2 Corinthians 6 - Are You Conforming or Transforming?

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6 As God’s co-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.

Paul uses the word "co-workers", which reminds us that the Great Commission is just that, a "co-mission". Every believers is EQUALLY responsible to carry it out. It is clear throughout these 2 letters to the Church of Corinth that Paul sees the church as the body of Christ. The "eye" cannot say to the "hand", I have no need of you. We need each other to accomplish the most important mission on this earth. 

Paul urges the Corinthians to not receive the free gift of grace in vain. He talked in 1 Corinthians 12-14 that each of us has been given a spiritual gift to build up the church. To use God's grace in vain (which is also called "cheap grace") is to basically to say that I am going to heaven and that is all matters. Paul talked about this in chapter 5, where he says we all must come "before the judgment seat of Christ" to give an account for what we did with the gifts we have received. 

Many Christians struggle at this very point. Is God supposed to do it or am I supposed to do it? The answer is, “Yes!” God does it and we do it. Trust God, rely on Him, and then get to work and work as hard as you can! That is how we see the work of God accomplished. If I neglect my end of the partnership, God’s grace doesn’t accomplish all that it might and is therefore given in vain. - Guzik

Paul says something that we quote a lot, "Today is the day of salvation." 

Paul wants to give the Corinthian Christians a sense of urgency. God has an acceptable time for us to work with His grace. God has a day of salvation that will not last forever. This is no time for Christian lives consumed with ease and comfort and self-focus. It is time to get busy for the Lord and to be workers together with Him. - Guzik

Paul’s Hardships

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

It was important for Paul to remove any obstacles that would impede the reception of the gospel. He calls any impediment a "stumbling block". Part of the way Paul did this was to talk about the hardships he and others had endured. Paul's clear heart and track record was that of a servant. As you read the laundry list of things Paul has endured, no one could argue that his actions didn't back his words. His words have a high degree of artistic value, and it almost looks like it could be taken from one of his sermons. 

Paul also points out the transparency he has demonstrated with the Corinthians. He has been completely honest with them, and he is hoping they will return the favor. Paul then refers them as "his children". Paul is making an emotional appeal to them in light of the special relationship a spiritual father has to their own children. Paul played a major role in preaching the gospel to them, as well as equipping others to do so as well. 

Warning Against Idolatry

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

Paul goes back to the theme of how the Corinthians honor their bodies, as the temple of God. He spelled this out clearly in 1 Corinthians 10:13, as he gave them the formula in which they could overcome temptation.  

The work "yoked" is a word which is not used a lot in the bible. 

The idea of do not be unequally yoked together is based on Deuteronomy 22:10, which prohibited yoking together two different animals. It speaks of joining two things that should not be joined. - Guzik

Again, Paul points out that we as the church are the temple of God. Notice that we are the temple of God together, but also individually. The church is different than any other organization in this way. The temple of God was the sacred place where God met his people in the holy of holies. The whole book of Leviticus described all of the sacrificial and purity laws necessary for we who are unclean to come in to the presence of a holy God! 

Although Paul is most likely addressing believers marrying unbelievers, these words also have a wider application as to how believers relate to the world around them. 

However, Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever. It really applies to any environment where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this world and are not being transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2), we join together with unbelievers in an ungodly way.

Then Paul quotes several Old Testament passages confirming what he has just said. This reminds us that Paul is speaking to a Jewish audience. 

 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.”

17 Therefore,

“Come out from them

    and be separate,

says the Lord.

Touch no unclean thing,

    and I will receive you.”[d]

18 And,

“I will be a Father to you,

    and you will be my sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.”[e]

As Paul quotes these passages, he isn’t necessarily quoting them word-for-word from either the Hebrew or the Septuagint. When Paul quotes Scripture, he often paraphrases it. “A comparison of texts reveals that he did not feel himself bound to quote slavishly word for word, but rather according to the sense and with the purpose of applying and showing the relevance of the revelation to the circumstances of his readers.” (Hughes)

As you consider Paul's teaching, where do you need to separate from the values the world espouses? As we have said many times before, "We are to be in the world, but not of the world."

God has called us as his special people to shine forth the light in the darkness. If we get caught up in the dark acts of the flesh, we compromise the power of the Holy Spirit. 

  

The question we must ask as we interact with the world is, "Who is changing who?" Are we being conformed to the values of this world, or are we transforming the world through presence of Jesus?