Daily Bread 2011 - 2 Corinthians 6
2011 Daily Bread – 2 Corinthians 6
1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 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.
What Does This Mean For Us?
Paul transitions from the “indicatives”, “what God has done for us in making us a new Creation” (regeneration) and “how Christ has reconciled us to God” (reconciliation), and he now issues an “imperative” to not receive God’s grace in vain. It was Paul’s greatest fear, especially since after he planted churches, he often didn’t have time to nurture the new believers to maturity in Christ. In the case of the Church at Corinth, since people were making accusations about him (his “yes” wasn’t “yes” and his “no” wasn’t “no”) he worried that this would cause them to not realize the grace given them.
He points back to the fact that it is God’s grace that brought them to salvation, and today is the day of salvation. Meaning there is no time like the present to live out your calling in the grace God has given us in Christ Jesus. Not only does God hear us in the day of our salvation, but he continues to hear us each day as we trust in Him and live out our new calling by His grace each day.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means that each new day is a day to work out our salvation. Note this doesn’t mean earning God’s merit or favor, that is and will always be by His Grace in Christ. But it does mean that as we “lean into” the grace that is in Christ Jesus, we grow up in our knowledge and understanding of how to live a life of grace. This will mean new impulses for God’s holy work. It will mean new fruits in our character development of love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. It will mean developing a heart for lost people, who matter to God; and being part of the Church’s mission to make disciples of all nations.
So here is the $64,000 question? Are you living a life worthy of the calling and grace of Christ? Of course none of us arrive, and this isn’t a matter of pride. But more the question of are we living life to its fullest, as we continue to grow in our understanding of all what Jesus has done for us on the cross and through the empty tomb. As we seek Him in His Word each day, develop our personal relationship with Him in prayer and other spiritual disciplines, we learn to discern the power and work of the Holy Spirit. This is the gift He Jesus promised to His disciples so that they would do even greater things than He did.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace we received in the day of our salvation. Help us to live each day in realization of what you have done for us and being empowered to share Your grace in all we do and say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 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.
What Does This Mean For Us?
Paul transitions from the “indicatives”, “what God has done for us in making us a new Creation” (regeneration) and “how Christ has reconciled us to God” (reconciliation), and he now issues an “imperative” to not receive God’s grace in vain. It was Paul’s greatest fear, especially since after he planted churches, he often didn’t have time to nurture the new believers to maturity in Christ. In the case of the Church at Corinth, since people were making accusations about him (his “yes” wasn’t “yes” and his “no” wasn’t “no”) he worried that this would cause them to not realize the grace given them.
He points back to the fact that it is God’s grace that brought them to salvation, and today is the day of salvation. Meaning there is no time like the present to live out your calling in the grace God has given us in Christ Jesus. Not only does God hear us in the day of our salvation, but he continues to hear us each day as we trust in Him and live out our new calling by His grace each day.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means that each new day is a day to work out our salvation. Note this doesn’t mean earning God’s merit or favor, that is and will always be by His Grace in Christ. But it does mean that as we “lean into” the grace that is in Christ Jesus, we grow up in our knowledge and understanding of how to live a life of grace. This will mean new impulses for God’s holy work. It will mean new fruits in our character development of love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. It will mean developing a heart for lost people, who matter to God; and being part of the Church’s mission to make disciples of all nations.
So here is the $64,000 question? Are you living a life worthy of the calling and grace of Christ? Of course none of us arrive, and this isn’t a matter of pride. But more the question of are we living life to its fullest, as we continue to grow in our understanding of all what Jesus has done for us on the cross and through the empty tomb. As we seek Him in His Word each day, develop our personal relationship with Him in prayer and other spiritual disciplines, we learn to discern the power and work of the Holy Spirit. This is the gift He Jesus promised to His disciples so that they would do even greater things than He did.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace we received in the day of our salvation. Help us to live each day in realization of what you have done for us and being empowered to share Your grace in all we do and say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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