The Epistle of Second Corinthians
Lesson Number 23
TRANSLATION LEGEND: AMPLIFIED or AMP = Amplified Bible, (1965), ASV=American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA=Douay-Rheims (1899), ESV=English Stand Version (2001), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version (1967), KJV=King James Version (1611), LIVING = Living Bible (1971), MONTGOMERY = Montgomery’s New Testament (2001), NAB=New American Bible (2002), NASB=New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU=New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB=New International Bible, NIV=New International Version (1984), NJB=New Jerusalem Bible (1985), NKJV=New King James Version (1979), NLT=New Living Translation (1996), NRSV=New Revised Standard Version (1989), PHILLIPS = J B Phillips New Testament (1962), RSV=Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK=JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster=The Webster Bible (1833),WEYMOUTH=Weymouth’s New Testament (1903), WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament (1937), TYNDALE= Tyndale’s Bible (1526), WYCLIFFE= Wycliffe New Testament (1382), YLT=Young’s Literal Translation (1862).
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG=Friberg Lexicon, UBS=UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA=Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT=Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER=Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
KNOWING AND PERSUADING
“ 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.” (2 Cor 5:11-13)
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INTRODUCTION
Our text is an example of extended spiritual reasoning. In this case, the Spirit is moving Paul to reason concerning the implications and influence of the New Covenant. It is unfortunate that the contemporary Christian community has not provided men with a clear view of the New Covenant. This is, in my judgment, one of the great transgressions of our time. Many, if not all, of the flawed theology extant within the church can be traced to the misapprehension of the nature and effectiveness of this covenant – the covenant that is altogether new.
This New Covenant has been ratified by the blood of Christ (Heb 10:29), put into place by God the Father (Heb 8:8), and is being administered by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:8). This is also a covenant that is presently being mediated by the glorified and enthroned Christ – “the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5).
At the foundational level, the provisions of this covenant include (1) God’s laws are put into the mind and written upon the heart, (2) God is intimately identified with the people, (3) the people willingly embrace God as their God, (4) all of the constituents of the covenant know God, (5) God is merciful to their unrighteousness, and (6) God remembers their sins and iniquities no more (Heb 8:10-12). It is difficult to conceive of anything, other than the Persons of the Father and the Son, being more pivotal to sound thought and Divine acceptance than an understanding of this covenant.
I know of nothing in all of Scripture that suggests that a persistent ignorance of this covenant is in any way acceptable. The third chapter of Second Corinthians is an extensive exposition of the implications of this covenant. The third chapter of Galatians provides a unique proclamation of the priority of the New Covenant, as well as its antiquity. The eighth, ninth, and tenth chapters of Hebrews expounds the effectiveness of this covenant, announcing that it has reduced the Old Covenant to a state of obsolescence (Heb 8:13), and thus is it passing away.
This is a covenant – the only covenant – that deals effectively with sin (Heb 10:17). It is the only one in which justification, or the imputation of righteousness, is realized (2 Cor 3:9). No other covenant provides for peace with God (Heb 13:20), drawing near to God (Heb 10:22), and having free access to His marvelous grace (Rom 5:2). There has never been another covenant with a heavenly Mediator, as this one has (Heb 8:6). This is the only covenant in which people are made “dead to sin” and “alive unto God” (Rom 6:11). Jesus associated His blood with this covenant (Heb 11:25). It is referred to as a “better covenant which was established upon better promises” (Heb 8:6). It is further affirmed that those in Christ Jesus “are come” to this very covenant (Heb 12:24). That is, they have come within the circumference of its benefits, and become recipients of its blessings.
One would think that such a marvelous covenant would be gladly embraced by the people, and that all confusion concerning it would be eradicated from among the people. However, this is not at all the case. From the very beginning, the church has had trouble comprehending the New Covenant. Early on there were teachers who tried to mingle it with circumcision (Acts 15:1). Some perceived it as being associated with procedures and human disciplines (Col 2:19-22). There were even notions that this covenant somehow condoned sin (Rom 6:1-3). Some thought is was a mere revision of the Old Covenant, with some additional laws being placed upon men (Heb 7:19-28).
In our time, the waters have been muddied even more with massive amounts of religious tradition and a heavy sprinkling of the wisdom of men. There is hardly a body of people identified as a “church” that has been provided with some sound teaching on this subject. For this reason, life is lived just as though there was no New Covenant at all. Men are being subjected to a deluge of rules and regulations that are presented as the secret to living acceptable lives before God – and they have all come from the well of human wisdom.
This is precisely the situation that Paul found at Corinth. The church was dominated with the spirit of carnality. This situation was so deplorable that Paul, after spending more than eighteen months among the people wrote, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Cor 3:1-3). What a pitiful condition for a people who had been subjected to such an abundance of truth! They “came behind in no gift” (1 Cor 1:7), but they also led the way in being judged and chastened of the Lord (1 Cor 11:30-31). Their assemblies were characterized by confusion (1 Cor 14:33), inconsideration (1 Cor 11:21), and inappropriate expressions (1 Cor 14:28, 34). There were some who denied that there was a resurrection (1 Cor 15:12).
What was the root of these deplorable conditions? Why did they exist? Paul is coming to grips with this in Second Corinthians. He is showing the people that they were living in contradiction of the New Covenant which they professed to have embraced.
In the third and fourth chapters of this book, Paul shows some of the characteristics of the New Covenant. It is a covenant of spiritual knowledge, spiritual life, and the involvement of the heart. These are not areas in which men are to establish goals. They are not the presentation of holy ideals. Rather, Paul presents things the way they ARE in Christ Jesus, and within the framework of the New Covenant. While we do not intend to sit in judgment upon people who make a profession of faith, where the evidences of New Covenant life are not found, we cannot accept the claim that it is possessed.
THE HEART
New Covenant life is one of the heart. Believers themselves are described as the epistles of Christ, written “in fleshly tables of the heart” (2 Cor 3:3). The obscuring veil that was once over their heart has now been removed, so that their heart is unobstructed. Now, the sanctifying truth of God can be comprehended (2 Cor 3:15-16).
Regeneration itself is described in terms of the heart. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6). The Holy Spirit is also described as an “earnest,” or “pledge,” that has been put into our hearts: “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor 1:22).
What marvelous involvements of the heart are realized within the New Covenant!
☛ In Christ, our “hearts” are “purified by faith” (Acts 15:9), so that our thoughts and motives are made acceptable to God.
☛ When a person responds favorably to the Word of God, it is said that their “heart” has been “opened” by God (Acts 16:14).
☛ True circumcision is “of the heart,” where the callous created by sin is removed (Rom 2:29).
☛ The “love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5).
☛ True obedience is “from the heart” (Rom 6:17).
☛ It is “with the heart” that men believe (Rom 10:10).
☛ God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son “into our hearts, crying ‘Abba, Father’” (Gal 4:6).
☛ Christ dwells “in” our “hearts by faith” (Eph 3:17).
☛ The will of God is done “from the heart” (Eph 6:6).
☛ Spiritual maturity is described as the “Day Star” rising in our “hearts” (2 Pet 1:19).
The New Covenant is unquestionably one of the heart. It impacts upon the character of men, constraining them to think differently, and engage themselves in the good work of the Lord. Because of the “new heart” (Ezek 36:26), things that require the heart abound in those who are in Christ Jesus. These include love (1 Cor 13:4-8), joy (Rom 5:11; 14:17), peace (Rom 14:17; 15:13; Phil 4:7), boldness (Eph 3:12; Heb 10:19), confidence (Eph 3:12; Heb 3:6,14; 10:35), assurance (Col 2:2; Heb 6:11; 10:22), hope (Rom 5:2; Rom 8:24-25; Gal 5:5; Heb 3:6), fervency (Rom 12:11; James 5:16; 1 Pet 1:22), zeal (Tit 2:14), comprehension (Eph 3:18), and much more. All of these are traits of the renewed heart.
KNOWLEDGE
The New Covenant is also an economy of knowledge – spiritual knowledge. At the foundational level, all of the people, from the least to the greatest, “know” God. As it is written, “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Heb 8:11). Because of this circumstance, wherever God is not known among professing believers – or where He is not to some degree understood – a shameful condition exists. Thus Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor 15:34).
Those who are part of the New Covenant are noted for what they “know,” not for what they do not know! The new birth itself is described as the experience of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Cor 4:6). In the fourth and fifth chapters of Second Corinthians the survival of the saints, together with the maintenance of sound objectives, it traced back to what they know.
☛ “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you” (2 Cor 4:14).
☛ “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor 5:1).
☛ “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord” (2 Cor 5:6).
☛ “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences” (2 Cor 5:11).
By virtue of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God,” every facet of life has been clarified. This allows the believer to live confidently, and not in a constant state of fear.
LIGHT
Although “light” is closely associated with knowledge, it places the accent more upon the Source of knowledge and understanding. No man can generate spiritual light. That is the exclusive prerogative of God Himself. In the New Covenant, this is precisely what He does – shine the light into our hearts. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6).
For this reason, the beginning of the “newness of life” is referred to as the time when we were illuminated. “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Heb 10:32). This is why we also read of the eyes of our understanding being enlightened. “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:18). Our new birth is the time when we were first enlightened: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened...” (Heb 6:4).
The possession of spiritual light produces an understanding, discernment, and comprehension within the believer (Eph 1:18; 3:18; 5:17; Col 1:9; Heb 5:14; 1 John 5:20).
Those within the New Covenant have been removed from the darkness in which they once walked, and have been called into the light. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). How often this light is mentioned.
☛ “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12).
☛ “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).
☛ “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col 1:12).
☛ “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1 Thess 5:5)
☛ “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Ignorance, or a state of not knowing, is contrary to the very nature of the New Covenant. By “ignorance,” I mean a lack of knowledge of the things that have been revealed in Christ Jesus.
Now, with the “heart,” “knowledge,” and “light” in mind, we will proceed with the exposition of our text. Paul will write from an illuminated point of view to a people who have had the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God” shined into their hearts. He will not speak of strange things, but of things that are known – things within the grasp of our understanding.
If these things sound strange, it is only because of the clouds of ignorance that emit from modern religion. While, in Christ, God has placed us within the context of light, the devil has moved upon insensitive and unbelieving men to wrap religion in the cloth of mystery, and immerse it in the dark waters of tradition. The present penchant for entertainment and popularity has also caused the proliferation of darkness, for that is not the context in which God speaks to His children. Let each soul, with the determination that springs from faith, walk in the light where God has placed them. They, and only then, they will reap the benefit of spiritual understanding and full assurance.
KNOWING THE TERROR OF THE LORD
“ 5:11a Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord . . . ”
The apostle is continuing to account for his ministry – both his message and his manner of delivering it. This has been an extended defense because of the circumstances at Corinth. The following conditions required that Paul write in this way.
☛ Some in Corinth had doubted that Paul was an apostle.
☛ His message was one that conflicted with preaching that was saturated with the wisdom of men.
☛ His apostolic credentials could not be confirmed after the manner of men.
☛ His personal experiences, resulting from his ministry, appeared to contradict man’s idea of “good news.”
☛ The views of his person, message, and ministry that were extant among the people were imaginations that had to be cast down.
Thus Paul has engaged in an extensive explanation and defense of his ministry. Because this approach is so strange in our religious culture, it is worthy of a brief review. My purpose here is to confirm how a spiritual mind establishes the validity of one’s ministry. These references are all found in Second Corinthians.
☛ Paul was afflicted for the consolation of the brethren (1:6).
☛ He had the sentence of death in himself that he should not trust in himself, but in God who raises the dead (1:9).
☛ In view of past deliverance, he was trusting that God would deliver him in the future (1:10).
☛ He rejoiced in the testimony of his conscience (1:12).
☛ His life was lived in simplicity (singleness of mind), godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, and by the grace of God (1:12).
☛ He wrote nothing the people could not understand (1:13).
☛ He did not make his plans lightly, or in a state of vacillation (1:17a).
☛ His preaching was not “yes” and “no,” but consistently was “yes,” focusing on unwavering and faithful
the promises of God, erected for our hope (1:17-20).
☛ He did not seek dominion over their faith, but chose to be a helper of their joy (1:23-24).
☛ He determined not to come to them if it would bring disadvantage to them (2:2).
☛ When dealing with the sin of the Corinthians, he did so with “anguish of heart” and “many tears” (2:4).
☛ He did not corrupt the Word of God, but spoke sincerely before God (2:17).
☛ He had confidence concerning the Corinthians through Christ and toward God (3:4).
☛ His sufficiency was of God (3:5).
☛ He was made an able minister of the Spirit, not of the letter (3:6).
☛ Because he had hope, he spoke plainly and boldly, not concealing his message, but opening it up (3:12-13).
☛ Having received mercy from the Lord, he did not faint, or give up (4:1).
☛ He had renounced the hidden things of dishonesty (4:2a).
☛ He did not walk in craftiness, speaking subtly, and seeking to snare the people (4:2b).
☛ He did not handle the Word of God deceitfully (4:2c).
☛ He made the truth known, commending himself to every man’s conscience (4:3d).
☛ He did not preach himself, but Christ Jesus the Lord (4:5a).
☛ He was their servant for Jesus’ sake (4:5b).
☛ He experienced trouble on every side, perplexity, persecution, and being cast down (4:8-9).
☛ He also experienced not being distressed, not being in despair, not being forsaken, and not being destroyed (4:8-9).
☛ Both the dying of Jesus and the life of Jesus were made known in his body (4:10-11).
☛ He spoke because he believed (4:13).
☛ He did not faint because, although his outward man was perishing, his inward man was being renewed day by day (4:16).
☛ He did not look at the things that are seen, but at those that are not seen (4:18).
☛ He was always confident, and willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (5:6).
☛ He walked by faith, and not by sight (5:7).
☛ He labored to be accepted by God, whether present in or absent from the body (5:9).
None of these things can be learned in the classrooms of men! None of them can be experienced through the wisdom of men. There is no school or seminary that can graduate people with these experiences by means of an established curriculum. None of them can be initiated or maintained by means of worldly wisdom or the human will.
The three abiding qualities of faith, hope, and love (1 Cor 13:13) are woven like three golden threads throughout all of these experiences. They also reflect the manner of the New Covenant and the nature of “newness of life.”
It ought to be noted that no valid ministry can be driven by rules, procedures, or any other principle in which God and Christ are not prominent and active. Also, no work purporting to be “of God” that lacks the characteristics of the New Covenant [as affirmed in Hebrews 8:10-13] can possibly be valid.
☛ The laws of God written on the heart and put into the mind. A ministry is valid only to the extent that the one who is ministering has “the mind of Christ,” and is in agreement with His Word.
☛ A personal identity of God with the people, and the people with God. In the New Covenant there is a very real association of God with the people. This is confirmed in such things as enlightenment (Eph 1:15-19), spiritual strength (Eph 3:16-17), and “all joy and peace in believing” (Rom 15:13). Where these, and similar things, are absent, no work for God is really being done.
☛ A personal knowledge of and acquaintance with God. Eternal life is, in fact, knowing God, or being acquainted with Him and His ways (John 17:3). Where the individual is fundamentally unacquainted with the Lord and His ways, or acts in contradiction of those ways, no valid ministry is being performed.
☛ The remission of sins and the consequent liberty from its dominion. The consequence of the forgiveness of sin is freedom from its dominion (Rom 6:11-20). Where enslavement to sin continues, or moral lapses occur, God is not at work. The holy God does not work with those who remain in the power of the sin from which His Son delivers. That ought to be evident.
I have taken the time to say these things lest we be tempted to view this text as uniquely descriptive of Paul. While there are different functions in the body of Christ, with the apostles being “first” (1 Cor 12:28), all of these ministries operate within the circumference of the New Covenant. All of them are driven by faith and characterized by spiritual insight. Although differences may exist in the measure of these things, there is no difference in their substance.
KNOWING
“Knowing therefore . . . ” Other versions read, “Since, then, we know,” NIV “Having in mind, then,” BBE “Therefore, since we know,” NAB “And so it is . . . always in mind,” NJB “And it is because we know,” NLT “Having known, therefore,” YLT “Therefore, because we realize,” WEYMOUTH “Therefore, being conscious of,” AMPLIFIED and “with this . . . in our minds.” PHIlLIPS
Once again, we see the role of knowledge in kingdom activities. Thus far, Paul has made much of this (1:7; 2:4,9,14; 4:6,14; 5:1,6,11). This is not a mere academic knowledge, or an intellectual recollection of certain facts. The kind of “knowing” to which this refers includes persuasion, confidence, perception, and insight. There is a compelling nature to this kind of knowledge that forbids the entrance of indifference. It will not allow for inconsistency, nor will it permit its possessor to live in disregard of what is known. In this kind of knowledge there is a consideration of the Lord Jesus, the day of judgment, and our inevitable accountability to Him. No one is under any obligation to submit to the preaching or teaching of anyone who obviously lacks these qualities.
THE TERROR OF THE LORD
“ . . . the terror of the Lord . . . ” Other versions read, “the fear of the Lord,” NASB “what it is to fear the Lord,” NIV “with the fear of the Lord,” NJB “this solemn fear of the Lord,” NLT “how greatly the Lord is to be feared,” WEYMOUTH and “fearing the Lord with respect and reverence.” AMPLIFIED
In this expression Paul is particularly speaking of himself. Even so, the experience of reference is not confined to him. He is a representative something that is common to all who work together with God (1 Cor 3:9). This is an important thing to consider. No person employed by the Lord is above the things common to all believers. There is a sense in which the greatest among us is our brother. Thus Jesus said to His disciples, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren” (Mat 23:8). All who are living by faith know this to be the case. However, this fact has been greatly obscured by the dominance of religious institutionalism. Therefore, it is imperative that the following words be perceived as the standard for kingdom laborers, and not a unique quality of special workers.
What is the “Terror of the Lord?”
This is the awareness of terror, and not its ultimate experience. That is, when God is seen as He is, the very thought of offending Him, or being unable to give an acceptable account to Him, strikes fear into the heart. Examples of this kind of “terror” are provided in Scripture.
☛ “And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob” (Gen 35:5).
☛ “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me” (Job 6:4).
☛ “For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His highness I could not endure” (Job 31:23).
☛ “Thou, even Thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?” (Psa 76:7).
☛ “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” (Mat 10:28).
This is a terror that Paul himself knew, and it was a powerful motivation in his ministry. Consider that this is the man who spoke so powerfully of the love of God, and the inability of any external influence to separate us from it (Rom 8:35-39). This is the man who so marvelously set the grace of God before the people (Rom 3:24; 4:16; 5:15; Eph 1:6-7; 3:5-8; Tit 2:11; 3:5). Justification and the imputation of righteousness were matters that he taught with remarkable power and clarity (Rom 3:24,28; 4:22-25; 5:1,9). Yet, Paul did not have such a familiarity with God that he was not stricken with terror at the thought of standing before Christ unable to give a glorifying account of his stewardship.
We are plagued today with sundry and voluminous declarations of anemic gospels that have no power, and greatly misrepresent the God of heaven. References are being made to “the love of God,” and God’s love of the people, that do not have a particle of truth in them. In Scripture, we have very few references to any words spoken to sinners after Jesus was enthroned in glory. Some of them include the following.
☛ Peter’s word on Pentecost (Acts 14-40).
☛ Peter’s words in the Temple following the healing of the lame man (Acts 3:12-26).
☛ Peter’s word to the Jewish leaders (Acts 4:8-12).
☛ Stephen’s defense before the Jewish council (Acts 7:2-56).
☛ Peter’s word to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:34-43).
☛ Paul speaking in a Jewish synagogue (Acts 13:16-41).
☛ Barnabas and Paul preaching in Lystra (Acts 14:14-17).
☛ Paul speaking in Athens (Acts 17:22-31).
☛ Paul speaks briefly to certain disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:2-4).
☛ Paul before his accusers (Acts 22:1-21).
☛ Paul before the Jewish council (Acts 23:1-7).
☛ Paul before Felix (Acts 24:10-21,25).
☛ Paul before Agrippa (Acts 26:2-29).
☛ Paul to the chief men of the Jews (Acts 28:17-28).
This may not be absolutely complete, but it is as thorough as I am able to determine. There are some observations that will buttress the point I am making – namely that a spurious gospel has been let loose in the Christian community.
☛ There is not one solitary reference in all of the book of Acts to “love” – not a single one – not in any form. The Greek word avga,ph (a-ga-pa) is not used in any of its forms in Acts. The Greek word φιλἐϖ (phil-e-o) – which is sometimes translated “love,” [in the sense of kindness and taking delight in] is used once in the book of Acts to depict kindness. Acts 28:2 uses a form of this word to describe the “kindness” a “barbarous people” showed to Paul and those with him who suffered shipwreck.
☛ Following Christ’s ascension, there is no record of any sinner (or person outside of Christ) ever being told that God loved him, that Jesus loved him, or that he was in any sense “loved.”
I do not wish to press this matter beyond simply making this observation, or to draw any foolish conclusions from it. I am simply making the point that the kind of preaching that has become common in our day is not founded upon Scripture, nor do we have an example of it anywhere – not in the preaching of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, or the Apostles. Further, I am not referring to occasional references to the love of God, but to the general preaching of Christ to sinners.
Every single proclamation and exposition of the love of God and the love of Christ is delivered to those who are in Christ. This by no means suggests that it is sinful or wrong to tell sinners about the love of God, or the great love of Christ. It does mean that this is not the revealed thrust of the message to sinners. There is a prevailing notion that the phrase “preach the Gospel to every creature” is somehow limited to those who are alienated from God, and dead in trespasses and sins. Suffice it to say, this cannot be substantiated by a single word of Scripture. The vast majority of Scriptural references to the Gospel are delivered to the saints.
The Relation of this to Our Text
How does all of this relate to our text? This text sheds light on WHY Paul ministered so consistently and powerfully. His many epistles and prodigious travels are accounted for in this expression.
The knowledge of “the terror of the Lord” is here depicted as motivating Paul. This is within the context of him standing before “the judgment seat of Christ,” as declared in verse ten. Here, Paul is not compelled by a sense of people being in a condemned state – although those who do not believe are “condemned already” (John 3:18). He does not carry the message throughout the world because all men are lost – although outside of Christ they are. It isot some law concerning the necessity of “evangelism” that drives him. It is not even the so-called “great commission” that moves him to such powerful and faithful preaching. It is, rather, because he knows “the terror of the Lord.”
Paul knows that he has been “given much,” and that “much” is required of him (Lk 12:48). Elsewhere Paul speaks of his stewardship as a “dispensation of the Gospel,” and affirms that he must carry it out “willingly” in order to receive a reward. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me” (1 Cor 9:16-17). The NASB reads, “ . . . for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.” Concerning this “necessity,” or “compulsion,” other versions read, “I am compelled to preach,” NIV “an obligation is laid upon me,” NRSV “I am forced to do so,” BBE “for I feel compelled of necessity to do it,” AMPLIFIED and “the necessity is imposed upon me.” WEYMOUTH
Paul is driven from within – by “the spirit of faith” (2 Cor 4:13) – because of the commission Christ delivered to him. Jesus said, “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me” (Acts 26:17-18). He was not to go because the Gentiles were lost and would judged if they did not hear the Gospel. Rather, he was to go because Jesus had sent him with a message – a message that Jesus personally opened to him.
When Paul wrote or spoke, it was, as he himself said, “through the grace given unto me” (Rom 12:3). When he built as a “wise masterbuilder,” it was “according to the grace of God” that was given to him (1 Cor 3:10). In a statement concerning this grace he wrote, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power. 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; 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: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Eph 3:7-12).
Here, several key points bring out the magnitude and seriousness of the commission delivered to Paul.
☛ Paul was “made” a minister by Christ.
☛ Through grace and the effective power of God, he was given a message to deliver.
☛ He was given insight into the truth that God wanted proclaimed.
☛ He was to make known among the Gentiles the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”
☛ He was to make plain the plan, or purpose, of God that had been hidden from all previous ages.
☛ The objective of men receiving this insight was that principalities and powers in heavenly realms might see the manifold wisdom of God.
☛ This was according to God’s “eternal purpose,” which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is the greater incentive – the understanding that all men are lost, or that we are responsible to God for what He has revealed to us and required of us? What is the greater responsibility – meeting human need or fulfilling a God-given stewardship? What is a more profound consideration, that men stand in need of what God has provided, or that Jesus has delivered His goods to us, and holds us responsible for handling them faithfully?
Has not Jesus and the apostles spoken to the matter of unfaithful stewards and servants? Is there any informed soul that remains unaware of what He has said?
☛ The Parable of the talents. “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed . . . And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mat 25:26,30).
☛ The removal of the stewardship from Israel because of their unfaithfulness. “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matt 21:43).
☛ Defiling the temple of God. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor 3:17).
☛ The unwavering requirement of a steward. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor 4:2).
☛ The parable of the rich man’s steward. “And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward” (Luke 16:2).
This casts a different light on “the ministry,” than is ordinarily perceived. Contrary to current trends, Jesus did not sent out ministers, preachers, or teachers to start churches, build big congregations, or establish neighborhood ministries. He has no interest in building visible institutions. He did that in the nation of Israel, giving them a good law, impressive ceremonies, illustrious kings, and their own land. Within the framework of the covenant given to Israel God confirmed that no person can be changed, or made acceptable to God, through such an arrangement. Instead of progression there was only degradation. Instead of conformity to God’s thoughts and ways taking place, a larger gap was formed between man’s thoughts and ways and those of God. Jesus did not come to patch up that system, but to usher in the true covenant through which the purpose of God could be realized.
Paul knew what God is doing in Christ Jesus, and of the higher order of intelligences that are being instructed of God’s manifold wisdom “through the church.” He also was keenly aware of the response of the One who commissioned him to unfaithfulness. He had no interest in human institutions, for he knew they all would be ground to powder by the kingdom of Christ – religious or not. He knew that the Divine agenda remains the same as the one introduced by John the Baptist: “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17).
And what if this does not happen? What if there is a minister who, standing before the Lord with those to whom he has ministered, finds that they are not “prepared for the Lord?” Will such a man be applauded by the Lord? Is there a person of sound mind in all of the world who would concede to such a possibility? With that scenario in mind, read again the words of the apostle: “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.”
All of this presumes that faithful ministers have something to say – and it is primarily the Gospel of Christ, which is God’s “power unto salvation” – salvation in all of its various facets and implications (Rom 1:16). At some point, every other valid word dove-tails with that Gospel. Such men, when they consider the time that “we all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ,” will experience being motivated by “the terror of the Lord.” Because it is actually the truth that all men will give an account of their stewardship, the remembrance of this will produce a sober mind and the fear of the Lord. This is owing to the working of the Holy Spirit, who uses the truth to produce proper motivations, good character, and strong confidence.
It is the Spirit Himself that, using the declaration of truth, causes “the terror of the Lord” to come upon us – the fear of not pleasing the Lord, or coming short of His expectations. This is not a cringing fear that causes us to cease to work, but a cleansing fear (Psa 19:9) which moves us to labor acceptably.
In view of these things, several considerations are in order.
☛ The person who labors for the Lord must not let his eyes rest upon the people to whom he ministers. He must minister with the Lord in view.
☛ The practice of preaching “canned sermons,” borrowing from other preachers who have been effective, must be mingled with insight and the fear of the Lord, else it is wrong.
☛ Once a person has been given to see any aspect of the truth, he is under solemn obligation to declare it – just as surely as Paul was responsible to declare the extensive visions and revelations that he received.
☛ If those to whom a person speaks refuse to hear the things he has been given to see and hear, the time has come for that person to leave.
☛ It is a sin of great magnitude to modify your message to suit the interests of unspiritual people.
☛ If we will be held accountable for properly handling what God has given us to see, then how we declare it, and the people to whom it is declared, become critical factors.
☛ If the individual has not received something from the Lord, it is out of order to attempt to labor in His vineyard.
☛ There is no form of worldly wisdom, religious or otherwise, that can cause a person to comprehend the Word of God. That is something that comes from God alone.
☛ Spiritual comprehension, or understanding, has remarkable personal benefits. We will, however, be held accountable for how we used that understanding.
While they are only introductory, these few observations help to clarify why Paul was motivated by “the terror of the Lord.” When a person is brought into the “heavenly places” (Eph 2:6), made a “partaker of the Divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4), and given “spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9), he has entered the domain of ultimate accountability. All of these experiences are matters of stewardship – things that have, by the grace of God, been given to us. The preeminent requirement of a steward is to be faithful (1 Cor 4:2). The “terror of the Lord” will contribute significantly to causing that faithfulness to be realized.
ONE FINAL WORD
One of the evidences of the spiritually depraved times in which we live is found in the area of, what is called, “evangelism.” While it has a holy sound, it is presented in a manner that conflicts with the tenure of Scripture and the nature of the New Covenant. Because this view is so cherished, I approach it with caution.
The scenario goes something like this.
☛ The whole world is lost.
☛ Most of the world has never heard about Jesus.
☛ If we do not take the Gospel to them, the people will die and go to hell.
☛ The blood of these people will be upon our hands.
☛ Jesus commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.
☛ If we do not do so, they will be lost, and we will be judged.
☛ Evangelism and missions is the most important work of the church, and we had better be doing it.
To be sure, there is truth in most all of these statements. However, the question I am raising is whether or not this is the proper way to motivate the people of God. Is there a solitary place in all of Scripture where the saints were addressed in such a manner? Is there any place where the church was ever addressed on the subject of “evangelism” and their obligation to get the job done? If such a text or word exists, then we need to hear it, and do away with the reasoning of mere men.
Yet, I show unto you a more excellent way – a way that has been revealed. It is in our text, and tells of a higher motive to faithfulness – a moltive that honors God and edifies saints.
☛ God has shined light into the hearts of His people.
☛ He has distributed to each of them grace and gifts that are appropriate to their calling and position in the body of Christ.
☛ Each person is responsible to handle what God has given him as a faithful steward “of the grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10).
☛ We are not responsible for the world, but for our stewardship.
☛ We will not give an account for the world, but for our stewardship.
☛ Duly considered, that time of accountability will cause a certain “terror” to come upon us – a dread of not being found faithful.
☛ That “terror” will powerfully motivate us to engage in sanctified efforts, using the truth we have been given to see.
☛ God will work through such efforts to accomplish “His will” – which is the preeminent “will” throughout the whole of His work and kingdom.
☛
WE PERSUADE MEN
“ 11b . . . we persuade men . . . ” Other versions read, “we try to persuade men,” NIV “we try to persuade others,” NRSV “we put these things before men,” BBE “we use persuasion to men,” DOUAY “we try to win people over,” NJB “we work so hard to persuade others,” NLT and “we are endeavoring to win people over,” WEYMOUTH “we week to win people over [to persuade them].” AMPLIFIED
The word “persuade” comes from the Greek word pei,qomen (pie-tho-men), which means “to persuade, to induce one by words to believe, to cause belief in a thing, move or induce one by persuasion to do something,” THAYER “to convince,” FRIBERG “to convince someone to believe something and to act on the basis of what is recommended,” LOUW-NIDA and “to prevail upon, to win over.” L.IDDELL-SCOTT
Here is an aggressive word – “persuaded men.” It does not say “teach men,” but “persuade men.” It does not refer to “preaching to men,” but “persuading men.” Persuading involves convincing, moving men into ordained action, pleading, and urging. Persuasion includes compelling people, prevailing upon them, and bringing them around to the Divine way of thinking.
This is something that cannot be achieved mechanically, or by means or a certain intellectual regimen. The person who is doing the persuading must have something more than a routine in his teaching arsenal. He must have some spiritual insight, full assurance, and a holy boldness. The persuader cannot be unsure of himself, or uncertain of the facts. His aim cannot be to merely perpetuate a certain sect, or a certain kind of theological thought. He can have no mind to simply promote a movement, or enlarge a body of people. He must be motivated from within, being convinced of the realities of which he speaks. The Lord works within the sphere of discernment.
In addition to these obvious requirements, the one who persuades must have a sense of the Source of his message, and of his accountability to that Source. This awareness will relieve him of all casualness, which is the dreaded twin of erudition.
Examples of Persuading
The manner and fervency of godly persuasion is seen in Paul’s reasoning with Festus in the presence of Agrippa. “And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds” (Acts 26:29).
Again, when Paul and Barnabas spoke to some inquiring Gentiles, it is written, “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43).
When Paul “reasoned” in the synagogue in Corinth, it is written, “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (Acts 18:4).
In Ephesus, Paul “went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).
Compelling People
In a parable of God’s provision of salvation, Jesus spoke of a “certain man” who “made a great supper and bade many.” When the supper was fully prepared, the man sent a servant to say to those who were invited, “Come; for all things are now ready.” Those who were invited declined the invitation, saying they had other more pressing needs to fulfill. The report of their refusal to come angered the lord of that servant. He commanded his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” Having done this, the servant reported, “Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.” The Lord then said to that servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). That “compelling” was another view of persuasion (Luke 14:16-23).
REASONING
Persuasion involves reasoning, and reasoning – spiritual reasoning – requires both understanding and personal incentive. No person can reason on “the things of the Spirit of God” (Rom 8:5) who does not believe and comprehend them. Neither, indeed, can valid reasoning be based upon a sectarian theology, the wisdom of men, or an historical theological position.
Reasoning is not an end of itself. It must lead to a sound and sustained conclusion. Prior to Christ’s enthronement, there were times when the disciples’ reasoning was not proper (Matt 16:7–8; Luke 9:46). Christ’s enemies were also noted for erroneous reasoning (Matt 21:25; Mk 2:6-8). In order for reasoning to be sound, it must be based upon the entire spectrum of truth. By way of example, “truth” includes Divine affirmations – i.,e. The Gospel of Christ, and reality of sin, and other Kingdom realities. It also includes the promises of God – unalterable Divine commitments. There is also the coming judgment of all men, and appointment that cannot possibly be avoided.
Faith produces a certain confident understanding of these things, so that they are not doubted. That understanding is confirmed in the deliberate shaping of a person’s life around these things.
Once understood, or comprehended, the implication of the truth is seen. That is, we are able to draw logical and proper conclusions from them. For example, if the Gospel is believed, it at once becomes apparent that it ought to be obeyed. If the promises are believed, it becomes clear that they must be embraced, and any conditions attached to them satisfied. If the judgment is comprehended, it is clear that we ought to prepare for it. These are examples of the “implications” of the truth.
Armed with this kind of mind, good and sound reasoning can be employed. In reasoning, the truth is pressed upon the human spirit, moving the hearer to do something – to do what the truth demands must be done by men. In a manner of speaking, the hearer is forced to think upon the truth. In that process, the Holy Spirit begins to exert a convicting influence upon the hearer as Jesus said He would (John 16:8-11).
There are examples of reasoning in Scripture that confirm this is the manner of the kingdom.
☛ It is said of Paul, “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures” (Acts 17:2).
☛ Again it is said of Paul in Corinth, “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (Acts 18:4).
☛ In Ephesus, Paul did the same. “And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:19).
☛ When Paul spoke to Felix, he did so with reasoning. “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25).
Thus men were not “persuaded” with mere threats, but with reasoning – sound spiritual reasoning.
Persuasion is not a sales technique, or a soul-winning or counseling procedure. The persuasion of our text requires that the things affirmed by the Lord in Scripture put before men by someone who comprehends them. Again this persuasion is not based upon the threat of being sent to hell if the person does not respond to the message of the Gospel – although that assessment is altogether a proper one. Here, the persuasion is the result of the preacher’s fear of standing empty-handed and unfaithful before the Lord.
It is no wonder that those who labor in the kingdom are solemnly told, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (1 Cor 3:10). And again, “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor 3:17).
Today we are faced with an amazingly large “Christian” community that is sorely lacking in understanding, persuasion, and commitment. Anyone and everyone, of even the smallest degree of understanding, knows that the number of people within the church who are woefully deficient is staggering in size. Multitudes of programs, workshops, conventions, and the likes have proliferated throughout the church world in an effort to supposedly retrieve these poor souls, or induce some kind of recovery. While we are by no means set to oppose such efforts, there are some questions that need to be asked.
“How is it that this mass of people were produced?” “What kind of “gospel” did they embrace?” “What miserable “worker” put them on the foundation of the holy and consistent Christ?” “What schools trained these preachers and teachers.” “What literature was their source of information?” “Who authored the programs that they promoted?” “What kind of reasoning was set before them?” “What was the food with which they were fed, and why was it given to them?” It is in order for the people of God to demand an answer to questions of this order.
Bad fruit always comes from a bad tree for, as Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matt 7:18). It is time for the professing church to purge itself of preachers and teachers under which spiritual stability and persuasion are not being realized. We cannot be blessed and, in our ministries, fall short of His objectives.
MADE MANIFEST UNTO GOD
“ 11c . . . but we are made manifest unto God . . . ”
Paul has testified concerning his motivation – what compelled him to “persuade men.” Being a man of truth, he is not willing to let the matter rest with his own testimony. True hearts are confirmed by their message and manner. He will therefore affirm that both God and man bear witness to the truth of his testimony. Concerning valid kingdom labors it is written, “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men” (Rom 14:18). Again it is written, “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor 4:2). Again, this two-sided view of the labor of love is described: “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Cor 8:21).
The particular focus here will be how Paul appears before God Himself. It is an elaboration “the terror of the Lord” – i.e. Paul has considered his own appearance before the Lord, and it has moved him to so labor as to gain God’s approval before that day comes.
BUT WE
“ . . . but we . . . ” Other versions read, “What we are,” NIV “but we ourselves,” NRSV “but have been,” DARBY “and we,” GENEVA “what I am,” MONTGOMERY and “but what sort of persons we are.” AMPLIFIED
The word “but” is not one of contrast, but of confirmation. Paul is saying that what he has said of himself is validated before others. The expression “but we” means the real “us” – “we ourselves.” Thus the AMPLIFIED BIBLE reads, “But what sort of persons we are.”
ARE MADE MANIFEST
“ . . . are made manifest . . . ” Other versions read, “are well known,” NKJV “is plain,” NIV “sees our hearts,” BBE “ are clearly apparent,” NAB “knows our hearts,” LIVING “knows all about us,” IE “what our motives are,” WEYMOUTH “are perfectly known,” ISV “my inner self is perfectly known,” WILLIAMS “what sort of persons we are is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood,” AMPLIFIED and “utterly plain.” PHILLIPS
This is not theological jargon, or the spouting of a tenet of some sectarian dogma. Paul speaks of himself without any cultural or scholastic veneer – “my inner self.” WILIAMS He has even been speaking about what prompts him – “what our motives are.” WEYMOUTH What he preaches is clear – without guile, pretension, or a secret agenda. What he says is clear, and why he says it is unvarnished.
Now he says that he himself is “manifest,” which means his message and the manner in which it was delivered were in perfect comportment with who he was. He did not depart from his character when he preached. Here, however, he takes this manifestation down to its very root. He moved beyond himself, and beyond those to whom, he writes.
UNTO GOD
“ . . . unto God . . . ” Other versions read, “God sees,” BBE “But God sees us,” NJB “God knows we are sincere,” NLT and “God recognizes.” WEYMOUTH
It is easy enough to establish that God sees everything, and knows all about us. In fact, this is a frequent emphasis of the Holy Spirit.
☛ “ . . . for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7).
☛ “ . . . for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts . . . ” (1 Chron 28:9).
☛ “Then hear Thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest; (for Thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men)” (2 Chr 6:30).
☛ “ . . . for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins” (Psa 7:9).
☛ “Shall not God search this out? for He knoweth the secrets of the heart” (Psa 44:21).
☛ “Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance” (Psa 90:8).
☛ “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Prov 15:3).
☛ “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl 12:14).
☛ “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer 17:10).
☛ “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13).
☛ “ . . . I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev 2:23).
It is one thing to know the truth. It is quite another thing to consistently live, think, and work with it in view. All who have a working acquaintance with Scripture know that it affirms God’s constant and penetrating awareness about man, and everything within him. There can be no question about this.
In this text Paul is unveiling how the newness of life impacts upon preaching and teaching. What he preaches, and why he preaches it, is consciously within an acute awareness of the perusing eye of God Himself. While he speaks to men, Paul also speaks before God. While he seeks to influence men, he also seeks to please God. He never takes the Word of God further than it is intended to go, and never comes short of delivering what God intends for it to say.
Paul not only knows that everything is manifest, or made known to God, he deliberately structures his life around that knowledge.
This is not a posture that can be taught by men. It is the result having a love of the truth (2 Thess 2:10), walking in the truth (3 John 1:4), and personally seeking to have “the truth itself” speak well of the individual (3 John 1:12). One must be in “fellowship” with Christ (1 Cor 1:9) in order to be conscious of His all-seeing eye. It is imperative that we “walk in the light” if we are to be advantaged by it (1 John 1:7). In order for a valid ministry to be carried out, it must be motivated by this perception and conviction: “Therefore, being conscious of fearing the Lord with respect and reverence, we seek to win people over [to persuade them]. But what sort of persons we are is plainly recognized and thoroughly understood by God.” AMPLIFIED God does, in fact, know “what sort of persons we are.”
A pure heart reckons on that fact, and seeks to persuade men within the framework of that motivating awareness. This brings a power to preaching that is unique.
ALSO MANIFEST IN YOUR CONSCIENCES
“ 11d . . . and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
The manner in which Paul is speaking has a strange sound to it. That strangeness, however, is not owing to the nature or spirit of his words. Rather, it is the religious environment in which we are living that causes such words to appear foreign. They just do not fit into the Christian culture of our day.
This circumstance has been created by an institutional thrust, as contrasted with a spiritual one. For example, a career oriented minister could never speak as Paul does in our text. The knowledge that God knows everything about us has no bearing whatsoever upon a religious career. In fact, it can even interfere with such an objective. Also, when a person is attempting to build an institution, strengthen a religious movement, or bring a mega-church into being, what God thinks about it all will not be a constant consideration. There is something inherent in the human nature that senses God is not that interested in advancing careers and institutions. That kind of intuition is precisely what has driven men to create special “career paths,” and ways in which a “successful church” can be built. Those who create these means to the realization of purely human goals are never noted for their handling of the Scripture. Their insights into the person of Christ and His great salvation are never – I say NEVER – their strong point. The Gospel of Christ is not made clear by such individuals, nor matters that pertain to life after death – like the resurrection, eternal judgment, the punishment of the wicked, the rewarding of the righteous, reigning with Christ, etc. These conditions exist because the truth of God cannot be poured into institutional wineskins. They cannot contain it. It will break them all apart, creating institutional confusion. Mere human organization and the truth of God cannot be tied together.
These circumstances, and more, account for the strange sound that is found in these words. Notwithstanding, those who have “received the love of the truth” (2 Thess 2:10) will be drawn to them. If they maintain that “love,” these matters will become plain to them.
I TRUST ALSO
“ . . . and I trust also . . . ” Other versions read, “and I hope that,” NASB “and I hope that,” NRSV “it is my hope that,” BBE “And I trust also that,” DOUAY and “I hope we are also.” NAU
Notice the unguarded way in which the Apostle speaks. He is opening his heart to the people, and in a very apparent manner. He tells them what he is desiring within. Here, the word “trust” means “in the sense of counting on something.” FRIBERG We might say the following is something that Paul was