2 Corinthians 6

From the previous chapter, we read:

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us:
we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5: 20 – 21

Paul urged the Corinthian believers, and also to us, to be reconciled to God, because of His great love for us, had bore our sins so that we can become righteous. This is indeed too great a love and sacrifice to be ignored or look lightly upon.

Weren’t the Corinthians baptized into Christ? Why must Paul implore them to be reconciled to God?

Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 6

Baptism in the Name of Jesus is effective in the remission of sins, but one must not forget to have faith and believe in the efficacy of the cleansing blood of Jesus from the heart.

God has already done His part in providing the cleansing blood for sin, what comes next is all up to man to do their part to repent from their heart and to lead a sanctified life in the Lord.

In the Corinthian church, there were many who were baptized, but they did not have a change of heart. These people were very likely those who had caused Paul to grief, and causing disunity in the church; they also strongly went against the apostleship of Paul.

Paul reminded the believers that the apostles went through many perils for the sake of the gospel (v 4 – 10), for they knew with great conviction that people need the Lord.

Not only the lost need to come to the knowledge of salvation, but the believers in Christ must also constantly be reminded not to receive the grace of God in vain.

“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.

“Now” in this context, is an impactful word that is not limited by time. No matter what era we are living in, “Now” urges us to be vigilant to bear in mind about our salvation, and that the door of grace is still wide open for the lost.

As what Paul had admonished the believers in Ephesus,

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5: 15 – 17

We must know our status as the redeemed of the Lord and we must not misuse this liberty, neither let this liberty be gone to waste. We have to be mindful not to fall into worldliness so as to draw farther away from God and thus causing our own salvation to be at risk. Then of course, we have to preach this gospel of salvation to the lost.

Again, since we have this liberty we have in the Lord, we must be mindful of our dealings with the matters in the world.

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them
from the evil one.

John 17: 15

We are still in the flesh and therefore we have to live and survive in this world, so our Lord prayed that the Father would keep us from the evil one.

On our part, we also have to be careful of not to be “absorbed” into the world, as what Paul said in v14,

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has
righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

As believers of the Lord, we must not intermarry with unbelievers; we must know our noble status as the chosen generation and royal priests in the Lord, therefore we have to be separated from worldly things and people.

But that doesn’t warrant us to look down on those who are outside the commonwealth of God’s Kingdom; all the more we must stay vigilant, warding away the wiles of the devil, and at the same time, love the souls of the people of the world, preach in season and out of season the wonderful love and grace of our Saviour God.

May God empower us in keeping our faith and also in proclaiming His salvation to the four corners of the world.

Shalom.

 

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