Not in Vain

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

NOT IN VAIN

2 Cor 6:1-2

6:1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

NIV

Those were the words God spoke to Isaiah but there are eternal words as Paul restates them for the Corinthians and for us. What does it mean then to receive God’s grace in vain? If we receive his divine influence upon our hearts and do nothing with it then it would certainly have been received in vain. We might see that in two different ways. The first and most likely the one intended here in about being born again. When Jesus Sent the Holy Spirit into the world he is here to influence the hearts of men regarding their sin and their need to repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If a person feels that urging or influence and does not respond positively then it is in vain. But also we that have already responded positively and have accepted Jesus, and have been born again also much continue to be receptive to the divine influence of God in our hearts. If we continue to live for self rather than for him that grace is in vain. Of what value is his divine influence if we pay no attention to it and just go about our own life doing and pleasing our own desires, our own plans, our own agenda, ambitions or what any other words of that nature which depict us. If God has shown his favor toward us, but sending his Son to die for our sin, to satisfy his need for justice, to reconcile himself to us, to give us eternal life, then why would we not continue to be attentive to his divine influence? Yet many of us still go on living like our life as if it all depends on our own efforts? We cannot every forget God has helped us, and is continuing to help us. Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the time of salvation. This is a continual action by God. We need to be attentive to his help, to his plan for us. We cannot allow any portion of God being involved in our lives to be in vain.