2 Corinthians 6:1

Trying2understand,

Very good scripture to bring up. I thought about it some and looked at Vain in how it was used elsewhere and weighed out the various defintions along with how grace can be percieved in scripture. Heres my thought on it (maybe someone will have another).

To Recieve it as "without worth" or "lacking in value" or to regard it as without effect.

This sounds true to me because if you would seeking justification under the law Christ would be of none effect to you, Paul said.

(continuing with this thought) To return to what obviously made nothing perfect (The Law) would be to set aside the grace of God. I suppose one confess the grace of God but in ones heart "setting it aside" is as receiving it in vain (counting it as without effect or worth).

Whereas Paul said He would not set aside the grace of God counting it as Highly valuable and as an abounding force in his life.

Theres my thought on it

God Bless

Seth3

 

To understand a verse the understanding of the context in which it is written is imperative. One might take into consideration that in the original manuscripts there were no chapter divisions. They were added later. So this is a continuation of the thought that was being discussed at the end of chapter 5:

2 Corinthians 5:19-21 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The end of chapter five spells out salvation very clearly. Christ was made sin for us. He was sinless. Thus He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in Him. We are made righteous in the sight of God, once we trust Christ Jesus by faith, and faith alone. Works have nothing to do with this, not baptism, not the church, just simple faith in Christ, and his blood that was shed for us on the cross.

Thus chapter 6:1 goes on carrying this thought further saying:
2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

Salvation is purely by the grace of God, to be accepted as a gift by faith alone. Paul warned not to accept this gift (or this grace) in vain. Belief must come from the heart. To pretend that you are just receiving Christ does no good. Many people do that today. They repeat a prayer and think that they are saved. Receive not the grace of God in vain. You had better mean, from the heart what you pray, what you are believing in. Thus Paul adds in the next verse:

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Now is the time to put your faith and trust in Christ. Don't be a hypocrite and just pretend that you are Christian. God can see right through that. That is receiving the grace of God in vain. Vain or vanity simply means emptiness. It is meaninless. Now is the accepted time to make a genuine decision for Christ. Tomorrow may be too late. Behold now is the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time. Do you know for absolutely sure that you are saved?
DHK

 

DHK,

I really enjoyed how you explained that. At the end when you talked about today being the day of salvation really hits home this am.

Yesterday, we were witnessing. A lot of people think that works get them to heaven. Once the plan of salvation was explained, many said they didn't want to get saved right now, maybe later.

My heart has been heavy every since. My heart aches especially hard for this young man named Eddie. He believes that you have to live a good life, help people, etc. Then at the end he told us that he was Catholic and didn't believe what we did. We told him in heaven their would be no Baptist, Catholics, etc. It would be all God's children praising him. He still said no.

I have been awake hours already this am praying for him and the others. It is really sad how many lost people are out there that just don't have time for Jesus even when presented with His awesome sacrifice.

 

These people were relying on THEIR good works to get them into heaven. They were NOT relying on God's grace of salvation by faith.

 

Matt 18 ends with a perfect illustration of full and complete forgiveness - revoked! And it closes with these words "SO shall my Father do to EACH one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart".

In Heb 6:1-6 we see the same thing.

In fact - it is all through the New Testament.

In Christ,

Bob

 

John 1 "But to as many as received Him to them He gave the right to be called the children of God".

1John 1:9 "IF we confess our sins HE IS faithful and just to FORGIVE us our sins AND to cleans us from all unrighteousness".

God's promise does require that the sinner respond using the free will God supernaturally bestows.

But accepting a gift - does not make the gift "an earned wage" -- it remains a gift.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Simply recieve Gods grace and walk toward others extending it. He forgives and we forgive walking in obedience to His commands is walking in love. He can't hold anything against us if we are forgiving others.

But we can't received His grace in vain and be as a wicked servent who recieved forgiveness yet keeps others in debted in unforgiveness. Thats not what walking in love is about. Love releases others and gives freely and forgives extending grace to those around us.

Thats how I see it


Seth3

 

The Gift of God is Eternal Life.

Have you received this Gift?

If so, it is an "Eternal Gift".

Can you explain how something eternal can cease to exist?

God Bless!

 

Trying,

Do you believe that the only thing a person needs to do for the gift of eternal life is to confess that you are a sinner, that you need Jesus as your personal Saviour, that you are sorry for your sins?

Nothing else. Just that. Plain and simple.

 

Trying2understand,

I'm responding to the scripture verse of the thread."Do not recieve the grace of God in vain". I'm expounding on my first post.

How you preceive me saying one thing and come up with what you came up with is beyond me.

Simply extend the grace of God to others, extend forgiveness to them. YOU read the passage about the wicked servent Jesus spoke about who beat his servents and what Jesus said. How you read it is for you because His word is a double edged Sword dividing between soul and Spirit and the thoughts and intents of the heart.

As it does this in me it does this with you. How I read something will not be how you read something.

But no... thats not what I said.


God Bless

Seth3

 

I think that it means to tell people about it, witness, spread the Gospel. Don't just receive Grace and that be it.

 

Grace can only be "received" by faith. Once received it is only "in vain" if you choose to be lost again.

Hence the warning against failure to persevere.

In Christ,

Bob

 

Grace--God's free unmerited favor.
When it rains, do you receive each drop of rain by faith? Or, usually in vain, without even thanking God for the rain that he sends.
When the sun shines, do you receive each ray of sunshine by faith? What has faith even to do with it? Do you receive it with thankfulness? Or do you just take it all for granted believing the rain and the sunshine are your rights.
The sun and the rain are God's free unmerited favor toward us. Don't receive it in vain. Be thankful for it. Receive it gratefully. You are not going to lose the rain or the sun, but God does expect you to be thankful for it.

The last verse of chapter five explained salvations so clearly. Christ the sinless one, sacrificed his life for us, the sinners. Chapter 6 gives us the statement to receive not this grace in vain. It is the grace of God that brings salvation to all men that is being spoken of in this context.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Verse two continues the subject of salvation.
Writing to the Corinthian Christians, Paul is saying that though you may have received Christ as your Saviour, though you may already have eternal life and your sins forgiven; don't take this lightly, don't take this all for granted. Be grateful, very grateful. And so we are. A true believe does not take the grace of God in vain, but is ever looking back at the cross and always so thankful for what Jesus did for Him. It was not just some historical event in history. It was much much more than that. It was Jesus who died for his sins, knowing that it was his sins that put him on the cross. He doesn't take this lightly, in vain.

Like the rain and the sun, you won't lose them. Neither will you lose your salvation. Just don't take it in vain.
DHK

 

DHK-
That makes perfectly good sense.