The first verse of this chapter follows on from the prayer that Paul prayed at the end of chapter five, where he tells them that his prayer, which comes from the heart of Jesus is - ‘Please let this reconciliation, being a part of God’s life, become your total life experience’. He has been telling them that we have been given the ministry of reconciliation to share - with Jesus. So he starts off Chapter six by saying; ‘As part of this reconciling ministry of Christ’s we also implore you to live in this great goodness of God that has come to you and not to waste it away.’

He is about to admonish them once again for their contrary behavior – calling themselves Christians but joining in with the pagan and idolatrous lifestyle of the unbelievers. But as always, he speaks from his own experience, sharing from his heart how he lives a life that is devoted to God. He does this, not as a boast, but to emphasize the weighty significance of having the privilege of sharing life with Jesus. He says that he lives a life of integrity, keeping his wits about him, showing kindness and forbearance to everybody, living in the Spirit motivated by his sincere love for all. He then tells them how this often results in his being detested and disliked, but that nevertheless he is full of the joy of the Lord, not wealthy perhaps by the world’s standards but abounding in the richness of God that he offers to others.

He finishes by warning them to be ‘not unequally yoked’. He describes this as not coming under the influence of the faithless attitudes and behavior of the hard hearted unbelievers. He appeals to them by asking them; ‘How can you walk the same journey of harmony with God with someone who is out of harmony with God? Can light and darkness be one together?’ he then quotes from Isaiah chapter 52 where God tells his people to ‘come out from among them’, speaking of those who had taken his people into captivity. Paul puts this again into the mighty theme of reconciliation – being joined as one with God – and he concludes by saying; ‘ 17.. So don’t be a part of what they do, but live a life that is distinctive of who you are and what you believe. Don’t join yourself to debased things, says the Lord, then I can join myself to you 18. And I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’

2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6 - CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)

SPIRITCODE

1. As part of this reconciling ministry of Christ’s we also implore you to live in this great goodness of God that has come to you and not to waste it away.

2. (For God prophesied through Isaiah of this time when he would hear our cry for help and at his chosen time he would come to our rescue. This is the chosen time, the time of being saved in the fullest sense of the word)

3. (As Christ’s co-workers and ambassadors) we therefore don’t do anything by our behavior that would cause our work with God to be discredited

3. But in everything we do in this shared work with God we live up to what it signifies, enduring through pressures and pain and hard times

5. We get beaten up and put in prison, pushed around in disorderly scuffles. We get fatigued with work, spend nights in prayer without sleeping and likewise days without food.

6. We live lives of integrity, keeping our wits about us, showing kindness and forbearance to everybody, living in the Spirit motivated by his sincere love for all.

7. We live by the word of truth and the power of God and our harmony with God surrounds us like a shield wherever we go.

8. Whether people regard us or disregard us, or whether they say good things about us or bad things. We might be called impostors but we know we are genuine before God.

9. We may be unnoticed and ignored by many but we are acknowledged by God; facing death and danger but vital and alive; disciplined by God but kept alive by him also.

10. I am sad and disappointed about many things but I always find joy in my Lord; not wealthy by the world’s standards, but abounding in the richness of God that I offer to others; seeming to have nothing and yet having everything that is worth having.

11. O my dear Corinthians, I have spoken openly to you out of an open and honest heart

12. I am not holding anything good back from you, but you are holding it back from yourselves.

13. I wish you could have the same bigness of heart towards me, (and I speak to you as if you were my own children).

14. Don’t come under the influence of the faithless attitudes and behavior of the hard hearted unbelievers. How can you walk the same journey of harmony with God with someone who is out of harmony with God?

Can light and darkness be one together?

15. What harmony does Jesus enjoy with the devil? And how can you let your faith be the supporter of faithlessness?

16. What working partnership has God’s temple with idols? Because you are the living temple of God in the earth. God has said ‘I will dwell in them and journey through life with them, and I will be their God and they will be my own people.’

17. So don’t be a part of what they do, but live a life that is distinctive of who you are and what you believe. Don’t join yourself to debased things, says the Lord, then I can join myself to you

18. And I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.