Active Partnership: Embracing God's Grace and Holiness

Paul sees himself as a coworker with Jesus Christ, did you know notice that in the first few words of the verse workers together with him they're partners and since Jesus has given us as it says in chapter 5 the ministry of reconciliation since Paul is an ambassador for Christ he works with Jesus now friends is that an amazing job how' you like that on your business card worker with Jesus partner with Jesus coworker with Jesus that's an amazing job workers together with him. [00:01:56]

It isn't that God needed Paul or needed us or needed anybody matter of fact he could get his work done a lot more efficiently without us it's that God wants us to be workers together with him for our good it's like the little boy with the toy lawn mower following his dad on a Saturday morning mowing the lawn right and there's the bo I'm helping Dad I'm he's just in Dad's way he's more of a problem for Dad than anything but Dad loves having his little boy there. [00:02:33]

God's best for our lives is never a state of ease and comfort and indulgent in activity even if we did all those things together with him, what are you doing bro hey just kicking back with the Lord kicking back with the L workers together with him get busy with the Lord now of course as with any worker there's times of rest right there's times of Glorious uh you know relaxation that God gives us we receive every one of those moments as a precious gift from God. [00:03:43]

Paul told us that God is pleading through the ministry of the Apostles Paul will plead with the Corinthian Christians you know what it means to plead to beg all isn't too proud isn't Too Proud to Beg when eternity is on the line is I'm pleading with you to do what you see that in verse one not to receive the grace of God in vain now the Corinthian Christians had obviously received the grace of God right they would not be Christians at all had they not received the grace of God. [00:06:29]

Grace is not given because of Any Works whether past present or promised yet it's given to encourage our work not to say that work isn't necessary God does not want you to receive his grace then become passive God knew that God gives us Grace we work hard and the work of God is done many Christians struggle at this very Point many Christians are agonized over this they come to Pastor I need to talk to you I don't understand I don't understand how this works in my life. [00:09:16]

Paul talks about his own passion to be blameless as a servant of the gospel Paul was willing to do most anything to make sure that he gave no offense in anything you know Paul was willing to say I deserve to be paid as a minister of the gospel Paul said that quite freely but he said I won't because in his particular situation it made him more effective Paul was willing to allow other people to be more prominent in his ministry Paul was willing to work hard and to endure personal hardship. [00:12:23]

Paul is listing his references describing what the world thinks of him and what God thinks of him so what does the world think of Paul look at the list Dishonored evil report deceiver unknown dying chastened sorrowful poor having nothing right that's what the world looked at Paul and saw here he is there's your references then Paul says you know what the Lord sees you know how it really is let me tell you what the Lord Lord sees God described Paul in his reference like this honor good report true well known behold we live not killed always rejoicing making many Rich possessing all things. [00:23:40]

Paul had this relationship full of conflict with the Corinthians they didn't respect him he would have to get down on them and back and forth Just trouble you know just conflict all the time now if you were to ask ask the Corinthians do you want to get things right with the Apostle Paul sure we do he's the guy who founded this church yeah we want to get a right with him he's the Apostle yeah let's get a right Paul would just come around we get it right go ask Paul Paul do you want to get things right with the Corinthians Paul said of course I do I wanted it to be right I founded that church let's let's get things right. [00:28:00]

The real problem was that the Corinthian Christians were restricted by their own affections it wasn't that Paul didn't love them enough that was their claim as a victim right you don't love us enough Paul no it wasn't that Paul didn't love them enough it was that they loved too much their own affections were restricting them they say what do you mean they love too much how can anybody have too much affection how can anybody that well what did they love too much two things really in a way it's just one thing but it's two things two aspects of the same thing you know what the Corinthians love too much did they love Paul too much no they did not love Paul too much did they love God too much no nobody's loving God too much right you know what the Corinthian Christians love too much you know where their Affliction their their uh where they were restricted by their own um affections they loved the world too much and they loved themselves too much that was the affection which was restricting them. [00:29:50]

Paul is speaking to the overly broad affections of the Corinthian Christians they had joined themselves to unbelievers and this was affecting their reconciliation with Paul the idea of not being unequally yolked together is based actually on an Old Testament scripture Deuteronomy 229 where it says you shouldn't hitch together two different kinds of animals that was in the Mosaic law don't hitch together a you know a horse and an ax don't do it I guess God thought it'd be cruelty to animals you know for the box to have to smell the horse breath all day or you know the Yol wouldn't be the same whatever God said don't do that and drawing on the same thought Paul says don't be yolked together with unbelievers. [00:33:19]

Friends most Christians are far too careless about the things which they allow to influence their minds and their lives there are things that shape your mind and shape your thinking and most people don't give a second thought to what those things are you have some friends friends that are just friends yeah fine yeah go out to a movie with them yeah great whatever you have other friends which influence your thinking you better watch out who those friends are that influence your thinking they have a very powerful role in your life you better get with it and make sure that you're not unequally yolked with an ungodly influence. [00:38:34]

Paul throughout this whole section has been talking to to us about the way the world sees things and the way the Lord sees things we need to have our minds set in the right place and a lot of times it means separating ourselves from those worldly influences so that our minds can be in the right place before the Lord and we can think God's thoughts after you have the mind of Christ yeah I want it. [00:46:40]