God Guarantees Victory In Proclaiming Christ

1. Appreciating the Victory Requires being Burdened with the Conflict -- "The Concern of the Gospel Ministry" (:12-13)

a. The Reason for Paul's Concern

b. The Severity of This Concern

c. The Setting for Paul's Concern

1. the focus of Paul's ministry

2. the favorable circumstances for the preaching of the gospel

2. Victory in Proclaiming Christ Does Not Depend on Positive Responses --

"The Consequences (Outcome) of the Gospel Ministry" (:14-16a)

The Roman Triumph pictures our victory in proclaiming Christ

a. God is always victorious (this truth is assumed)

b. God always leads us in His triumph

c. this triumph is in vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ

d. we are channels for the revelation of Christ to others in every place

e. (Expansion of the imagery) -- we are a fragrance of Christ, not merely channels of that fragrance

f. God always appreciates this fragrance

g. those who are being saved respond positively

h. those who are perishing respond negatively

i. the fragrance is the same in all cases -- it has a different effect on different people

j. the victory is the same in all cases -- it is God's victory in which we share (He is accomplishing His sovereign purposes)

3. Victory in Proclaiming Christ Does Depend on Personal Faithfulness

"The Confidence (Sufficiency) of the Gospel Ministry" (:16b-17)

Question: Who is sufficient for these things?

Answer: Those, such as the apostles, who demonstrate faithfulness in the following areas:

a. Faithfulness to the message

b. Faithfulness to one's own conscience

c. Faithfulness to the authority of God

d. Faithfulness in union with Christ

e. Faithfulness in the light of accountability