God's Fellow Workers

(2 Cor 5:20-21) 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

(2 Cor 6:1-10) 1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. (KJV)

We are laborers together with God.

(I Corinthians 3:9)

This text might well hang as a motto over the desk of every preacher and Christian worker. Every word is significant.

"We."
This emphasizes the interrelationship of Christians. The work of the Kingdom is not to be done by so many individual "stars," each one trying to be more spectacular than the others. It is a cooperative project in which the whole is more important than any part.

"Laborers."
This is not play, but hard work. The kingdom of Christ is a poor place for lazy loafers. The call is for "laborers," "workmen," who are not "watching the clock" or engaged in a "slow-down strike."

"Together with God."
Here is the essence of it all. This is not a labor for self or for some institution. This is a partnership with God and calls for a spirit of intense devotion to Him and an unflagging zeal for His interests and purposes. This is a mutual relationship that carries with it the clear realization that "neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." He who fully enters into this great scripture cannot be ineffective or little in soul.

By the power of God...

WORKERS WITH GOD

When faith in God goes,
Man, the worker, loses his greatest motive,
Man, the thinker, loses his greatest thought,
Man, the sufferer, loses his greatest refuge,
Man, the dreamer, loses his greatest dream,
When faith in God goes.
BY JOHN E. RILEY

We then as workers...

Wanted Third Class

A traveler was purchasing a ticket for a stagecoach ride back in the remote mountains. "What do you want? First, second, or third class ticket?" he was asked. When the ride had started he was musing with himself, "What difference does it make? All of us passengers are riding in the same compartment. "Why should one ticket cost more than another?" But he soon had his answer, for when the coach came to a steep grade, the horses slowed down and stopped and the coachman called out, "First class passengers, stay in your seats. Second class passengers get out and walk. Third class passengers, get out and push."

Workers together...

Divine, Human Cooperation

Theology has two terms related to the plan of salvation. "Monergism" teaches that salvation is all of God. "Synergism" teaches that both God and man have a part to play in salvation. Synergism is illustrated in the following simple story.

"I am going to paint the house," said a big bucket of paint one day. "No, you are not," said the paintbrush, "I am going to." "What do you mean," said the ladder, "I am the one who reaches up to paint the house." Just then the painter heard the angry discussion between the tools and he said quietly to them, "I guess I will take the day off. Do you suppose you will have the house painted when I return?"

You and I are the tools and we must be willing to work, but how useless we are unless we are in the hands of the Great Worker of the Heavens. "Synergism" is the word--God and man working together.

Please Pray With Me.

Our dear gracious Heavenly Father, could you help us today? Help us not to fail at this late date. Help us to press forth with the battle. Oh, dear Jesus, help us to remember we are labourers together with you in this great work. Help us to remember that you are doing most of the work, but that you need us, too. Oh, what a privilege to be a co-worker with God! There is no greater work in all the world than this. And we thank you for that privilege. In His blessed Name we pray.

Amen.