Do Not Receive God’s Grace in Vain

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Key Verse 6:1 

1. Read verses 1 and 2. What does it mean to “receive God’s grace in vain”? What causes a person to receive God’s grace in vain? Why should we be careful not to receive God’s grace in vain? (2) 

** God has a purpose in showing his grace to us, that is, for us to be saved by his 

grace.  If we receive God's grace in vain, God's purpose remains unfulfilled in us. 

  (i.e. not fulfilling the intended purpose, like the Corinthians still remaining unsaved by themselves remaining in sin, and thereby remaining cut off from the relationship with God the Father). 

** Most likely it is because of a person not fully appreciating the value, the cost, and the stake involved for them to receive this grace. One does not thank God for this grace, mostly because the person does not think about (or simply ‘ignores’ or ‘does not pay attention to’) the meaning, the cost (like the efforts others made so that person could receive this grace), and the reason for (why they made so many sacrifices to get) this grace. 

Examples: Adam and Eve in Genesis 1-3; the Israelites in Matthew 23:37

** Time is limited.  The opportunity is not going to remain open indefinitely.  Sooner or later, the door will be closed, and the hope of getting saved will be gone. 

 

2. Read verses 3-10. Compare the following expressions with what Paul says in verse 3. Why did he go through so many difficulties? What do these expressions, in verses 4-10, indicate about the nature of the grace the Corinthians received?  

in great endurance; 

in troubles, hardships and distresses; 

in beatings, imprisonments and riots; 

in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 

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; 

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; and 

having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 

** In order that the ministry (of the New Covenant which is based on God’s grace, rather than the Law of Moses) would not be discredited (discredit – to refuse to accept as true or accurate; to cause disbelief in the accuracy or authority; to deprive of good refute). In other words, he did his best to make the [unbelievable] message of reconciliation believable, so that the Corinthians would truly believe in the gospel, and be saved. 

The expression “stumbling block” refers to all the complex requirements of the Jewish Law such as that of the Sabbath, circumcision, keeping Jewish festivals etc. It was due to Paul ridding the ministry of the new covenant, of such ritual requirements and replacing them with the simple principle, that is, salvation by faith in Jesus that he had to receive so many persecutions. 

** It was very costly. The same is true with the way in which God’s grace fell upon us. For example, in order that God’s grace might fall upon us, the Lord Jesus had to suffer even to the point of shedding his blood.   

3. Read verses 11-13. What does “you are withholding yours from us” indicate about the Corinthians’ relationship with Paul? Why is it important for them to open their hearts wide to God’s servants (such as the Apostle Paul)? (Cf. 2Co 5:20)

** It reveals that there was no relationship.  Once upon a time the relationship was there, but due to slander being spread against Paul, they started questioning Paul’s integrity, rendering their relationship with Paul and his fellow gospel works virtually non-existent (or non-operational). 

** Paul was not a mere individual representing only himself but Jesus Christ, so as they rejected Paul, they rejected Jesus Christ himself, and as they rejected Jesus, they rejected the one who sent Jesus. Read Matthew 10:40 

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