The Further Appeal To Fellow Workers

“As fellow-workers, however, we further appeal to you not to accept the grace of God without using it.” —2 Corinthians 6:1, 1945 Berkeley translation

Here is a call for more cautious and careful treatment of divine bestowments. In the development of his appeal, Paul envisaged a three-fold danger; namely, the disuse, misuse, and abuse of God’s grace.

The Disuse Of The Grace Of God

“We further appeal to you not to accept the grace of God without using it” (2 Corinthians 6:1, Berkeley 1945). Disuse of the grace which God so wonderfully and so liberally supplies is, wittingly or unwittingly, a thwarting of the purpose of God.

GRACE BROUGHT US A PERSONAL SALVATION. “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8, KJV). The holy involvements in so sacred and important a matter cannot be fully comprehended this side of the veil. When we think of the present joys and future blessings which are and will be ours irrevocably, faith at once points its finger to the grace of God as the sole and unchallenged reason. Grace sought us when we were far from God and effected our reconciliation. Grace saw us when we were in the slough of despond, hopelessly dejected, and interposed its strong arm to lift us to the Rock-foundation. Grace observed our impoverishment as non-participants in the covenants and introduced us to a joint heirship with the Son of God. Grace perceived the turmoil of painful restlessness in our hearts and led us into the peace chambers of the Most High, made rich by the blood of the Saviour’s cross, where the tranquility of His peace settled with comforting bliss upon our turbulent souls. Grace recognized the fact that all we like sheep had wandered away, and with tender affection welcomed our believing hearts into the household of faith. Grace viewed with concern our prodigality as we sought to subsist on the husks of the world, and brought us to the Father’s banqueting house. Grace knew the brutal lashes which our old master inflicted, and wooed us into the tender care of Him whose banner over us is love. Grace witnessed the scorching rays of the sun which beat relentlessly upon our poor, weary lives and directed us under His shadow.

GRACE TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE. The grace of God teaches us that “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:12, KJV). This is the norm of spiritual comportment. It is not only higher than the highest moral plane, it is a different plane. It is a realm in which grace gives enlightenment, strength, and direction, for the Christian’s disciplined conduct is not the successful overpowering of fleshly propensities by imposing stringent measures of personal prohibitions. It is definitely more than telling the “flesh” to behave itself, or run the risk of suffering a lenten moratorium on desired excesses. Asceticism is merely an attempt to “discipline the old man,” a curbing of the natural self. Spiritual behavior, or Christian conduct, is the Spirit-motivated life taking precedence over the flesh. It is the dominance of the Spirit in a yielded person.

There is no greater incentive to godly living than sweet, daily communion with the Lord, made possible by grace, for friendship tells on character. Sooner or later we become like those with whom we keep company. If our friend has high ideals amid the sinful ways of man, we too, shall catch some real sweetness for the rich aroma of that life. We cannot thwart the moulding influence of a constant friend. This is especially true in the spiritual sphere. Those who are on more than speaking terms with the Lord experience this truth. Only this very day, we heard a thoroughly dedicated young missionary say, “I pray as I walk along the street and the Lord is as near and as real as if He were walking by my side.” Such a person has little difficulty with his conduct.

GRACE SUSTAINS US IN TRIAL. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, KJV). While this inspiring revelation came pursuant to Paul’s indescribable excursion to realms supernal, and while there was no human medium for his transmission of the account of this experience, one does not need to ascend to the third heaven to understand about God’s sufficient grace. Nor is His divine strength made perfect in Paul’s weakness only, “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11, KJV). Every truly born again person is integrated into the body of Christ and is in vital contact with the source of supply which furnishes each member of that body. If it is a temptation which plagues you, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV). If it is a perplexity which drives you to your wits’ end, “throw all your anxiety onto Him, for His concern is about you.” He who does not find such sweet and complete relief from the storms of life has received the grace of God in vain (without using it).

GRACE STRENGTHENS US FOR SERVICE. “Let each one serve the group to the measure of his endowment, as helpful managers of God’s richly varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10, Berkeley 1945). As stewards of the manifold grace of God, cherishing intense love and practicing hospitality, all for the glory and honor of God, we are not surprised if we are tested by fiery trial. If we are reproached in the line of duty for the sake of the name of Christ, His grace will enable us to count it a joy that we are partakers of His sufferings.

GRACE MAKES US WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE. “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10, KJV). The apostle made this statement approximately twenty-four years subsequent to his conversion to Christ, and just a few years prior to his martyrdom. It was made, we may conclude, while he was keeping the faith, fighting a good fight and running well the race. The power resident in him, making him competent and effective in his exemplary ministry, was the grace of God. It was the impelling force which gave to him his vitality, his vision, his ventures, and his victories. What the grace of God did for him and through him, it is capable of doing for and through us—that is, if we have not received it in vain.

GRACE IS DESIGNED TO REACH OTHERS WITH THE MESSAGE OF REDEEMING LOVE. “Observe that now is a specially welcome time; that now is salvation-day (2 Corinthians 6:2b, Berkeley 1945). It can be clearly seen that the subjective aspect of this matter must be promoted if the objective side is to be pursued. Until His grace means everything to us, it will not mean enough to exuberantly tell others of its greatness. This period of special welcome is termed “salvation-day.”

The Misuse Of The Grace Of God

MISUSE OF GRACE HINDERS THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT. “We put no obstacle whatever in anyone’s way” (2 Corinthians 6:3, Berkeley 1945). This was a statement of true experience on the part of Paul. It is a statement of serious warning for us. The implications are solemn in the extreme. There is the suggestion that obstacles might be hurled in the way of a sinner. There is the intimation that Christians could be agents in such a reprehensible matter. There is the bald fact of inevitable consequences—for the believer at the Judgment Seat of Christ and the unbeliever before the Great White Throne. There is the hint that a servant of Christ can carelessly overlook or willfully ignore the denunciation of the Master when He stated “Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh” (Matthew 18:7, KJV). Jesus had just revealed something of His heart’s concern about human agency hindering His work in the lives of men. “Whoso shall offend (cause to stumble) one of these little ones which believe in me,” He warned, “it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6, KJV).

MISUSE OF GRACE DISCREDITS THE MINISTRY. “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed” (2 Corinthians 6:3, KJV). Upholding the dignity of the ministry is a towering ideal. The ministry of the Gospel of Christ was never intended to be a means of personal promotion in popularity and prestige. To make it such is to misuse the privileges thereof.

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered strange fire; Uzziah, the king, intruded into the priest’s office; Ananias and Sapphira withheld a promised offering; Peter was rebuked for apparent misconduct; and the Galatian believers were guilty of frustrating or laying aside the grace of God. These illustrations of the misuse of the divine privilege find their corresponding analogy in our day with its prevailing and increasing disregard for sacred things. The wrath of God is incurred, as perhaps never before, because the truth is held in unrighteousness. Every move the believer makes either honors or dishonors the One who has called us unto His glory.

MISUSE OF GRACE DISPROVES TRUE SERVANTHOOD. “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,” (2 Corinthians 6:4, KJV). Whatsoever the Christian does is to be for the glory of God. Prayerfulness of planning, carefulness of procedure, and loftiness of purpose should characterize his every action. It becomes a solemn consideration when we call to mind that the Christian is an ambassador of the Lord. What he does and says reflects upon the cause he represents.

The servant of Christ is not to conform to this age with its whims and fancies. He is to be holy because his Lord is holy. He is to keep his eyes on the Author and Finisher of faith. Backed by a state of separation and sobriety and impelled by challenge and hopefulness, a true servant moves out on the field of conquest with confidence. If there is a misuse of the means and privileges of grace, he cannot but produce doubts as to his earnestness and interest in the vocation which he claims to be his.

The Abuse Of The Grace Of God

“Corinthians, we address you frankly with wide open hearts. You are not hedged in by us; but you are cramped in your own affections” (2 Corinthians 6:11–12, Berkeley 1945). The underlying cause for this poignant announcement is readily discoverable in the immediate context. The Corinthian believers were losing, or were in danger of losing, their distinctive Christian position by gradually slipping into compromise and complicity with questionable entities and enterprises. Frequent challenges for a reconsideration of their inordinate tendencies were resulting in a display of resentment. The preacher was a kill-joy; the church was too rigid in its prohibitions; they could not sit in a corner and twiddle their thumbs; they were being “hedged in,” so they thought. And their impressions about the matter were becoming vocal. With frank firmness, the apostle made it clear that they were not being hedged in by him, but were, to the contrary, cramping themselves in their own selfish affections. No quarters are so small.

Then came the further appeal of their fellow workers to not accept the grace of God without using it. From 2 Corinthians 6:14 to the end of the chapter is a strong, persuasive and urgent treatise on the unquestionable necessity for a separation from all associations and entanglements which could, in any wise, limit their usefulness for God. This would bring them, and us, out into the broad, limitless field of fellowship and fruitfulness. He who thinks mostly about himself and his own desires thinks little about the lost and their need. He has become cramped in the little corner of his own affections. If the boundless stores of grace were appropriated and applied they would make us that we should no longer be barren and unfruitful.

During World War II, there was an acute shortage of electricity in the Niagara area of Canada, with legally enforced dimouts and the use of certain appliances rigidly restricted. There was, of course, measureless power pouring over Niagara Falls constantly—infinitely more than the need, but it was not being appropriated. Instead it rushed into the rapids of non-use and reached the whirlpool of lost energy. How strikingly illustrative is this of unavailed, superabundant grace.

“Receive not the grace of God in vain.”