I was studying Come Follow Me this morning and 2 Corinthians 6 struck me. We are often told to live differently, but what struck me is that in chapter 6 we are told how to live.
It has so often been my experience that we are to what we need to do but not how to accomplish it. Chapter 6 tells us how to live as Christ would have us live.
In verse 1it states, “We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” We are meant to work together with Jesus Christ, not alone. We are not meant to tough it out by ourselves. We are meant to work together with Christ. With His strength, His guidance, His power to work whatever miracles we need in our lives. It is meant to be a joint effort. It is why covenants are so important. They bind us together with Jesus Christ so that we can work together to live the life we were meant to live and complete the work on our mortal journey that we were meant to do.
Verse 2 says, “… 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.”
I have a terrible habit of procrastinating, of saying ‘someday, I will’. We are not meant to procrastinate. Someday is now. That is what this verse tells us. Don’t wait. Don’t put it off. Act now. Do what you know you should do now. Follow that thought that keeps popping into your head. Start on that seemingly impossible task that the Lord has asked you to do. Remember you are working with Him. He will provide the guidance and direction. Bit by bit He will show you the path you must walk. Start now. You provide the willingness, the effort, the faith to follow Him.
Verse 3 instructs, “ Giving no offense in any thing…” We are not to give offense. According to Elder Bednar, “And Nothing Shall Offend Them” nor are we to take offense. We are to choose to do neither. Giving or taking offense is a conscious choice and something that we can choose not to do.
Some may take offense that was not given or intended. At times we can apologize for it and heal the relationship. At other times when truth is what causes offense to be taken, we can express love but not withdraw the truth. We cannot control how others take what we say or do. We can only do our best to do and say what the Lord would have us do and say. Some will take the truth to be a hard thing.
Give and take no offense.
Verses 4 – 10 read;
4 – “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,”
We need to remember that no matter what our calling or occupation we are ministers of God. We are His ambassadors, and as such we represent Him. By such, what we do, what we say, how we choose to treat people (including ourselves!) matters. It matters because those around us notice.
We bear this and do this as the verse states with much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses. Our standing for Christ does not end or disappear simply because times get hard or the dishes need to be done. It is a continual thing. Just as His companionship and guidance is a continual thing if we seek it and receive it. He is with us in afflictions, necessities, and distresses.
5 – In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
Christ is with us wherever our mortal journey takes us, through whatever kind of time we live in be that peaceful or tumultuous. He is with us as we labor, watch, and fast. As we choose to do the things we are asked and prompted to do.
6 – By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
How do we stand for Him? How do we accomplish all the many things He asks? By seeking, by trying even when we fall short for pureness to become like Him. For the knowledge we need to accomplish what He has asked of us. By enduring the longsuffering of times that try our soul. By being kind to those around us and to ourselves. By seeking and listening to the Holy Ghost and receiving and acting on the direction and comfort that it brings. By learning to receive, give and understand the love unfeigned that our Heavenly Father and Savior have for us and teach us to have for others.
7 – By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
We learn truth from God and with that truth comes the power of God. It is with that power that we arm ourselves in the armor of righteousness. Armed and ready He stands with us on the right and the left. We do not fight our battles or the adversary alone.
8 – By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true;
All things are turned for our good by God. All things, the embarrassing, the pain filled moments, the times we don’t want anyone to know about, as well as the joy filled moments when your soul sings and your heart rejoices. All of them make us who we are and help us become who we were meant to be.
9 – As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and , behold, we live; as chastened and not killed;
He will chasten us. To teach and correct us. But it will never be too much for us to bear. It will not kill us. We will live through it and come out the other side better than we were. Having learned what He needed us to. Chastening is meant for growth not pain or humiliation. We are so loved. The desire of our Heavenly Parents and our Savior is for us to grow so that we can return home to them. They love us dearly and the chastening and direction though it does not always feel like it is done with love.
10 – As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
We can rejoice in times of sorrow because we know our Savior Jesus Christ. We are rich and possess all things when we have little in the way of earthly possessions because we know we are a child of divine heritage and as such are beloved of our Heavenly Parents.
How to live, what to do, who we are, why we are here. All are laid out for us. I testify that each of us is a divine child of Heavenly Parents. We each chose to come to earth to learn and grow and become more like them. The help of our Savior is something each of us has access to through the covenants we have made. With His guidance, His power, and His companionship we will become who we were meant to be. We will stand for Him as His ministers and help each other home.
