Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2
Honest ministry has nothing to hide because it only clearly shines the light of God’s truth everywhere to everyone. Those involved in shady, selfish enrichment in the guise of ministry cannot say this. They will not accomplish this. They cannot appeal to conscience nor to evaluation solely by what scripture teaches.
Commitment to God’s truth alone makes ministers of the gospel. The reformers captured this with the passion of “sola scriptura”. Some of them died for that commitment. Before them, in the clear teaching of this passage, the apostle Paul staked his apostolic foundation in the pages of God’s truth... and so should we. The open proclamation of God’s Word, untempered by human cleverness and untwisted by selfish promotion is the goal of all true, Christ-honoring, gospel ministry.
My prayer is that Christ will find me faithful to His Word when I stand before Him (sooner rather than later) to account for my life of pastoral service. I want the open statement of the truth to commend me to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. I shall live for my Lord, serve Christ, and die committed to the gospel alone.
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