“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.”
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV)
How can we receive God’s grace in vain?
By not realizing that in God is the helper in salvation, and that we need to act to receive.
Paul quotes Isaiah 49 here to teach us the unchangeable truth that this glorious age of grace that we live in now- this age where Gentiles as well as Jews are able to come to Christ Jesus, call on His Name and be saved - is a Day where we act and God helps.
It is true that God acted first, by sending his Son who is the Servant described in Isaiah 49, to redeem not only the Jews, but to be a light to the Gentiles causing His salvation to reach the ends of the earth. What Paul is declaring is that this great and glorious act of God has ushered in a new age of grace where salvation is dependent upon human action.
If we don’t call on the name of the Lord to be saved, we won’t be saved.
Seems simple really, seems very orthodox for any other belief brings us into the murky waters of universalism - that the life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of our Lord brings salvation to all without any action of their part.
The Lord Jesus came preaching “repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” and repentance is an action that is necessary for the kingdom of God to come to me, for me to enter the kingdom of God.
Our action, God’s help is how salvation is described in 2 Corinthians 6 and in Isaiah 49.
How quickly we forget this and desire His grace without our action.
He stands at the door of our hearts right now- that is grace!
When I get up and open the door- that’s my action!
He comes in and eats with me – that is salvation!
All three together describe earnest repentance (Rev 3:19,20)
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