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Paul's Ministry in the Midst of Difficulties. 2Co_6:1-10
Fellow-workers of God:
v. 1. We, then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
v. 2. (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Paul had just given a summary description of the ministry of reconciliation which had been entrusted to him, and had sent forth a ringing invitation to accept the grace of God. He now makes the application in an admonition to sanctification: We, then, working together with Him, also entreat you not in vain to receive the grace of God. In carrying out the Gospel-ministry, in issuing the Lord's urgent invitation to accept the effected reconciliation, Paul and all ministers of the Gospel are God's assistants, working with Him for the salvation of men's souls. "Therefore God is the true Master within, in the heart, that performs the best work; and we help and serve Him to this end externally with the ministry of preaching. " It is necessary, then, to add admonition to Gospel exposition, as the apostle here does, entreating the Corinthians, appealing to them not to hear the message of the grace of God without benefit. "To accept the grace of God in vain can be nothing else than hearing the pure Word of God, in which the grace of God is offered, and yet remaining apathetic and not accepting it, remaining as one was before. " The grace of God is offered independently of man's faith and obedience, but if it is not accepted by the hearers, it will, instead of profiting them, result in their everlasting condemnation, chap. 2:16. If a person feigns interest in the forgiveness of sins, but will not truly repent of his sins; if he makes a practice of referring to the Redeemer, but himself trusts in his own merits; if he is a member of a congregation and uses the means of grace, but incidentally leads a life by which the mercy of God is disgraced, then he belongs to the class of those whom the warning of the apostle strikes.
In order to give proper weight to his evangelical admonition, Paul supports it with a passage from the Old Testament: at an accepted time I hearkened to thee, and in a day of salvation I succored thee, Isa_49:8. This word of the prophet was being fulfilled before the eyes of the Corinthians, as it is today, for he speaks of the time of the New Testament as that of the dispensation of grace. What God had promised to His great Servant, the Messiah, that is being given by grace to all those that accept the Christ in true faith. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation; that is Paul's explanation and comment. Since Christ has been made manifest in the flesh, the propitious time has come, the time of His good pleasure, the time of His good will toward men, in which He intends to reveal His mercy, power, and glory. The present Christian dispensation is the day of salvation, with God freely extending His gracious help to all sinners that will hear His call. The repetition of the word "behold" emphasizes the point that the present time is that in which God so accepts, in which He so dispenses His grace and mercy. Now they have free access to the redemption of Christ, Heb_4:16; Rom_5:2. Now, today, they should make their decision and partake of His bounty, accept the hand of reconciliation extended to them. Mark: If the time of grace is neglected, if its invitation is ignored, it may soon be past forever, to be followed by a time of wrath and condemnation. "Now that God has given us His mercy in such rich measure,... truly it is necessary that we do not set the grace of God at naught and let Him knock in vain. He is standing at the door: well for us if we open to Him. He is saluting us; blessed he that answers. If we overlook His passing, who will bring Him back?"