And working together with Him, we also urge you to not receive the grace of God in vain--
He says that receiving the grace of God should not be without significance or worthless.
For He says,
At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation I helped you. (Isaiah 49:8).Behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the Day of Salvation"--
Because, just as Isaiah had prophesied so long ago, that "acceptable time" has now come, and "the Day of Salvation" is today. No need to wait for anything else. Don't put it off.
giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
He didn't want the ministry to suffer injured reputation, which would reduce its effectiveness to rescue people.
but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God,
We belong to God as His servants, serving Him.
in much endurance [patience],
The ability or strength to continue patiently despite adverse conditions.
in afflictions,
Persecutions, anguish.
in hardships [necessities],
Neediness, the indispensable necessities of life.
in distresses,
Narrowness of room, being boxed in.
in beatings [stripes],
Whippings and lashings.
in imprisonments,
Locked up in shackles.
in tumults,
Tossings to and fro; the instability of commotion and confusion, riots, uprisings.
in labors,
Hard physical work.
in sleeplessness [watchings],
Sleepless nights
in hunger [fastings],
Not having enough to eat.
in purity [pureness],
Doing everything with sincere, undiluted motives.
in knowledge,
Knowing all the pertinent facts.
in patience [longsuffering],
Forbearance, fortitude, suffering-long.
in kindness,
Benevolence, having a gentle and gracious attitude.
in the Holy Spirit,
God's Spirit of Truth who lives in each of us, teaching us God's Love and Truth.
in genuine Love,
The affection that causes us to put the loved one's needs before our own, regardless of the cost.
in the Word of Truth,
The unveiled reality of what God has made and who He is and how He sees us. Words are powerful. God's Word created, and our words can build up or tear down. The Word of Truth is Scripture.
in the Power of God;
God's power working in us by His Holy Spirit in us, doing what we would never be able to do ourselves.
by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left,
An implement, utensil or tool for war. Righteousness is our weapon and shield in the battle of good against evil. For both the right hand, promoting righteousness, and the left hand, against unrighteousness.
by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet True;
as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
All these opposites can all be used by God to share the Grace of God with the World. And all the negatives are turned into positives in the Lord's hand.
So the Grace of God should not be considered useless; it's the power of God in us, to share with others boldly.
It doesn't matter where we are in our circumstances and situations, we can always find a way to be kind, or to offer encouragement, or otherwise display the Love of God to others, to draw them to Salvation.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, our Sovereign King of the Universe, to the glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
