Paul speaks today about the importance of living in such a way that the gospel he preaches is not discredited. I wonder how many people have turned away from learning anything about the Lord because they have been turned off by the conduct of some ministers of the gospel. Unfortunately, not everyone who claims to belong to Christ actually lives in a Christlike manner. There have been and probably still are ministers who aren't even Christians at all but are charlatans who are out for what they can get for themselves. It's unfair to Christ but He is quite often judged by the conduct of those who say they are His. Of course we will all make mistakes, and I think even unbelievers don't expect us to be perfect, but there is a difference between occasionally messing up and living in a state of unrepentant sin.
Our manner of living is judged by both Christians and non-Christians, but ministers of the gospel come under even greater scrutiny. Just think of the various scandals that have come out about some of the Protestant televangelists and megachurch pastors. Think of the scandals that have come out about some of the Catholic priests. Paul knows there are people who simply don't like his personality. Some don't enjoy his particular manner of speaking. Others find him quite unimpressive in looks. These are foolish reasons to discount the message he's preaching, but people's arbitrary opinions are something he can't do much about. What he can do something about is living in such a way that the gospel he preaches is not discredited. He can live in such a way that no one can criticize the message because of the messenger. He tells us today that he and the other apostles continually strive to live in a way that honors the gospel message.
"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited." (2 Corinthians 6:3) Paul is speaking here of ministers, but I think we can apply this verse to ourselves as well. We don't normally think of it this way, but our behavior as believers is capable of placing a stumbling block in the path of those who are interested in learning about the Lord. It's possible to offend these seekers so badly that they form a negative impression of the body of Christ as a whole. They may even lose interest in seeking Christ altogether.
"Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor; bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (2 Corinthians 6:4-10) Paul says, "Here are our credentials as ministers of the gospel! If we were not true servants of Christ, would we endure such things for His name?"
The Lord Jesus never said it would be easy to be His follower. Instead He said, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) Paul is telling the Corinthian believers that he and the other ministers are denying their own needs and wants in order to get the gospel to those who have never heard it. If they were living according to the flesh they'd say, "This work is too hard. I'm tired of being persecuted for the gospel. It hurts to be mistreated. I'm tired of losing sleep and missing meals while I serve others. I'm going to quit and go home." But the Spirit who lives within them says, "Jesus warned us that those who hate Him will hate us also. This cross gets heavy at times, but it's worth carrying it to save the souls of those who are perishing without the Lord. We love Jesus and we want everyone to know Him and love Him. This work is hard, and Satan buffets us on every side, but greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
"We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you." (2 Corinthians 6:11) Paul has told them the truth, both good and bad. First he preached the good news of the gospel to them, then later he had to write a letter (1 Corinthians) that chastised them for their worldly behavior. He had to scold them for clinging to some of their old ways after becoming new creatures in Christ. It would appear from the next line that some of the Corinthian believers think that because Paul has scolded them he doesn't really love them. It would also appear that Paul is not the only minister who took them to task for their behavior, since he uses the word "we". "We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us." (2 Corinthians 6:12) Paul protests, "We have not stopped loving you! We are not holding anything against you, but it seems that you are holding it against us that we spoke the truth to you in love. We could not claim to love you and not point out the harm you've been doing to yourselves. We love you as much as we always have. It is your affection for us that has decreased."
"As a fair exchange---I speak as to my children---open wide your hearts also." (2 Corinthians 6:13) Paul said in his first letter to the church that he thought of himself as a father to the believers at Corinth. As a father he has the responsibility to train them in the right way to live, and as a father he sometimes has to scold them for persisting in behavior they know is wrong. My parents used to scold me for wrong actions and bad attitudes, but I never doubted that they still loved me. Sometimes they had to discipline me with a spanking or a time-out or the removal of a privilege, but I knew they loved me as much as they always had. My love for them didn't decrease because they scolded me or disciplined me; I knew they were doing their jobs as parents. Paul asks his "children" at Corinth to regard him as they would a parent who only wants the best for them. He is doing his job as a parent, and they shouldn't resent him for it. Instead they ought to show him the same love and respect they would show their biological parents.
God also has to do His job as a Father. If we belong to Him, He will occasionally have to scold or discipline us for disobedience. It is wrong for us to conclude He loves us any less at those times. Like an earthly parent, He still loves His children just as much as He ever did. He may be displeased with our actions, just as our earthly parents were sometimes displeased with our actions, but He doesn't disown us. He doesn't withhold His affection from us. We shouldn't stub up and pout and withhold our affection from Him.
Our passage today reminds me of a song that I've heard several times lately on the radio, so I'm posting the link to it below. It talks about our inability to erase God's love for us.
No Matter What
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