Article for June 23, 2024
2 Corinthians 6:1–2 1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Understanding God’s grace may escape many people in our time as well as in our past. Most people might not think they need God’s grace and therefore do not understand the need for salvation or salvation itself.
There are many people who think that God’s grace has past them by. I have talked to some people who think they have not earned God’s grace. And I have talked to people who think they are too bad to receive God’s grace. We know we are never too bad or too good to receive God’s grace and mercy.
Many have a hard time understanding that we cannot do anything to earn God’s grace. Through faith in our creator, we should realize because we have God’s love as we are His creation, He freely give us His grace and mercy. If everyone took the time to study God’s word, we might find the truth that we have a loving God and not a God of condemnation.
The world thinks we who believe in God are condemning the world. The self-righteous think we should condemn the world. And neither think they are condemning themselves. It always must be someone else’s fault in our world today and many think everything is owed to them. There is no accountability in this world and not even believers are always holding themselves accountable.
2 Corinthians 6:2-3 Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
And this is it! God does not put any obstacle in our way. We the people put obstacles in our own way and then try to blame it on others or we blame God. Jesus says, you are forgiven, Jesus says I give you grace, and Jesus says I give you mercy. How then is this an obstacle when our Savior lays a path of love at our feet and in our heart to follow?
Live by the spirit not by the flesh. The flesh is perishable, and the spirit is imperishable. The flesh looks for worldly desires and the spirit seeks out godly desires. To love one another is not to love their flesh but to love their spirit and the soul.
It is time the world matured and stopped looking for fault in everything and everyone so it can feel sorry for itself. It is time for us to obey the words of God; love one another, forgive one another, and hold each other up instead of beating each other down. We have stopped our progress to become better people. Instead, we are going back to being archaic, and a people of malice. Look at the news, look at our leaders, look in the mirror if you must. See the world and how it destroys itself in the name of disbelief of the one who created us.
To go forward is not to turn our back on God, but rather that we turn ourselves around and walk towards our God, our Creator, our Savior Jesus Christ. Let us ask what positives in this world do we really have when most are turning their back on God and blindly walking into the warm-fuzzy traps of the evil one? Ask this question. When we hate who do we please more, God or the evil one?
2 Corinthians 6:4-8 4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise.
Are we to be afraid of losing this life, or should we be more afraid of losing our eternal life. What’s the matter, because you can’t see your eternal life you make this life your priority? As Paul says, let us not take God’s grace in vain. I do look at the good things I have, and I praise and thank God every day for what He has given me and what He has done for me, and for what He has done through me.
My frown is not that I don’t see the good in my life, because I see the good in God. My frown comes from my care, and my care is for all. Whether one believes or not I care and pray and fear for all. But truthfully, I must apologize. God did not tell me to carry your cross, He told you and me to carry our own cross. Our own cross is heavy enough. Know this, to carry your cross is to keep yourself accountable for all your sins to God. When we can hold ourselves accountable then we can appreciate God’s grace and mercy more.
We have a world dying and perishing to eternal death and I know there is much to be done to save it. I also know that I cannot do enough to save it, nor can you, but I will keep trying. I also know that I don’t always try. I can’t even make myself stop sinning, but I will continue to try. Out of my love for God, I will continue to try.
I know, I know, I don’t always try. But I also know through faith and by the grace of God I am saved and will see eternal life and relationship with my Lord Jesus even though I do not deserve it. For Jesus did not die in vain, and I don’t follow Jesus in vain.
2 Corinthians 6:8-10 We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Yes, we possess everything, and this should not be forgotten and taken in vain. We have much to be thankful for, and much to give praise to our Creator God. And yes, we always need to thank God by running the race set before us. But know this, Jesus won the race for us even though we keep running it.
Let us not forsake the Lord and He will not forsake us. Jesus’ death was not done in vain, but in true love for our sake. Jesus died to give us the grace we receive every day. So no, let us not receive the grace of God in vain, but in love for our God who works always to save us. We have a God and Savior Jesus Christ who loves us to life.
Amen.
Written by Pastor Curtis A. May
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