Receiving in Vain

“We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:12-13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” For he says: At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see — we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:1-11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

The Corinthians were felt empty. They had received the good news but they never opened their hearts to it. They had received the good news yet they it was in vain. They never did nothing with it . If I give you a water jug but you never feel it up them I gave it to you in vain. God gave us salvation He gave us grace He gave us hope, yet if we live like nothing had happened then nothing will happen! If you act like I never gave you that water jug then that water jug will never be filled. We are a new creation in Christ. Our sins forgiven, our past behind us. We have a new start. Yet if we have a new start then why would we turn back to our ways? By doing so it will be in vain.

“He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. Otherwise, not only will he tear the new, but also the piece from the new garment will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, it will spill, and the skins will be ruined. No, new wine is put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine, wants new, because he says, ‘The old is better.’””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:36-39‬ ‭CSB‬‬

We have been gifted with living water and a new start. Yet if we turn our backs on it and refuse to use it, then tell me what was the point of receiving it?