1 Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” 2 For he says:
At an acceptable time I listened to you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you. ,m
See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! n
The Character of Paul’s Ministry
3 We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. 4 Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, o by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, p by knowledge, q by patience, r by kindness, s by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, t 7 by the word of truth, ,u by the power of God; v through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 through glory w and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; x as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.
Separation to God
14 Don’t become partners with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? y Or what fellowship does light z have with darkness? a 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? b For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:
I will dwell c
and walk among them,
and I will be their God, d
and they will be my people. ,e
17 Therefore, come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord;
do not touch any unclean thing,
and I will welcome you. ,f
18 And I will be a Father g to you,
and you will be sons h and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty. ,i
A. An appeal for complete reconciliation (6:1–7:4). 6:1–3. As one of “God’s coworkers,” chosen to bear the message of reconciliation, Paul now presents the Corinthians with the first in a series of appeals, urging them not to “receive the grace of God in vain” (6:1). In context these words seem meant to spur the Corinthians to respond to Paul’s attempt at reconciliation with the church. The citation in 6:2 (from Is 49:8) and its interpretation may then be seen as reinforcement to the appeal, entreating the church to respond without delay. Paul reminds them of what he has already written in an attempt to remove any “occasion for offense” that might impede the progress of reconciliation (6:3) and then seeks to persuade the church to look again at what he has done for them as one of the servants of God.
6:4–7. A statement summarizing the sufferings that the apostle has endured on behalf of the church now ensues. The list may consist of general (6:4), humanly inflicted (6:5a), and self-imposed trials (6:5b) that Paul associated with his apostleship. Next comes a corresponding list of Christian virtues that have marked Paul’s apostolic ministry (6:6–7). These include “purity” (moral uprightness, 1 Th 2:10–12), “knowledge” (which balanced the commitment to holiness with a godly compassion and forgiveness [Eph 4:32; 1 Th 2:7]), and the “patience” and “kindness” associated with a “sincere love” inspired by the Holy Spirit (1 Co 13:4). Also mentioned are truthful speech (2 Co 4:2; 11:31; 13:8), the power of God (Rm 15:19; 1 Co 2:4; 4:20; Eph 3:20), and the weapons of righteousness (2 Co 10:4; Eph 6:14).
6:8–13.Then, in a series of contrasts (6:8–10), Paul brings the paradoxical experience of the apostle fully and realistically into view. In external appearance Paul’s apostolic ministry may indeed at times have seemed to some, not the least of whom were Paul’s opponents, to be characterized by marks of ineffectiveness and failure. But Paul makes his appeal with the eye of faith, with a perspective that looks through appearances and perceives the realities of God’s power at work in his ministry.
6:14–16a. A part of such openness, however, entailed the church giving heed to Paul’s apostolic authority. Accordingly, in order to effect a full reconciliation, Paul urges the Corinthians not to “become partners with those who do not believe” (6:14a). Clearly all association is not forbidden, and so it is probably best to understand Paul’s injunction here to prohibit only those relationships in which the degree of association entails an inevitable compromise with Christian standards of conduct. The injunction is accordingly followed by a series of five rhetorical questions, all of which point to crucial differences between the believer and unbeliever (6:14b–16a). The fifth question epitomizes the contrast between the temple of God and idols, which is reminiscent of 1 Corinthians and probably represents the best clue to the apostle’s intent in this passage (see 1 Co 8:10–11; 10:14, 19–21). [Belial]