HOW FOR WILL YOU GO?
2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (KJV)
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Last lesson we dealt with just the first three verses of this chapter and saw Paul’s desire to carefully handle his ministry. We saw that:
The ministry could be blamed,
A. If it is received in vain
2 Corinthians 6:1 (KJV)
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
The ministry could be blamed,
B. If it is not immediately accepted
2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)
(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.)
And,
The ministry could be blamed,
C. If we are not careful about offense
2 Corinthians 6:3 (KJV)
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
The Apostle carefully lived to be an appropriate testimony to the gospel and he listed the ways he did that.
He divided his list into three groups. The lists are long so I’ll have all I can do just to give a basic definition of each item.
*I. IN THESE
2 Corinthians 6:4-5 (KJV)
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
Approving – in this case it means something like exhibiting, demonstrating.
He demonstrated himself to be a minister of God
In much patience
This is hopeful endurance. Paul just kept serving the Lord. It wasn’t easy, but he stayed at it.
In afflictions
Pressure, persecution, dangers
In necessities
He knew what it was like to suffer need, to be in want.
In distresses
Anguish of soul. In pain for others and in fear of life.
*In stripes
He had been beaten, and stoned and left for dead.
In imprisonments
He was cast into the Philippian jail and would spend a significant part of his later life in the Roman prison system.
In tumults
Paul’s preaching caused more than one uproar, did it not?
*In labors
Paul said he labored more than any of the other Apostles. In travels, in writing, and in preaching and teaching.
In watchings
In fastings
Some of them were likely forced for lack of food, but many of them were no doubt by choice, as he sought the Lord in prayer.
*II. BY THESE
2 Corinthians 6:6-8 (KJV)
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
He demonstrated himself to be a minister of God
By pureness
Paul lived a separated life. He avoided sin and even the appearance of evil.
By knowledge
He studied his subject. He knew his message, He presented himself as one who was thoughtful.
By longsuffering
Where patience might have more to do with suffering, longsuffering has more to do with people. He was patient with people – they need that because most of us are hard headed.
*By kindness
There is nothing in the world wrong with being known as a kind soul.
By the Holy Ghost
We are told that Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost. That is something that only comes from not yielding to sin but yielding to righteousness and to the Holy Ghost.
By love unfeigned
No fake care in Paul. He genuinely loved souls.
By the Word of Truth
If we aren’t going to tell people honestly what the Bible says, we might as well pack it up.
*By the power of God
No one can “work up” the power of God. But what we can do is avoid man made influences.
By the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left
I think what he means is that he sought to be holy in every aspect of his life.
By honor and dishonor
He lived and honorable life, but he was dishonored for it by the enemies of God.
By evil report and good report
Some people accepted the gospel and gave Paul a good report. Others rejected the gospel and accused Paul of heresy. Whatever they said, he consistently preached the Word of God as he understood it.
*III. AS THESE
2 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
He demonstrated himself to be a minister of God
As deceivers and yet true
People accused him of lying. He knew he preached the truth.
As unknown and yet well known
He may have been much more famous in the world had he continued as a Pharisee. But we don’t know very many more well-known people among Christians, do we?
As dying and behold we live
He died to self. He died to sin. He died in Jesus Christ. He would die for the cause of Christ. Yet he lived every day by the faith of the Son of God and he lives eternally in the presence of Christ today.
*As chastened and not killed
Jesus said, Matthew 10:28 (KJV)
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
*As sorrowful yet always rejoicing
What a contrast is the Christian life. How could we not be sorrowful that so many are lost, that this world is headed for destruction, that the name of Christ is so hated in our world?
But we are commanded to rejoice and we have every reason to do so when we think of the promises of God.
*As poor yet making many rich
Acts 3:6 (KJV)
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Even better than walking again is living eternally.
As having nothing and yet possessing all things
Paul had nothing in this world.
But he had access to anything God determined he could use for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
In all these things Paul exhibited, demonstrated, approved himself as a ministry of God.
How far will you go to show yourself approved as God’s servant?
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