Scripture Reading(s)
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
5:20b We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6:1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
6:2 For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
6:3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
6:4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
6:5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6:6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,
6:7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
6:8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
6:9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see–we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed;
6:10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Reflections
Proclaiming the message of the Gospel and living it out go hand in hand. Paul’s aim in this passage to show that he would not have endured trials and life threatening situations if the message of the Gospel was not true and genuine. When it comes to living out the Gospel message, Paul fought hard to live in such a way that reflected what he preached. He did this at the cost of loosing his reputation and at times risking his own life for the sake of spreading the news to the world.
There are moments in our lives when preaching the Gospel and living it out can become hard and we often fear what the world will think of us when we do stand up for the message of Jesus Christ. Paul is not sugar coating the fact that yes, being a child of God is no easy task. It does come at a great cost but the cost that was paid for our sins was higher then anything that has ever been given.
Jesus’s death on the cross was done in order so that we can be saved and receive the free gift of salvation. Our goal then should be to spread this good news to the rest of the world. Paul wraps up this section with stating that we can have everything in the world but still having nothing if we do not have Jesus Christ. In Christ we gain all that we need and giving up what the world has to offer is a sacrifice that we have to make in order to show the world that the Gospel message is worth the cost.
Trust that God is able to provide all that you need despite what you think you are giving up. He is an all sufficient and loving Savior and will give you the strength to show the world that you have gained it all the day Christ paid for your sin and accepted Him into your heart and life.
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