Know How To Be Real “Workers Together With Him”

How Can We Be “Workers Together With Him?”

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

2nd Corinthians 6:1-4

Workers together With Jesus! What does that mean? And, How can we be those workers?

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,

Introduction:

We are among the recipients of this epistle, though nearly 2000 years removed. We should take this passage personally, not as a theory. Yes, He calls us “workers together with Him.” God also directs us to take the Great Commission personally, as well as most of the epistles. (The few exceptions might include things like a personal greeting to an individual, by name…or similar passages. And such passages still have teaching for us.)

But, in this case, Paul begins to address the question of how we can be workers together with Jesus. In the next several verses, he gives personal testimony as to what it meant to the apostles. But we can apply these four verses directly to every believer. What does it mean to US?

WE, Then, As Workers Together With HIM

Is this the apostle Paul talking? Yes it is! And is the “we,” here, specific to the Apostles? Undoubtedly, yes! But the next three words are his plea. He begs that we follow in their steps, as they follow in the steps of Jesus! The Apostles worked together with Jesus. We are also workers together with Him.

This exactly matches what Paul said in 1^st Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ.” How can we even imagine trying to “wiggle out of” such a calling? Our call is precisely the same as that of the apostles, with the exception that, though we are workers, we are not apostles.

But, we definitely are Ambassadors. And, Romans 8:28-30, says that we definitely are among “the called of God.” Workers, together with Him.

“²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Are You Called To Be A Worker With Him?

Most believers like to quote the first half of Romans 8:28. They claiming that “God will work all things together for Good” on their behalf. But that promise is only “to them who are the called, according to His Purpose.” If God hasn’t called you, then He does not offer that promise to you. And, according to the rest of that passage, if you aren’t called…you aren’t born again!

A genuine believer can’ t say, “Well, discipleship isn’t for everyone!” or, “Well, I just don’t feel called!”

Paul suggests that if we do that, and miss the central issue of discipleship, then we have “received the Grace of God in vain.” We have made it a useless and fruitless thing, both for God and for ourselves. That is sad even to consider, and somewhat frightening, as well. If we deny that He calls us Workers together with Him, then we cannot walk with Him, as He works.

In a Time Accepted, In the Day of Salvation

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (helped) thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Jesus died at the right point in time, according to Romans 5:6. “⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

God says Jesus died at the correct time in History. Frankly, that is just one more thing that is “over my pay grade.” Why is it that Revelation 13:8 calls Him “the Lamb Slain from the foundation of the Earth?” But we see Him crucified in Jerusalem, nearly 2000 years ago. How can both be true? And which one was the “Right Time?”

1^st Peter 1:18-20 says, “¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: ²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”? According to that passage the crucifixion was a “done deal,” in God’s perspective, before He created the Earth at all!

How Can These Things Be?

Ephesians 3:8-12 gives us a clue: “⁸ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; ⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: ¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, ¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: ¹² In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

So, God had a plan before He created planet Earth! And, surprisingly, it did not center on people. It centered upon His Righteousness and Wisdom. His Eternal Purpose was, through the Church (that’s us!) to teach the Holy Angels (the ones still in heaven with Him, perhaps) the manifold wisdom of God.

What Had Just Happened in Heaven?

God does not give a precise timeline, but, immediately after God’s creation of the human race, the enemy set about to destroy us all through sin: And a blood sacrifice for sin was provided, right there in the Garden of Eden.

From Adam, through Abraham, to the Thief on the Cross, to the last person who ever chooses to trust in Jesus, we are all saved the same way: By God’s Grace, through Faith in God’s chosen Sacrifice: Jesus, the Messiah!

Judgment had already fallen on the angelic host who rebelled with Satan. But God had also already set up an eternal “object lesson” for the entire heavenly host. (Remember, this is still before the Creation!) His plan was to demonstrate His Own Wisdom through a group of People called the Church.

(Not through Noah, though he demonstrated a great deal about the coming Savior. Not through Abraham, though he was a great man of faith; and not through Israel, though it truly is the Chosen Nation of God. He chose to do it through the Church, which is a “motley mob of mixed-breed mongrels,” whom God has called from among both Jews and Gentiles.

So, What is the Church: The “Called-ones of God? We Are Workers, Too!

In 1^st Corinthians 1:26-31, we see what typifies the calling of God: It is not the best-educated, the ones with greatest physical prowess, nor the rich, etc. It is the common people.

He says, “²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: ³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

That is the group through whom God has chosen to teach the angels something about HIS Wisdom! That is “our calling!” God says so! We may look like a “bunch of ignorant savages,” compared to the Angelic hosts who watch our progress (and whom God occasionally sends in, to give us a boost!) But He says that is who we really are. God deliberately chooses people with nothing much to offer, through whom to do His best Work.

He chooses, as a group, all those who will confess that they have nothing to offer of their own. He helped us: first by means of the Cross, then by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and finally by the Indwelling Holy Spirit and the Living Word of God.

And How Does He Want Us to Respond As His Workers?

^“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…”

God tells us that as a general rule, we are to be model citizens: We are not to cause offense…not to give people a cause to stumble, and so to reject the Gospel. Does God ever authorize disobedience to Civil Law? Very seldom!

In general, Civil Law does not go against God’s Law. (Can it do so? Yes, but it seldom actually happens.) It is good to remember that when Romans 13:1-7 told us to be in subjection to the civil authorities, they were living under the “Iron Fist” of Rome. This was not some progressive, nice-smelling, sweet-talking Utopian world-system! That specific Government heavily persecuted the church for three hundred years, but Romans 13:1-7 never changed. Jesus paid taxes, knowing full well that Rome would (at least partially) use it for evil.

When we make trouble, bicker among ourselves, stir up rebellion, or utter railing complaints against politicians, etc., we give cause for unbelievers to despise the Church, and with us, they despise Jesus. He says, “In all things” demonstrate that we are approved as the servants of God.

We are called to endurance in hard times and sufferings, in poverty in some cases. And through distresses of all sorts, we have the opportunity to demonstrate the Grace of God in the Christian Life. These are the kinds of things that demonstrate that we are approved as servants of God. Failing to respond well to those challenges demonstrates the opposite.

Jesus Gave The World The Right To Judge His Workers In Three Areas:

• The Agapé Love among believers, (John 13:34, 35)
• The Unity of the Spirit among believers, (Ephesians 4:3, John 17:21) and
• The general pattern of “good dealings:” Good Works among and through the believers. (Matthew 5:14-16)

These are the criteria Jesus gave the World, by which to Judge the Church. That is why Paul reminds us to “Give no offense!”

What About Today? How Can We Be Workers Together With Him?

We have all known men and women who claim to be believers, some claiming special prominence in the Church, but who consistently deal with other people unkindly, and exhibit self-centered pride, instead of humble submission to a Holy, Righteous, but Merciful God.

The Pharisees claimed to be genuine believers, but were constantly at odds with Jesus, the very God they claimed to serve! He said that He sent the prophets to them down through the years, and those to whom He sent them rejected the Prophets, one and all, killing many of them.

The common people knew the Pharisees were arrogant, and that they were harshly judgmental of the common folk around them. They knew they were hypocrites. And, they could see that Jesus was the “Genuine Article,” where the Service and Character of God was concerned.

People need to be able to see that in our lives as well. Make certain that your relationship with Jesus is actually producing the pure character  and genuine Agapé Love of God in you, not just a man-made piety.

Lord Jesus, raise us up to be workers together with You. Allow us to see the World and the Church through Your Eyes, and not judge by Human Standards.