Noah and an Urgent Plea

In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 Paul had just written about how we are ambassadors of Christ.  I want to continue on to 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and see more fully what being an ambassador of Christ looks like.

"As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.  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 6:1-2

The first thing I want to point out from this passage is, "As God's fellow workers".  Soak that in.  "As God's fellow workers..."  Being an ambassador of Christ, a Christian, means that we work with God.  This is an incredible truth.  The servants work with the Master.  "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Paul asked in Romans.  When we work with God we cannot fail!  Remember that as you work in accordance to God's will, you work with Him and for Him and through His empowering.  This is incredible.

Next, "... we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain... I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."  Paul urged the people of Corinth and I echo his urging, don't receive God's grace in vain.  If you have been delivered God's invitation for salvation, you should accept it.  God has been gracious to us to offer us a truce for reconciliation, a peace treaty.  While we hated Him, He offered us reconciliation and adoption.  Take it!  Don't wait because the offer won't stand forever.

This past weekend Noah was the number one movie at the box office.  I haven't seen it, but it's effects look spectacular although there has been mixed reviews from people about its authenticity.  I'm not going to touch on that because I haven't seen it, but I do want to make a point about the story of Noah.

In Genesis chapters 6-9 we read the story of Noah.  God was displeased with the evil on the earth and decided to wipe out the people of the earth because of it.  But God offered Noah and his family salvation.  In fact 2 Peter 2:5 calls Noah a preacher of righteousness.  Perhaps Noah warned others about the flood and told them to get on the ark, too.

Salvation from the flood was offered to at least Noah's family and perhaps everyone Noah preached to. The opportunity for salvation came, but it also left.  When the doors of the ark were closed and the rain came there was no escaping disaster.  Whoever received God's gracious offer in vain was killed.

It is the same today.  God, through His ambassadors, is announcing the day of His favor and it is today.  I, and all of God's fellow workers, urge you to accept God's grace today because one day the peace treaty will be off the table and those who are still stubbornly God's enemies will experience the righteous wrath of God.  "If God is for us, who can be against us?"  I'll ask you a similar question, "If God is against you, what chance do you have?"

Get on the ark.  "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."  Don't miss it today.