Would you turn with me to 2 Corinthians
chapter 6. I have entitled this message. That
the ministry. Be not blamed. Look in verse
three, giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not. Blamed. Now, before I read the
rest of this passage of scripture, I want to remind you of something
very important. When Paul is talking about the
ministry, he's not talking about a clergy laity. He's not making
a distinction between the preachers of the gospel and the other members
of the church. He's talking about all believers. You are in the ministry just
as much as I am. I may be the pastor, but all
of God's people are in the ministry. The Bible does not recognize
a clergy and a laity. All believers are in the ministry.
So remember when it's saying, give not offense in anything
that the ministry be not blamed. I'm just talking about the conduct
of preachers. It's talking about every believer. Now, let's read this passage
of Scripture together. Paul says in verse 3, I want to read from
verses 3 through 10, he says, giving no offense in anything
that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving or
commending ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience. in afflictions, in necessities,
in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumult or riots,
in labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by
long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of
righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and
dishonor, 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 always
rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing,
and yet possessing all things. Giving no offense in anything
that the ministry be not blamed." Now, the ministry he's referring
to is stated in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 6, where he said he
had made us able ministers of the New Testament. He's talking
about the ministry of the New Testament, the ministry of grace. as opposed to the Old Testament
works, the ministry of Christ, the ministry of mercy, the ministry
of how God saves sinners by the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the
ministry he's speaking of, the ministry of the New Testament.
He's not talking about ministers. You know, sometimes people, preachers,
identify themselves as ministers of the gospel. Well, I suppose
we are. All of God's people are ministers
of the gospel. The ministry he's speaking of
is not confined to preachers. He's talking about the ministry
of the New Testament, of which every believer is involved. If you're a believer, you are
a minister of the New Testament. Now, he says, give no offense
in anything that the ministry be not blamed. Now, the word
offense is a cause of stumbling. He says, give no offense in anything. Don't give anybody a reason to
speak against the gospel we believe because of our conduct or because
of our attitude. When people hear the message
of the New Testament, the message of grace They're going to look
at the ones who present the message. Now, I was thinking if I were
the Lord, probably what I would have done. So obviously, it's
not the right thing to do, but I'm just trying to be honest.
I would think if I was the Lord, I would have an angel or a cherubim
or something come down and preach. I mean, supernaturally here,
he'd come down this big, giant creature and he'd be preaching
and everybody know this must be true if he's preaching it.
The Lord doesn't use that kind of means. He uses men. Men who have been saved by the
message, preaching the message. Now, a man is the one who comes
and preaches the gospel. And the way a man is received
depends in many respects on the conviction of his hearers The
people that listen to him, they're going to have to have a conviction
of his sincerity. Of his integrity and the purity
of his motives. And this is a source of power
of which no amount of talent or learning can compensate. And
don't misunderstand me. I don't want to be taken wrong,
but I need to say this. Who says a thing? in some respects is
as important as what is said. Think about that. Who says a
thing is in some respects as important as what is said. Let's say a preacher calls on
you to give, but he doesn't give. Can you really respect him? He
calls on you to suffer for Christ's sake, but he doesn't. Can you
really respect him? He calls on you to not compromise,
but he does. You see, there's an emptiness
to his exhortations that can be felt, isn't there? If I'm going to hear somebody
tell the truth, if I'm going to listen to a man, or if I'm
going to listen to anybody, I'm not just talking about preachers,
it's got to be somebody who really believes. Somebody who is sold
out to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I don't want to hear anything
they have to say if they're not, if it's just rhetoric, if it's
just words. And Paul is saying, by the grace
of God, I'm not going to give anybody any ammunition for objections
to the gospel because of my character. because of my conduct. Now, this is to be the aim of
all of God's children, giving no offense in anything that the
ministry be not blamed, that people won't blame the New Testament. Verse 4, But in all things approving
or commending ourselves as the ministers of God. And notice
he said, in all things, not in 99% of the things, but in all
things, we are to commend ourselves as the ministers of God. Somebody
says, well, I'm faithful in every area, but honesty. Or I'm faithful
in every area, but adultery. I have problems with that. I'm
faithful in every area, but murder. I'm a good spouse, but I'm a
bad parent. I'm a good parent, but I'm a
rotten employee. The Lord said in Luke chapter
16, verse 10, he that's faithful in that which is least is faithful
also in that which is much. And he that's unjust in that
which is least is also unjust in that which is much. As a matter
of fact, rather than quote it, I quoted it right, but I want
you to look at it with me. Luke chapter 16. Would you turn there
for a moment? These are the words of the Lord. Verse 10. He that is faithful in that which
is least is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in
the least is unjust also in much. So Paul says to every believer,
giving no offense, no reason for scandal, no reason for stumbling,
giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed,
but in all things approving or commending ourselves as the ministers
of God. And then he goes on to name a
bunch of things. I'm just going to mention them
and say some things real briefly about them. First of all, he
says in much patience. And the word patience means an
abiding under. Patience is the fruit of faith. We're to run with patience. The race that is set before us,
we abide under him, believing that he is the cause behind everything. Now, if you believe he's the
cause, you're not going to get upset, are you? You're going
to have patience if you believe he's the cause. He's the cause.
He's the cause. You talk about secondary causes.
He's the cause. He's the first cause behind everything.
He is the cause. He's the cause of creation. He
spaked the world into existence. Nobody helped him. No secondary
causes. He caused it to take place. He's
the cause of providence. Everything that takes place,
takes place because he caused it, no matter what it is. Oh,
most especially, he's the cause of salvation. If I'm saved, it's
all his fault. He did it all. He is the cause. And when you remember this, you
don't get hysterical. Remember when Samuel said to
Eli, God's going to kill your two boys. Can you imagine how
traumatic that would be? Having two of your sons, God's
going to kill them? You know what Eli said? It's the Lord. Let him do what seemeth him good. In much patience, abiding under
in this patience, and really believing that God is the cause
of all things. And then next he says, in afflictions,
in troubles, In the world you shall have tribulation, but be
of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Now, I can't be giddy
and happy and laugh and smile about tribulations, but I can
be of good cheer throughout all of them, knowing that He's the
cause behind it, and that He brought the trial, He brought
the trouble, and I know from the Scriptures I'm supposed to
carry the joy to fall into trial. Our Lord said, be of good cheer.
Now, you're going to have these tribulations, no doubt. And this
is not saying you're giddy about it and laugh and deny the reality
of it. No, they're rough. But be of good cheer. I have
overcome the world. And next, he speaks of necessities.
In necessities. I tell you, this convenes you
as a true minister of the New Testament. You're needy. You
have great needs. I need, oh, I need him to forgive
me of my sins. I need His mercy. I need the
freeness of His grace, His favor. I need Him to hold on to me and
not let me go. I need Him to keep me. I need Him to blot out my sins.
I need Him to give me a new heart. I need Him to preserve me. I
need. Oh, I'm poor and needy. I'm always a man of necessities,
needs. And that's a place to be. That's
a good place to be, to need Him. I need Thee every hour, most
precious Lord. Oh, how I need Him. We look to
Him for our physical necessities. Give us this day our daily bread.
And we look to Him for our spiritual necessities. Forgive us of our
sins. Everything is covered by that.
We commend ourselves in our necessities. Are you a needy person? I am. I need Him. And then he speaks of distresses
in verse 4. In distresses, times of anguish,
pressure, the pressure of circumstances. It's real. It's real. I mean, somebody doesn't
have any stress in their life, doesn't have much of a life.
You know, stress is part of life, but God's in control of it. And
I want to glorify him in my distresses. Now, the next things look in
verse five, he says in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults. Now, these next three have to
do what happened as a result of preaching the gospel stripes,
imprisonments and riots. That's what happened to Paul
when he preached. Now, you think about this. He'd go someplace
and preach. They beat him. They were so infuriated with
what he had said, they'd beat him. They'd put him in jail or
there'd be a riot. That's the kind of reaction Paul
got to his preaching because he preached the truth. He preached
the gospel and the natural man hates the gospel. And if the
natural man is pleased, With the message I'm preaching, I'm
not preaching God's gospel. That's all there is to it. The
gospel is offensive to the natural man, and if people are happy
with what I'm saying, I'm not saying the truth. Now, I commend
myself in stripes and imprisonments and riots. He says that's a commendation
of the ministry. Now, preachers are so careful
not to offend people. And Paul was afraid of not offending
people in strife, in imprisonments, and in riots. If our gospel is
accepted by the world, we are failing to commend ourselves
as the true ministers of God. One of the signs of God's blessing
is opposition. Not patty on the back, but opposition. And then next he says in verse
5, in labors, in watchings, and in fastings, in labors, the ministries
of work. I'm not just talking about preaching.
I work hard preaching. I mean, I work hard as far as
studying, preparing, seeking the Lord, praying, asking. I
work hard. I do. Every believer, the ministry
is a work. It's a labor of love. It's a
labor of faith. But it's a labor. If there's
not a labor involved, if there's not effort involved, it's not
real. He says we commend ourselves in our labors. And then he speaks
of watchings and fastings. Watchings is literally sleeplessness.
Waiting on the Lord is what it means. Waiting on the Lord. And fasting. The Lord didn't
say if you fast. He said when you fast. You know
when you're really burdened over something, give yourself to prayer
and to fasting. The Lord says that. Somebody
says, is that a requirement? Don't talk like that. What about
people that have problems getting sick if they don't eat? Well,
then don't fast. But the Lord did say, when they
said, how come we couldn't cast this demon out? He said, this
kind cometh not forth but by prayer and what? Fasting. And he says this commends us
as ministers of God and this thing of fasting. Don't be telling
anybody if you fast don't let anybody know about it because
you didn't fast if you did. If one person finds out about
it, you were fasting to be seen of men. I mean not one person.
Don't let anybody know about it. But he says we commend ourselves
as the ministers of God in labors, in watchings, and in fastings. Look in verse 6. By pureness. by knowledge, by
longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. Now, this is a commendation of
the ministry about pureness. Now, I don't have any doubt that
when he's talking about this pureness, he's talking about
that pure heart that every believer has. Blessed are the pure in
heart. Now, we have a filthy heart,
a heart filled with iniquities, a natural heart, but God has
given us a new heart that was not there before he gave it to
us. And now we have a pure heart that makes us believe pure grace.
It's unmixed, uncontaminated. I believe in pure grace. grace
from the beginning and God's divine election throughout all
the way to the end. Salvation is by grace. Pure grace. We have a pure faith. Christ
only. Not Christ and anything. Christ only. We have a pure motive. His glory. By purity. By pureness. Next he says, by
knowledge. By knowledge. You're one of the
things I love In the Scriptures, where we read it, and we know. And we know. I love the confidence
he speaks with. We know. Somebody says, I don't
know that, but I do. I do. You may not. That's OK.
But I do. We know. That's the language of a believer.
We know. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who call according
to His purpose. Knowledge. Now, I'm not saved
by my knowledge. I'm saved by His knowledge of
me. You know, when I talk about my
knowledge, we know nothing as we ought to know, and we don't
have a full grasp of anything, do we? Not really. I mean, these
things are believed, but not understood. Do you understand
the Trinity? Well, I know. Do you understand the mysteries
of union with Christ? I believe them, but I don't want
to understand them. They're so mysterious and awesome,
they can't so much be understood but believed. But I know them.
God revealed them in his word. I know that the Bible is God's
word. I know it is. Somebody says,
I don't agree with that. Really, that's all right. I know
it is. I know that God is. I know he's
the God of all things. He's God. And I know that I'm
a sinner. You know, when I was reading
that passage of Scripture, 1 Timothy 1, 15, Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief. I was so
thankful to hear that once again, because I can put myself in that
group. He came to save me. I know I needed grace. I know Christ is all I've got.
I know, I know the only hope, I know this, the only hope I
have is that who Christ is and what he did is enough to save
me and I don't need anything else. I know that. Paul said,
brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that
they might be saved. I bear record that heaven is
the evil of God, but it's not according to what? Knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
Listen, a commendation of the New Testament is knowledge. And
I'm not talking about correct data. When you really know something,
that means you love it. They receive the love of the
truth. It's not just knowing the right
stuff. I know you know salvations by grace. Do you love salvations
by grace? The love of the truth by knowledge. And the next thing he says in
verse six is by long suffering. The fruit of the Holy Spirit
is long suffering now. God's long suffering. He's long
suffering to you, isn't he? And the scripture says long suffering
of the Lord is salvation. You think of how long suffering
the Lord is. I think of how long suffering
the Lord is with me. I wouldn't put up with me. He's so long-suffering,
and God giving me the grace to see that I can be long-suffering,
long-tempered toward you. You know, you're long-suffering
to people that you love, aren't you? You'll put up with a lot. You're
long-tempered, not quick-tempered, but long-tempered. Now, this
is a commendation of the ministry. Long-suffering. And then he says
next in verse 6, by kindness, graciousness. An easy, merciful person. You see, grace causes graciousness. And if what I believe had made
me a gracious, merciful and kind person, I don't really believe
it. Now, you can just write that down. Kindness, love is kind,
and then he says by the Holy Ghost. Now, this is where pureness,
knowledge, long suffering and kindness come from the Holy Spirit. God, the Holy Spirit, I'm so
dependent upon God, the Holy Spirit. We talk about the ministry
of the New Testament. It's the ministry of the Spirit,
not of the letter, but of the Spirit. It's God, the Holy Spirit,
who gives me this new heart and all the things that I'm speaking
of. I mean, these things are above the flesh, aren't they?
I mean, they're just above the strength and energy of the flesh.
They come by the Holy Spirit. And then he says in verse six,
by love, unfamed, love without hypocrisy, love that's not an
act, a true love to God as He's revealed in His Word. You can't
love God and not love His sovereignty. You can't love God and not love
His holiness. You can't love God and not love His justice.
You can't love God and not love His grace. We love God as He's
revealed in His Word, and it's not an act. It's not an act. This is what God recognizes.
It's not an act. And a true love to his people. I am a lover of everybody that
loves Jesus Christ, my Lord. I love him. It's real love unfeigned. I really do. I mean, the Lord
knows whether that's true, but I really do. And then he says
in verse seven, this is remember, this is the commendation of the
ministry of the New Testament by the word of truth. Now, here's what commends a man
as a minister of God, the word of truth. Now, what is the word
of truth? It's the gospel. Ephesians 1.13 says, In whom
you trusted after that you heard the word of truth, the word of
the gospel of your salvation. Now, that's what the word of
truth is. It's not words. It's the word of truth, which
is nothing less than the gospel of salvation. Have not, say sinners,
by Christ. Matthew 1.21 says, I shall call
his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins
by the word of truth. By the power of God is what he
says next in verse 7. By the power of God, the kingdom
of God is not in word, but in power. Now, I think of the power
of God. It was the power of God to put
away my sin. Nothing less than almighty power
could put away my sin. It was the almighty power of
God, the same power that was exerted in raising Christ from
the dead, that gave me spiritual life. I'm kept by the power of
God. The fact that I've persevered
up to this point is because of the mighty power of God. And
oh, beloved, when I stand in judgment, accepted by God, perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ, it's going to be because of the
mighty power of God. The kingdom of God is not in
word, but in power. He says next, in verse 7, by
the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. When people talk about righteousness,
they're thinking righteous living. Now, righteous living is a good
thing. I'm not saying anything against
that. But that's not what that's a
reference to. This is talking about the righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ. That's the righteousness of God.
That's my armor. That's my shield. That's my sword. That's my offense. That's my
defense. The righteousness and merits
of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's my life. That's my hope.
That's my message. The righteousness of God. The
righteousness of Christ on the right hand and on the left. That's
everything to a believer. His righteousness. I can't even express how Much
I love being saved by His righteousness. Because I know I don't have any.
I'm dead sure of that. And I'm so thankful for the righteousness
and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a combination
of our ministry. You know someone who's truly
in the New Testament, they're fanatics about the righteousness
of Christ. I'd love to have that laid to
my charge, wouldn't you? You're a fanatic about the righteousness
of Christ. Guilty as charged. I'd be glad
to be Accused of that, Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it's the power of God and the salvation to everyone
that believes, to the Jew first and also to the group. For therein
in the gospel is the righteousness of God revealed. He speaks of
the right, the arm of righteousness on the right hand and on the
left. Look in verse 8. My honor and dishonor. Honored by those who believe,
dishonored by those who do not. He says in verse 8, by evil report
and good report. Now this is the two responses
to the gospel we preach. Some hear the message of the
gospel and they say, that's evil. I don't like that. I don't find
any hope in that. I don't find any joy in that.
And somebody else hears the exact same message and says, that's
the best thing I've ever heard. That's good news. Thank God for
that. You see, there's only two responses
to the gospel, belief or unbelief, love or hatred. And if I'm preaching
the gospel, that's the way it's going to be by evil report and
by good report. Verse eight, as deceivers and
yet true, looked upon as deceivers, yet we're true. Verse 9, as unknown, a nobody, from nowhere, with
nothing, yet well known. God knows me. He knows my name. Well known
to God, and well known to His people. We love one another,
don't we? We may be nobodies to the world,
but that's okay. We're well-known to one another. As unknown, yet well-known, as
dying, and behold, we live. Paul said, I die daily. As dying. You see, we're called upon every
day to mortify and to crucify the flesh. Self-promotion, selfishness,
self-righteousness, self-whatever. Every day, I'm called upon to
stab it, and I'll wake up the next morning, and it's resurrected
itself, and I'm to stab it again. I mean, it's a continual thing. There's never a time when it's
not. You know, that old man is always there. That old man and
that old man is to continually be stabbed and put to death.
Paul said, I die daily. And you know, really, you only
live when you die. I die daily. As chastened, he
says in verse 9, and not killed. You see, whom the Lord loveth,
he chastens. I don't want to be chastened,
but I want to be chastened. Because whom the Lord loves, He chastens. I don't want the Lord to hide
His face from me. I don't want to feel like I'm put on a shelf.
I don't want to feel like I'm all by myself and the Lord's
quit speaking to me. I hate that. I can't stand it.
But I also want to be chastened because whom the Lord loves,
He chastens. And he scourges every son he
receives. In that sense, I want to be chastened.
I don't want to be left to myself. I want the Lord's hand to be
upon me. Verse 10, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Sorrowful. I got plenty of reasons to be
sorrowful. My sin. My unbelief. I could name a whole lot of reasons.
You could too. Things that grieve us. We're
sorrowful. Yet we always rejoice in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritually poor, that's a good
place to be. Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of God. Poor in purse, that's okay. You know, this health wealth
stuff is so ridiculous that religious prostitutes put out, it's not
real. That's poor, yet making many
rich. preaching the gospel, and I love
this last thing, as having nothing, yet possessing all things. I have nothing, no thing, to recommend
myself to God. Yet in Christ I have all things. Christ is all. Listen to me. I don't have anything
of myself. I have Christ. And that's not
the minimum entrance requirements. That's everything. I have all
things. I lack nothing. In Him dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete,
you are full in Him. I have nothing, yet I have all
things. Now, let's read this passage
of Scripture again with those brief comments on it. Paul says
in verse 3, and this is to every believer, giving no offense in
anything that the ministry, the New Testament, 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 labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by
knowledge by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost,
by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God,
by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the
left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report,
as deceivers, and yet as unknown and yet well known, as dying
and behold we live, as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful
yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having
nothing and yet possessing all things. May God make us able
ministers of the New Testament, giving no offense in anything
that the ministry be not blamed. Let's pray.