“Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things (2 Cor. 6:1-10).”
Paul continues to defend his apostolic ministry by telling the Corinthians not to waver. He quoted Isaiah; “Thus says the Lord: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you (Is. 49:8).” The acceptable time is either when Christ returns or when we die. So, until that day comes, we must treat every day as if it is the day of salvation. When we receive the grace of God, we have to cooperate with it in order for it to work. Ministers of the Gospel should be careful not to nullify the power of the Gospel; “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning (1 Cor. 1:17).” Ministers must be willing to persevere and make the sacrifices the Gospel demands. They should focus on their internal spiritual attitude as opposed to the outward appearance of being spiritual. How Christians who live the Gospel are treated by the world is different from how God treats them. Let noting trouble us or frighten us because God never changes and those who have God want for nothing as God is enough.
Almighty God, you shower us with your grace every moment of our lives. Help us to open our hearts and cooperate with your grace so that we may be filled with knowledge of you and lead others to you through the power of the Gospel. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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