Corinthian church to get saved, because he tells them that
"now is the day of salvation".
If this is the proper interpretation, we can easily apply it to our churches today. I believe that there are people who sit in churches who have never received Christ as their personal Savior. They have heard the message of salvation many times. But they have either never truly believed the message, or they have never made the choice to call upon the Lord to save them. Revelation 21:8 reads,
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone"
We see in this verse a list of wicked sinners (abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, liars) that will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. Yet John opens this verse by stating that they will be joined by the "fearful and unbelieving". These are probably decent, moral people. Perhaps they are even on the membership roll of a good church. But some of them really don't believe the message, and others do know that the message is true, but they are afraid, for whatever reason, to call upon the Lord. These people need to believe the message, and choose to receive it, and today needs to be the day of salvation for them.
A second interpretation of verse 1 is that Paul is telling the believers in the Corinthians church not to waste the salvation that they have received. Paul has spent much time in this letter, and will continue to do so in the following verses, talking about his service to the Lord. He undoubtedly wants the Corinthians to be willing to be "ambassadors for Christ" and not fritter away the opportunities, given to them by the grace of God, that they have to influence others for Christ. Ray Steadman expanded on this idea even beyond the "ministry of reconciliation". He wrote,
"Paul is saying 'Don't let your salvation be in vain or empty in your life'...When you received Christ He came in to live within you to give you the power to do right and to reject wrong. He intends to have you use that power in every area of your life. If there are some areas where you do not listen to Him, then, in that area, because you have Christ but you are living is as if you did not have His power, you have received 'the grace of God in vain.'"
Regardless of which interpretation you choose, both concepts are accurate So the question is this, have you received the grace of God "in vain"?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
|
|