August 17th
2 Corinthians, 6
(Difficulties
for Christ)
We
have a mission to accomplish
1: We then, as workers together with
him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2: (For he
saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I
succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation.) 3: Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5: In stripes, in imprisonments,
in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6: By pureness, by
knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7: By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on
the right hand and on the left, 8: By honour and dishonour, 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 not killed; 10: As sorrowful,
yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing all things. 11: O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our
heart is enlarged. 12: Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in
your own bowels. 13: Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my
children,) be ye also enlarged.
Paul continues to call the
Corinthian believers to be restored to God. Not to be saved or to be saved
again but to be restored. Paul says, as men working alongside with God, we call
on you to not let your Christian profession turn out to be empty after all.
(God has said previously, l heard you in time and in the day of your salvation
have is blessed you. Now is the acceptable time and now is the day of your
salvation.) Do not be offended but our ministry. In every way we are approved
as servants of God. Our ministry is in much long suffering, we are daily in
need of the necessities of life, even in times of very great need, We suffer
punishment, imprisonment, riots, hard work, nights of sleeplessness, days of
hunger, But by pure motives, and by knowledge, by the kindness of God and men,
and by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, and by our sincere love for God, by the
word of truth and in the power of God we serve the Lord. We are protected by
the armour of righteousness on both sides. Our ministry is honoured by some and
dishonoured by others. Some give an evil report of our ministry but others a
good report. We are treated as deceivers but yet our ministry tells the truth.
We are like men unknown - yet we are well known, we are treated as dead men -
yet we live for God. We are punished in our ministry - yet we have not died
yet. We are full of sorrow in some ways - yet our hearts are overflowing in
joy. We are poor men - yet we make many men rich toward God. We have no
possessions - yet we possess everything. Then Paul’s heart bursts in a call for
the Corinthian believers, he says, our speech addresses you and our minds are
magnified toward you. You are not upsetting us but in love we are upset when we
think of you. I would hope that you too were upset in the same way as us. (I
say as if l am talking to children) – Have a large heart toward us.
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