Second Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 6

Having proclaimed the pure sweetness of the Gospel Paul continues on to express the urgency of this message: “As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). Paul urges the Corinthians to see that this message of salvation in Jesus Christ is here for them right now. Today (not yesterday, not tomorrow, today!), is the day of salvation! We must never, ever think we can put off the message of Christ until tomorrow or until “later.” To receive the grace of God in vain is to think that we will listen to its call some other time, to remain as we are in our sin, unmoved, unchanged, and unaffected. In regards to man’s postponement of grace Luther said, “How quickly ‘later’ turns into ‘never.’” Jesus Christ works on His timetable, not ours: “He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But the man replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:59-60). To say “later” or “hold on” when Christ calls us is to simply reject Him, it is us plainly saying “no” right to His face. “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40). These words of Christ about being ready for the last day apply not only to Judgment Day but also to our daily lives. When Christ’s Gospel message calls to us we must not think that we can toss it aside and come back to it later in life, we need to be ready today. His Word works as it wills and there may be no “second chance.” It is outright rejection, abuse of grace, and spitting in Christ’s face to think that we will wait for another time to hear this call. The time is now, the message is here today; Christ has died to save you from yourself so that you can immediately leave everything to follow Him in a life of discipleship. We must not ignore this call; we must not toss aside this grace that has been miraculously made known to us today. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Understanding this urgency Paul elaborates on what he is willing to undergo for this message of Jesus Christ crucified. Thru these words of his we have an example for all-time of the state of the true Christian ministry; this description and these qualities distinguish the ministers who truly fight for God’s Word and preach Jesus Christ versus those who fight for and preach themselves. “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger” (2 Corinthians 6:3-5). In this first section Paul proclaims that the first objective as a minister of God’s Word is to avoid putting any obstacles in the path of our proclamation of Jesus Christ. We do not want to cause anyone to stumble over our lack of patience, understanding, love, or clarity. In addition as servants of God we must be willing to undergo all the troubles that this life may ever throw at us. Though these troubles may slow us, no physical discomfort or emotional distress can ultimately hold back the servant of God’s Word. Moving on Paul speaks of the essential qualities of the proclamation of the true disciples of Christ: “In purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left” (2 Corinthians 6:6-7). It is in purity, sincerity, truth, and in the power of God’s Word that the follower of Christ proclaims the Gospel. As we have seen before, to distort, alter, change, or pervert the truth of God’s Word in any way is to destroy it and tear it asunder. The true servant of the Word must bow at all times before the authority of the Word itself. Next Paul discusses the dual nature and situations which mark the Christian life: “Through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Corinthians 6:8-10). The Christian life is one of a hidden nature. To the world we may look one way (beaten, unknown, false, sorrowful, poor, etc.) yet in the reality of the Cross we are quite the opposite (alive and well, known, sincere, joyful, rich, etc.). Outwardly to the world and to our own flesh we look to be withering, but in Jesus Christ we are renewed and strengthened daily unto life everlasting.

“We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Thru his entire letter Paul has been urging the Corinthians to lend their ears and hearts to his proclamation. He has given everything possible to try and bring them the truth and raise them in Jesus Christ and yet they have been hesitant and reluctant. Paul simply desires them to treat those who are bringing them the truth with the love and affection that they have been shown themselves. In light of urging them to be united with him in affection, love, and respect Paul continues on to once again warn them against the false teachings and lies of those who do not adhere to God’s Word: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Even if the Corinthians continue to hold Paul at arms length he wants them to realize that they must not yoke themselves with unbelievers. But what is meant by yoke here? What is Paul forbidding? Is he forbidding hanging around “sinners”? By yoked together Paul means being joined securely together in union with another. Marriage is the most common example of a natural yoking between people, however in this context Paul is speaking of a spiritual yoking. In regard to this spiritual yoking Paul is clearly not forbidding association with the “sinners” of this world (for our Lord was notorious for dining and associating with the dregs and shunned of society) but is referring to spiritual unions of the faith. When Paul says “unbelievers” he is “not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world” (1 Corinthians 5:10), but he instead is referring to joining in spiritual fellowship and communion with those who adhere to false gods, teachings, and doctrines. Paul is warning against the yeast and leaven of the lies of Satan which pollutes the truth of Jesus Christ. To spiritually yoke oneself with an unbeliever is very dangerous for our faith and the purity of God’s Word in Jesus Christ; we must not in any situation compromise Jesus Christ in even the least bit. “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). In a barrage of rhetorical questions Paul adamantly asks us to reflect on why we might ever consider being yoked with an unbeliever who proclaims false doctrine. How can the false teachings have anything to do with the pure Word of God? What does the truth have to do with lies? What does the Christ of Scripture have to do with the perverted and various Jesus’ of the world’s devising? The Apostle John (who was so adamant about Christ’s call to love our fellow man) was very specific about how walking in the darkness of false teachings is nothing but the lie of Satan. “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” (1 John 1:6). It is this same John who then echoed Paul’s warnings by insisting that we remain steadfast in the truth and not yoke ourselves with those who proclaim false teachings. “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work” (2 John 1:8-11). Because our bodies, minds, and souls are the temple of the living God we must fight to keep the sin and lies of false teachers from polluting His work within us. “For we are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). Thru the work of Jesus Christ, God has come to dwell within us thru His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, so why would we ever think to mingle His truth and work with Satan’s destructive lies?

In conclusion and to hammer home his point Paul quotes God’s Word on the subject three times: “As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (2 Corinthians 6:16). God came down to us in Jesus Christ. He lived with us, walked in our midst, and was our brother; He is our God right in our very midst. By this action God has pulled us from our slavery to sin and the lies of Satan. “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17). In response to God’s love for us in Jesus Christ the Scriptures call us to separate ourselves from the lies and sin of the world. We can no longer mingle with the darkness of untruth and wickedness; we need to abide in the truth and love of Jesus Christ while we go out and minister to the world. God calls us to come out and be separate from all the untruth since He has renewed us in Christ. “Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast” (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Thru the cleansing action of God in our lives we have become the very children of God and so our focus must always remain on Him and His truth. Let us pray that we daily appreciate this calling we have been graciously given in the Cross of Jesus Christ to live for God’s will as His redeemed children of grace. “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18).