S
E C O N D C O R I N I T H I A N S
CHAP. VI.
In
this chapter the apostle gives an account of his general errand to all to whom
he preached; with the several arguments and methods he used, ver. 1-10. Then
he addresses himself particularly to the Corinthians, giving them good
cautions with great affection and strong arguments, ver. 11-18.
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Ministry of the Apostles.
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A. D. 57.
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1 We then, as workers together with
him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in
vain. 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.) 3
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In
stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost,
by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by
the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet
true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and,
behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful,
yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing all things.
In these verses we have an account of the apostle's general errand and
exhortation to all to whom he preached in every place where he came, with the
several arguments and methods he used. Observe,
I. The errand or exhortation itself, namely, to comply with the gospel offers
of reconciliation--that, being favoured with the gospel, they would not
receive this grace of God in vain, v. 1. The gospel is a word of
grace sounding in our ears; but it will be in vain for us to hear it, unless
we believe it, and comply with the end and design of it. And as it is the duty
of the ministers of the gospel to exhort and persuade their hearers to accept
of grace and mercy which are offered to them, so they are honoured with this
high title of co-workers with God. Note, 1. They must work; and must
work for God and his glory, for souls and their good: and they are workers
with God, yet under him, as instruments only; however, if they be faithful,
they may hope to find God working with them, and their labour will be
effectual. 2. Observe the language and way of the spirit of the gospel: it is
not with roughness and severity, but with all mildness and gentleness, to
beseech and entreat, to use exhortations and arguments, in order to prevail
with sinners and overcome their natural unwillingness to be reconciled to God
and to be happy for ever.
II. The arguments and method which the apostle used. And here he tells them,
1. The present time is the only proper season to accept of the grace that is
offered, and improve that grace which is afforded: NOW
is the accepted time, NOW is
the day of salvation, v. 2. The gospel day is a day of salvation,
the means of grace the means of salvation, the offers of the gospel the offers
of salvation, and the present time the only proper time to accept of these
offers: To-day, while it is called to-day. The morrow is none of ours:
we know not what will be on the morrow, nor where we shall be; and we should
remember that present seasons of grace are short and uncertain, and cannot be
recalled when they are past. It is therefore our duty and interest to improve
them while we have them, and no less than our salvation depends upon our so
doing.
2. What caution they used not to give offence that might hinder the success of
their preaching: Giving no offence in any thing, v. 3. The
apostle had great difficulty to behave prudently and inoffensively towards the
Jews and Gentiles, for many of both sorts watched for his halting, and sought
occasion to blame him and his ministry, or his conversation; therefore he was
very cautious not to give offence to those who were so apt to take offence,
that he might not offend the Jews by unnecessary zeal against the law, nor the
Gentiles by unnecessary compliances with such as were zealous for the law. He
was careful, in all his words and actions, not to give offence, or occasion of
guilt or grief. Note, When others are too apt to take offence, we should be
cautious lest we give offence; and ministers especially should be careful lest
they do any thing that may bring blame on their ministry or render that
unsuccessful.
3. Their constant aim and endeavour in all things to approve themselves
faithful, as became the ministers of God, v. 4. We see how much stress
the apostle upon all occasions lays on fidelity in our work, because much of
our success depends upon that. His eye was single, and his heart upright, in
all his ministrations; and his great desire was to be the servant of God, and
to approve himself so. Note, Ministers of the gospel should look upon
themselves as God's servants or ministers, and act in every thing suitably to
that character. So did the apostle, (1.) By much patience in afflictions. He
was a great sufferer, and met with many afflictions, was often in necessities,
and wanted the conveniences, if not the necessaries, of life; in distresses,
being straitened on every side, hardly knowing what to do; in stripes often (ch.
xi. 24); in imprisonments; in tumults raised by the Jews and Gentiles against
him; in labours, not only in preaching the gospel, but in travelling from
place to place for that end, and working with his hands to supply his
necessities; in watchings and in fastings, either voluntary or upon a
religious account, or involuntary for the sake of religion: but he exercised
much patience in all, v. 4, 5. Note, [1.] It is the lot of faithful
ministers often to be reduced to great difficulties, and to stand in need of
much patience. [2.] Those who would approve themselves to God must approve
themselves faithful in trouble as well as in peace, not only in doing the work
of God diligently, but also in bearing the will of God patiently. (2.) By
acting from good principles. The apostle went by a good principle in all he
did, and tells them what his principles were (v. 6, 7); namely,
pureness; and there is no piety without purity. A care to keep ourselves
unspotted from the world is necessary in order to our acceptance with God.
Knowledge was another principle; and zeal without this is but madness. He also
acted with long-suffering and kindness, being not easily provoked, but
bearing with the hardness of men's hearts, and hard treatment from their
hands, to whom he kindly endeavoured to do good. He acted under the influence
of the Holy Ghost, from the noble principle of unfeigned love, according to
the rule of the word of truth, under the supports and assistances of the power
of God, having on the armour of righteousness (a consciousness of universal
righteousness and holiness), which is the best defence against the temptations
of prosperity on the right hand, and of adversity on the left. (3.) By a due
temper and behaviour under all the variety of conditions in this world, v.
8-10. We must expect to meet with many alterations of our circumstances and
conditions in this world; and it will be a great evidence of our integrity if
we preserve a right temper of mind, and duly behave ourselves, under them all.
The apostles met with honour and dishonour, good report and evil report: good
men in this world must expect to meet with some dishonour and reproaches, to
balance their honour and esteem; and we stand in need of the grace of God to
arm us against the temptations of honour on the one hand, so as to bear good
report without pride, and of dishonour on the other hand, so as to bear
reproaches without impatience or recrimination. It should seem that persons
differently represented the apostles in their reports; that some represented
them as the best, and others as the worst, of men: by some they were counted
deceivers, and run down as such; by others as true, preaching the gospel of
truth, and men who were true to the trust reposed in them. They were slighted
by the men of the world as unknown, men of no figure or account, not worth
taking notice of; yet in all the churches of Christ they were well known, and
of great account: they were looked upon as dying, being killed all the day
long, and their interest was thought to be a dying interest; "and yet
behold," says the apostle, "we live, and live comfortably, and bear
up cheerfully under all our hardships, and go on conquering and to
conquer." They were chastened, and often fell under the lash of the law,
yet not killed: and though it was thought that they were sorrowful, a company
of mopish and melancholy men, always sighing and mourning, yet they were
always rejoicing in God, and had the greatest reason to rejoice always. They
were despised as poor, upon the account of their poverty in this world; and
yet they made many rich, by preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. They
were thought to have nothing, and silver and gold they had none, houses and
lands they had none; yet they possessed all things: they had nothing in this
world, but they had a treasure in heaven. Their effects lay in another
country, in another world. They had nothing in themselves, but possessed all
things in Christ. Such a paradox is a Christian's life, and through such a
variety of conditions and reports lies our way to heaven; and we should be
careful in all these things to approve ourselves to God.
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Cautions against Mingling with Unbelievers.
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A. D. 57.
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11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open
unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us,
but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence
in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what
part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from
among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
The apostle proceeds to address himself more particularly to the Corinthians,
and cautions them against mingling with unbelievers. Here observe,
I. How the caution is introduced with a profession, in a very pathetic manner,
of the most tender affection to them, even like that of a father to his
children, v. 11-13. Though the apostle was happy in a great fluency
of expressions, yet he seemed to want words to express the warm affections he
had for these Corinthians. As if he had said, "O ye Corinthians, to whom
I am now writing, I would fain convince you how well I love you: we are
desirous to promote the spiritual and eternal welfare of all to whom we
preach, yet our mouth is open unto you, and our heart is enlarged unto
you, in a special manner." And, because his heart was thus enlarged with
love to them, therefore he opened his mouth so freely to them in kind
admonitions and exhortations: "You are not," says he, "straitened
in us; we would gladly do you all the service we can, and promote your
comfort, as helpers of your faith and your joy; and, if it be otherwise, the
fault is in yourselves; it is because you are straitened in yourselves, and
fail in suitable returns to us, through some misapprehensions concerning us;
and all we desire as a recompense is only that you would be proportionably
affected towards us, as children should love their father." Note, It is
desirable that there should be a mutual good affection between ministers and
their people, and this would greatly tend to their mutual comfort and
advantage.
II. The caution or exhortation itself, not to mingle with unbelievers, not to
be unequally yoked with them, v. 14. Either,
1. In stated relations. It is wrong for good people to join in affinity with
the wicked and profane; these will draw different ways, and that will be
galling and grievous. Those relations that are our choice must be chosen by
rule; and it is good for those who are themselves the children of God to join
with those who are so likewise; for there is more danger that the bad will
damage the good than hope that the good will benefit the bad.
2. In common conversation. We should not yoke ourselves in friendship and
acquaintance with wicked men and unbelievers. Though we cannot wholly avoid
seeing, and hearing, and being with such, yet we should never choose them for
our bosom-friends.
3. Much less should we join in religious communion with them; we must not join
with them in their idolatrous services, nor concur with them in their false
worship, nor any abominations; we must not confound together the table of the
Lord and the table of devils, the house of God and the house of Rimmon. The
apostle gives several good reasons against this corrupt mixture. (1.) It is a
very great absurdity, v. 14, 15. It is an unequal yoking of things
together that will not agree together; as bad as for the Jews to have ploughed
with an ox and an ass or to have sown divers sorts of grain intermixed. What
an absurdity is it to think of joining righteousness and unrighteousness, or
mingling light and darkness, fire and water, together! Believers are, and
should be, righteous; but unbelievers are unrighteous. Believers are made
light in the Lord, but unbelievers are in darkness; and what comfortable
communion can these have together? Christ and Belial are contrary one to the
other; they have opposite interests and designs, so that it is impossible
there should be any concord or agreement between them. It is absurd,
therefore, to think of enlisting under both; and, if the believer has part
with an infidel, he does what in him lies to bring Christ and Belial together.
(2.) It is a dishonour to the Christian's profession (v. 16); for
Christians are by profession, and should be in reality, the temples of the
living God--dedicated to, and employed for, the service of God, who has
promised to reside in them, to dwell and walk in them, to stand in a
special relation to them, and take a special care of them, that he will be
their God and they shall be his people. Now there can be no agreement between the
temple of God and idols. Idols are rivals with God for his honour, and God
is a jealous God, and will not give his glory to another. (3.) There is a
great deal of danger in communicating with unbelievers and idolators, danger
of being defiled and of being rejected; therefore the exhortation is (v.
17) to come out from among them, and keep at a due distance, to be
separate, as one would avoid the society of those who have the leprosy or
the plague, for fear of taking infection, and not to touch the unclean
thing, lest we be defiled. Who can touch pitch, and not be defiled by it?
We must take care not to defile ourselves by converse with those who defile
themselves with sin; so is the will of God, as we ever hope to be received,
and not rejected, by him. (4.) It is base ingratitude to God for all the
favours he has bestowed upon believers and promised to them, v. 18. God
has promised to be a Father to them, and that they shall be his sons and his
daughters; and is there a greater honour or happiness than this? How
ungrateful a thing then must it be if those who have this dignity and felicity
should degrade and debase themselves by mingling with unbelievers! Do we
thus requite the Lord, O foolish and unwise?
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