Paul's Appeal to Receive Grace (1-2)

Because God was reconciling the world in Jesus and through the gospel, and because Paul's apostolic team had been working together with God on this objective, Paul made an appeal to the Corinthians not to receive God’s grace in vain (1). Paul made his appeal from Isaiah 49:8 where Isaiah prophesied to those in exile, telling them God, in the “time of His favor,” would respond to their cries and would save them from exile in Babylon. Paul took up the emphasis of God's timing in Isaiah's prophecy, saying “now” was the time when God had heard the cry of humanity for freedom and had sent Jesus. So “now is the day of salvation; now is the day when God's grace through Jesus is being offered to all.” Paul was pleading, “Don't let His message be in vain in your ears” (2).  

Paul's Apostolic Company Had Been Offense-Free (3-13) 

Paul was quick to point out concerning his apostolic company that they had created no offense but had come among the Corinthians as servants, so as not to allow blame on their ministry for taking advantage of anyone (3).  

To make his point, Paul listed out those situations they endured while keeping with their assignment:

• Painful times

• Difficult moments (4)

• Beatings 

• False imprisonment

• Anarchy against God

• Hard labor

• Insomnia

• Hunger (5)

To further make his point, Paul listed out the kind of character they continued to display as they were suffering, all the while staying with their assignment.

• Maintaining purity of heart

• Thinking clear-headed 

• Holding steady under pressure

• Demonstrating kindness to all

• Living holy or Holy Spirit-like

• Truly loving (6)

• Speaking truth

• Showing God's power

• Using both hands to battle with God-righteous weapons (7)  

Paul finished his point by listing out the paradoxes they endured as they were suffering and while they remained with their God-assigned task. They served whether they were:

• Honored or despised

• Slandered or praised

• Distrusted or considered honest (8) 

• Ignored or recognized

• Rumored to be dead or technically alive

• Beaten to an inch of their lives yet refusing to die (9) 

• Crying their eyes out or giddy with joy

• Living on hand-outs or with the funds to make others wealthy

• Impoverished or possessing more than they could ever consume (10) 

Paul had given these three open-hearted and frank lists to appeal to the affections of the Corinthians. He wanted the Corinthians to know his apostolic team was not indifferent as others had charged. Instead, they were the kind of leaders who would never restrict the Corinthians. Paul had noticed, however, that the Corinthians had become restricted by their own affection and honor of those who truly loved and sacrificed themselves for them. Paul appealed to the Corinthians to widen their hearts for Paul's apostolic company, and in so doing, they would find their hearts open in many other ways to other people as well (11-13).

Paul Admonishes the Corinthians to Be Exclusively Separated to Christ (14-18) 

Usually this passage is associated with marriage and business partnerships, but Paul had something else in mind. Paul here was calling for the Corinthians not to be “yoked” or mismatched with anyone who could use the depth of connection and bonding to interrupt their affectionate worship for Christ. The Corinthians were not to team up with anyone in any way who would threaten their fidelity to Christ. 

Paul posed five contrasts to make his point:

• Righteousness with lawlessness

  Those who longed to be like God had nothing in common with those seeking to get away from God. 

• Light with darkness

  Those who sought to be honest had nothing in common with those who led a secret hidden life (14).  

• Christ with Belial (the devil)

  Christ and the devil did not take meals together.

• Believer with unbeliever

  How could trust and mistrust ever divide up the same share? (15) 

• The Temple of God with idols

  How could anyone think of setting up idols in God's Temple? 

Paul then reminded the Corinthians they were God's temple, created as a place where God dwelled, quoting Exodus 25:8 and 29:45 and claiming Christ's Church was where God dwelled, walked, and made His claim as their God and they as His people (16).  

So Paul called the Corinthians to come out from among the worship practices and the religious philosophies of their world and to touch nothing (in this case, committed relationships) that would defile their exclusive and devoted affection for Christ (17). As they kept their lives separated to God, they would experience the reality of what Christ had done: He had restored their relationship to God as their Father (18).