2 Corinthians 6:1 - Homilies By J.r. Thomson

One who is sent upon a mission, who fills the office of an ambassador, is evidently one who, however he works, does not work alone. He is the representative of the court from which he is sent, by which he is accredited. When the apostle thought of his life mission, especially when he thought of its difficulties, it was natural that he should recall to his own mind the fact that God, who had commissioned him, was working with him and giving efficacy to his labours. And, in writing to others, it was appropriate that he should remind them that they had to deal, not merely with a fellow man, but with a fellow man who was supported and authorized by Divine wisdom and grace.

I. GOD WORKS . He not only wrought the earth and the heavens, which are "the work of his fingers:" he follows his work of creation by the unceasing work of providential care, government, and oversight. The laws of nature are the ways in which God works. And the spiritual realm is his highest and noblest sphere of operation, in which he is carrying out his holy purposes.

II. MEN , WHEN THEY WORK SUCCESSFULLY , WORK WITH GOD . Take two illustrations. The husbandman toils through all the changing seasons of the year, and in his ploughing, sowing, and reaping depends upon the processes of nature, i.e. works along with God. The physician studies the human frame, and, when it is diseased, seeks its recovery to health through cooperation with the laws of the various organs and tissues of' the body, and succeeds only by working with God. So is it in the spiritual sphere. The preacher of Christianity makes use of God's truth and relies upon God's Spirit; any other method must involve failure and discouragement.

III. HUMAN LABOURERS WORK IN SUBJECTION TO THE DIVINE LORD . There is no equality in this fellowship. God can dispense with any man's services, however great, wise, and good he may be. No man can dispense with the counsel and the aid of Heaven.

1 . In the recognition of this lies the labourer's strength.

2 . And the dignity attaching to his position and office, which is not personal, but ministerial.

3 . And the responsibility of all for whose welfare the Christian labourer toils. Such are bound to consider, not the human minister merely, but the Divine Lord, whose servant and messenger he is.—T.

2 Corinthians 6:2 - The acceptable time.

As an ambassador for Christ, Paul used both authority end persuasion in urging his readers and hearers to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them of reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. And he very naturally and justly pressed upon them an immediate attention to the summons, the invitation of Divine grace. There are reasons why delay should be avoided, why acceptance should be unhesitating.

I. THE BLESSING . This is set before us in two lights.

1 . On the Divine side, we observe that God is ready both to hear end to succour. To hear the cry of those in danger, the petition of those in want. To succour those who are in present distress and who are unable to deliver themselves from their afflictions.

2 . On the human side, we observe that men may be accepted and reconciled, that they may be delivered and saved. The salvation here proffered is spiritual and eternal.

II. THE OPPORTUNITY . It is not for us to speculate as to God's reasons, so to speak, for limiting the day of grace and of visitation. We have to deal with the fact that there is a period during which the blessings of salvation may be sought and secured. The first advent of our Saviour may be fixed as the terminus a quo of this period, the second advent as the terminus ad quem . During the Christian era, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, the gospel is preached to all men, and the invitation is freely offered to those who need to apply, with the assurance that their request shall not be refused.

III. THE APPEAL . The blessing is great and adapted to the.case of the sinner; the opportunity is precious and not to be despised without guilt and folly. What, then, follows? Surely the appeal is powerful and timely; it deserves the immediate attention of all to whom the gospel comes.

1 . The conditions are such that they may be at once fulfilled. The call is to obey God, to believe in Christ, to repent of sin, to live anew.

2 . Nothing can be advanced to justify delay. Delay is unreasonable, dangerous, and foolish. To neglect the appeal would be to defy and displease God.

3 . Those of every age and condition are alike placed in this position of privilege and of responsibility.—T.

2 Corinthians 6:4 - "Ministers of God."

Man is not meant to be a law or an end unto himself. He finds the true secret of his being, who lives, not unto himself, but unto his Lord. To take employment under a wise and holy Master, to engage in a spiritual service, to look up daily for direction and for blessing, to aim at the glory of the Eternal,—this is the true vocation and the true happiness of man. Paul found his strength for labour and his consolation in suffering, not in anything personal, but in losing and merging himself in his Lord and King.

I. THE MASTER . Our Lord has bidden us call no man master, by which he directs our attention to the fact that we receive our instructions for duty and our revelations of truth, not from human, but from Divine authority. God is, to those who accept service under him, a wise, just, forbearing, considerate, and liberal Master. In him we find one free from all imperfections of knowledge, and all flaws of character, such as must be expected in all human governors.

II. THE SERVICE . In its outward aspects this varies in different cases, so that the life work of no two men is quite the same.

"How many serve! how many more

May to the service come!—

To tend the vines, the grapes to store,

Thou dost appoint for some:

Thou hast thy young men at the war,

Thy little ones at home."

III. THE OBLIGATIONS OF SPIRITUAL SERVANTS .

1 . Obedience. This is indispensable. The vow which Christians take is that they will be the Lord's servants to obey him.

2 . Fidelity. The allegiance due to the Divine Lord must, upon no consideration, be transferred to another; his cause must not be betrayed.

3 . Readiness to suffer in the path of devotion. The context shows us that this was an element in Paul's conception of true ministry.

IV. THE RECOMPENSE .

1 . This is entirely of grace; the purest and the best have no claim to it.

2 . Success in ministry is the true servant's best reward.

3 . With this is conjoined approval on the Master's part.

4 . And the recompense is imperishable and immortal.—T.

2 Corinthians 6:7 - "The armour of righteousness."

There was something soldierly both in the nature and in the life course of the Apostle Paul. His resolution, courage, fortitude, capacity for endurance, fidelity to his spiritual Commander, were all high military qualities. We do not wonder that he made in his writings use so frequent and so effective of the warrior's life. The Christian's career, and much more emphatically the apostolic career, appeared to him one large campaign. Hence his reliance upon "the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left."

I. THE CHRISTIAN 'S NEED OF SPIRITUAL ARMOUR .

1 . His foes are many, active, vigilant, formidable, untiring.

2 . The warfare to which he is called is accordingly perilous and serious.

3 . His own natural resources are utterly inadequate for his defence.

II. THE NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN 'S SPIRITUAL ARMOUR .

1 . It is not physical, or carnal, but moral.

2 . It is described in one word as "the armour of righteousness," as opposed to fraud and cunning and iniquity of every kind.

3 . It is adapted to the several necessities of the welfare. Vide Ephesians 6:1-24 ., where the several weapons are enumerated and described.

III. THE PURPOSES WHICH THE CHRISTIAN 'S ARMOUR EFFECTS .

1 . The right hand of the warrior wields the sword; and this is the emblem of the weapon of attack which the Christian grasps—even "the sword of the Spirit," which is the Word of God.

2 . The left hand of the warrior holds the shield, which is the symbol of that mighty principle of faith, which is the defensive weapon used by every soldier in the spiritual warfare, with which he quenches the fiery darts of the evil one.

IV. THE RESULTS OF THE WARFARE WAGED BY THE CHRISTIAN THROUGH THE USE OF HIS SPIRITUAL ARMOUR .

1 . To himself, security and honour. He is delivered from his foes, and he fights the good fight of faith.

2 . To his cause, victory. Righteousness is destined to conquer; there is no uncertainty as to the issues of the holy war.

3 . To his Commander, great and growing renown, as his foes are vanquished and his kingdom is consolidated and extended.—T.

2 Corinthians 6:16 - A temple of God.

The temple at Jerusalem, built for the glory of Jehovah, and honoured by him as his dwelling place and shrine, was as edifice quite unique. No material structure can with justice be said to have replaced it; for, when the old dispensation passed away, all local and material sanctity vanished, and a spiritual dispensation surpassed as well as abolished the glory that had been. The body of Christ was the temple of God, and when that had been taken down, the only temple which remained was the spiritual edifice, built of living stones and inhabited by the Holy Spirit of God.

I. THE RESPECTS IN WHICH THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD .

1 . Christians are separated from the world around. As the temple as Jerusalem was different from all other edifices, so the spiritual society designated the Church is distinct from the common and secular associations which men form for their own convenience, advantage, or pleasure.

2 . In this spiritual temple the living God makes his chosen dwelling place. The Lord loved the gates of Zion: he revealed his glory in the Shechinah-cloud; he was sought and found in his sanctuary. In like manner the Eternal chooses the hearts of his people for his congenial abode, where he makes himself known, and especially reveals his holiness and his grace.

3 . The Church is the scene of worship; there praise, prayer, and sacrifices of obedience are offered to God and accepted by him.

II. THE PECULIAR CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AS THE TEMPLE OF GOD .

1 . It is holy.

2 . It is universal, extending throughout the world; and including within it men of every race and of every condition.

3 . It is enduring. For, whilst the individual members disappear from sight, those who quit the Church militant do so only to join the Church triumphant. And whilst human societies, organizations, and states pass away, this Divine society loses nothing of its glory, but lives from age to age.

4 . It is growing, Every several stone built into it adds to its majestic proportions, and prepares for its final completeness; it "groweth an holy temple unto the Lord."

III. THE PRACTICAL OBLIGATIONS LAID UPON ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH IN RESPECT OF THEIR INCORPORATION IN THE SPIRITUAL TEMPLE .

1 . They are called upon to Uphold the dignity of their calling and position.

2 . And to maintain that purity which is their distinctive quality—to be "separate, and to touch no unclean thing."

3 . And to seek the consolidation and unity of the spiritual edifice.

4 . And at the same time to strive after its enlargement and ultimate completeness.—T.

2 Corinthians 6:18 - Father and children.

No human relation is close enough and no human language is strong enough to set forth the union which subsists between God and his people. They are the temple, he is the Deity inhabiting, inspiring, and glorifying the sacred and spiritual edifice. Nay, he is the Father, and they the sons and daughters whom he has adopted and whom he loves.

I. THE NATURAL BASIS OF THIS RELATION BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE . This has ever been recognized by the thoughtful and pious. Even heathen philosophers and poets could say of themselves and their fellow men, "We also are his offspring." Created by his power, sustained by his bounty, cared for by his wisdom and goodness, the children of men are also the children of God.

II. THE REDEMPTIVE ELEVATION OF THIS RELATIONSHIP . The old covenant contained intimations of the Divine fatherhood, as is apparent from the language of the text. But it was in the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that this truth was fully realized. "Ye are all the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ." The Spirit of adoption makes and seals the true believers in Christ as members of the Divine family, it is to his fellow Christians that the Apostle John exclaims, "Beloved, now are we the children of God." It is in the case of those who are born anew of water and of the Spirit that the relation in question is made unmistakably evident; the spiritual features of the Father are, so to speak, reproduced, and the subjection and obedience of the children evinces their sacred kindred.

III. THE INNUMERABLE PROOFS OF GOD 'S FATHERHOOD . God is not satisfied simply to be called our Father; he feels and acts like a Father. He provides for his children all that is necessary for their spiritual well being and happiness, supplies their wants, directs their steps, defends them from danger, comforts them in sorrow. And, above all, he assures them an abode in his own—in the Father's—house, where they shall forever enjoy the blessedness, the fellowship, the glory of a sacred, secure, and everlasting home. Thus both in this world and in the world to come the gracious Parent justifies his Name and fulfils his promises.

IV. THE EXPECTED RESPONSE OF FILIAL LOVE AND OBEDIENCE . Alas! how often is this withheld, or very partially and inadequately rendered! Yet in the hearts of God's true children there resides a principle which impels to childlike love and service. God has a right to his children's reverence and service, gratitude and love, devotion and consecration. "If I be a Father," he asks, "where is my honour?" Nothing that we can do can ever sufficiently express the sense we ought to cherish of the infinite love and pity, forbearance and generosity, of our heavenly Father. It is for his children to witness to his faithfulness, to hallow his Name, to cherish his revelation, and to do his will.—T.