How To Stand When Misunderstood (part 3): Conduct In The World
- Get link
- Other Apps
When the Apostle Paul was misunderstood, he did not plant his feet, grind his teeth and fight his opposers; rather, he spoke the truth with confident joy. “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.” [2Co 1:12 ESV]
Paul appeals to “conscience” (con = with; science = knowledge) the sense of right and wrong that God put within each person. While some may debate particulars of exactly “what” is right and wrong, we cannot miss the fact that the debate itself proves we have a concept of “right” and “wrong.” Paul’s confidence in the face of misunderstanding is that He knows how God sees His heart. His joy lies in the fact that God’s got his six!
He says, “we [act in a rejoicing manner] because of the way we conduct ourselves in the world”
We too can have a clear conscience in the way we minister in a world of disguises and fakes--we are opposite of the world; therefore we first conduct ourselves in the world with simplicity, honesty; that is, of “one purpose” that is not self-serving. Our Commission from Jesus is to go into all the world with the gospel. We have no hidden agenda. As Jesus calls people out of the kingdom of darkness and into His marvellous light, He builds His church into a living body, a fellowship so we can boast in the fact that we’re not doing ministry for money or fame but out of obedience to Lord Jesus Christ. This is a good reason to give away money because the world perceives the church as takers, not givers.
We conduct ourselves in the world in godly sincerity. What does he mean by “godly sincerity?” There are two approaches to understanding what Paul means here: “sin-cere” means “without wax” (Latin). This is a plausible explanation, but Paul wrote in Greek, not Latin. The word Paul uses here is found only 3x in all scripture, and each occurrence in found in Corinthians (1 Cor 5:8; 2 Cor 1:12 and 2:17). Literally the word means, “on the breathing.” Paul communicates that we conduct ourselves the way God intends, by the Holy Spirit and in truth. When we go into all the world with godly sincerity our gospel is pure, uncorrupt. There No lies in our teaching, unmixed but God-sent.
Finally, we conduct ourselves in the world not with fleshly wisdom. Paul says, “we did not plan this.” Our ministry is God’s doing--any sane person knows you can’t make this stuff up! Remember Paul’s story: his plan was to kill! The implication from Paul is, “hey, if I were working according to fleshly wisdom, we would not be having this conversation and you would be dead at my hand!” Rather, we conduct ourselves in the world by [in] the grace of God. This is the vehicle that moved us around. It is God’s grace that brings salvation to all men.
Paul appeals to “conscience” (con = with; science = knowledge) the sense of right and wrong that God put within each person. While some may debate particulars of exactly “what” is right and wrong, we cannot miss the fact that the debate itself proves we have a concept of “right” and “wrong.” Paul’s confidence in the face of misunderstanding is that He knows how God sees His heart. His joy lies in the fact that God’s got his six!
He says, “we [act in a rejoicing manner] because of the way we conduct ourselves in the world”
We too can have a clear conscience in the way we minister in a world of disguises and fakes--we are opposite of the world; therefore we first conduct ourselves in the world with simplicity, honesty; that is, of “one purpose” that is not self-serving. Our Commission from Jesus is to go into all the world with the gospel. We have no hidden agenda. As Jesus calls people out of the kingdom of darkness and into His marvellous light, He builds His church into a living body, a fellowship so we can boast in the fact that we’re not doing ministry for money or fame but out of obedience to Lord Jesus Christ. This is a good reason to give away money because the world perceives the church as takers, not givers.
We conduct ourselves in the world in godly sincerity. What does he mean by “godly sincerity?” There are two approaches to understanding what Paul means here: “sin-cere” means “without wax” (Latin). This is a plausible explanation, but Paul wrote in Greek, not Latin. The word Paul uses here is found only 3x in all scripture, and each occurrence in found in Corinthians (1 Cor 5:8; 2 Cor 1:12 and 2:17). Literally the word means, “on the breathing.” Paul communicates that we conduct ourselves the way God intends, by the Holy Spirit and in truth. When we go into all the world with godly sincerity our gospel is pure, uncorrupt. There No lies in our teaching, unmixed but God-sent.
Finally, we conduct ourselves in the world not with fleshly wisdom. Paul says, “we did not plan this.” Our ministry is God’s doing--any sane person knows you can’t make this stuff up! Remember Paul’s story: his plan was to kill! The implication from Paul is, “hey, if I were working according to fleshly wisdom, we would not be having this conversation and you would be dead at my hand!” Rather, we conduct ourselves in the world by [in] the grace of God. This is the vehicle that moved us around. It is God’s grace that brings salvation to all men.
Popular posts from this blog
“Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?”
July 2004 I went to Kenya, Africa to speak in two Pastor’s Conferences on the subject of Man, Sin and Salvation. At the end of each day I left just over an hour for questions (half the time were questions touching the subject of my lectures, and the other half for “open questions”; that is, people could ask anything). For the next few weeks, I will be sharing the questions that were asked of me, and my answers—and believe me when I say these people really know how to think! Question from Kenya #1: “Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?” [“ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! ’” (Exodus 33:20) was the basis of the student’s question]. Answer: First, consider those who did see God—how did they respond when they saw Him? They were instantly aware of their sinfulness, and God’s holiness and righteousness (to name a few. And notice also that each responded in an attitude of worship, bowing down): Abraham built altars, wors
A Sonnet
“My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee, Wherewith whole shoals of martyrs once did burn, Besides their other flames? Doth poetry Wear Venus' livery? only serve her turn? Why are not sonnets made of thee? and lays Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Outstrip their Cupid easily in flight? Or, since thy ways are deep, and still the fame, Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose Than that, which one day, worms may chance refuse. Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of ink; for, as the Deluge did Cover the earth, so doth thy Majesty: Each cloud distills thy praise, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use. Roses and lilies speak thee; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abuse Why should I women's eyes for crystal take? Such poor invention burns in their low mind Wh
Welcome, May!
The past few weeks have been stressful. Training new employees, dealing with difficult customers, not sleeping well, not exercising (I’ve gained 20 pounds in the last two years), getting through family drama (two life-threatening events in the same day, 2000 miles apart: my dad’s heart attack in NM and a 9 year grandchild starting the rest of his life with Type 1 Diabetes) . . . My CrossFit lifestyle withered into oblivion when I lost my job at the University in 2020, as Covid got going. Deep depression brought me to a standstill as I took a few months to try to reset. Since then, my physical status has been on steady decline. Now my daily schedule looks something like this: Work 3-11 pm (on a good day), Go to bed at 4 am, get up between 10:30 am and noon, get booted up and go back to work. If I get one day off a week I’m fortunate. At least I don’t have to work all night for now. That was the worst. So I haven’t had time or energy to do much, even read, much less write. And since my