‘The Significance Of A New Creation’--XX—2Corinthians 5:9--6:10...
14. The PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B—2Corinthians 6:3-10...
Part B(continued) of point 14 in the series.
Attention:
Hugs & Kisses
After just a few years of marriage filled with constant arguments, a young man & his wife decided the only way to save their marriage was to try counseling. They had been at each other’s throats for some time & felt that this was their last straw. When they arrived at the counselor’s office, the counselor jumped right in & opened the floor for discussion. “What seems to be the problem?” Immediately, the husband held his long face down without anything to say. In contrast, the wife began rattling off everything that was wrong with their marriage.
After 15 minutes of listening to the wife, the counselor walks over to her, picks her up by the shoulders, lovingly holds her in his arms while bending her backward & passionately kisses her. He then hugs her tightly & tells her that he loves her more than anything in the world. He then sets her back down, where she sat confused, disheveled & speechless. The husband also stared in disbelief not knowing how to respond.
The counselor then firmly states to the husband, “Your wife NEEDS that AT LEAST twice a week if not every day.”
The husband thoughtfully scratches his head, & then as if a lightbulb came on, he replies, “I can’t do that everyday but I can have her here on Tuesdays & Thursdays!”
*The husband’s ministry was decidedly compromised!
No matter what we do for a living or how we worship together corporately, much more is required to bring about the actuality than may be considered/grasped by the receivers of such.
Need:
*The key to our verses is 2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
A true Christian receives a new nature.
Paul clarified the significance of being a new creation in Christ to the Corinthian church.
There is great significance to being a new creation in Christ.
14 significations/signifiers of being a new creation in Christ.
Previously we have found that A new creation is significant in its New...
1. PLEASUREs(5:9)
2. RECEPTION(5:10)
3. PERSUASION(5:11)
4. OPPORTUNITY(5:12)
5. SOUND INSANITY(5:13)Risk
6. LOVE(5:14-15)
7. CONSIDERATIONS(5:16)
8. NEWNESS/Creativeness(5:17)
9. RELATIONSHIP--Reconciliation(5:18-19)
10. INSTRUMENTATION/Mediation(5:20)
11. RIGHTEOUSNESS(5:21)
12. VIEW Of VANITY(6:1)
13. URGENCY(6:2)
We will see that Paul & Timothy commended apostolic ministry to the Corinthian church thru a list of Practical Realities within which they operated.
The significance of how being a new creation in Christ is played out in the Practical Realities of Ministry.
We are going to examine the significance of these Practical Realities one-by-one in their manifestation as Commendors of God-ordained Ministry.
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B(6:3-10)
So far we have looked at the role of...
A. OFFENSE & BLAME(6:3)...as well as...
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)(CONT...)
i. (6:4)Patience—cheerful endurance & constancy
ii. Tribulations—pressures
iii. Needs—forced subsistence
iv. Distresses—narrowed circumstances
v. (6:5)Stripes—officially sanctioned punishment
vi. Imprisonments—(officially sanctioned removal from society)
vii. Tumults—chaotic/unstable lifestyle
viii. Labors—physically/mentally taxing work
ix. Sleeplessness
x. Fastings—prayer & fasting
xi. (6:6)Purity—living uprightly
xii. Knowledge—personal, of God & His way
xiii. Longsuffering—refrain from wrath/revenge/vengeance
xiv. Kindness—Useful moral goodness
xv. The Holy Spirit—
xvi. Sincere Love—Unhypocritical
xvii. (6:7)the Word Of Truth—God’s unfailing word
xviii. the Power Of God—God’s ability
xix. The Armor Of Righteousness—protection
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)
6:8—“by honor & dishonor, by evil report & good report; as deceivers, & yet true;”
Verses :8-10 contrast human appearance versus God’s reality.—NICNT
Now Paul & Timothy’s ministry(as well as all Christian ministry) is commended by contrasting polar opposites...
One represents God’s truth & reality, while the other assays/tests the quality of Christian ministry from a negative & unrealistic worldly viewpoint.
These polarities continue thru :10. “By” both extremes they are commended as “ministers of God.”
These contrasts express the simultaneous reception & rejection faced by any true minister of God in the world.
A 20th Commendation as ministers of God...
“by honor & dishonor”
Comes ‘through’(dia)/“by” both “honor/glory”(doxa) as well as “dishonor.”
“Honor/Glory” is expressed in being so respected that the actions of others toward you reveal it. “Dishonor” manifests itself in one’s being considered of no value & thus one’s message of Christ has no value, in the opinion of another. Both are dishonored.
A true minister of God in Christ will never fully win the opinions of all!...Because simultaneously He/She will garner both the praises/love & criticism/hatred of others!
Thus any “honor & dishonor” received must be built upon the minister’s focus upon Christ alone! If we ‘minister’ as Christians, yet undertake that ministry by flesh, then we deserve the “dishonor” & do not deserve the “honor” from such service....As it is of us rather than of the Spirit.
Argumentation:
Gal. 4:13-14—“You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.”
2Cor. 10:10-11—“For his letters,” they say, “are weighty & powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, & his speech contemptible.” Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.”
2Cor. 12:14-21—“Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend & be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus, & sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, & that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, & I shall mourn for many who have sinned before & have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, & lewdness which they have practiced.”
?Can you imagine ministering in such circumstances?...
...Why not?!!
?Does the VALUE or Lack Thereof commend your ministry as born/borne of God...
...OR does it negate it?
“By”2X(See 6:6, 7—en)—dia—Prep.—1) Through—1a) of place—1a1) With, 1a2) In, 1b) of time—1b1) Throughout, 1b2) During, 1c) of means—1c1) By, 1c2) By the means of; 2) Through—2a) The ground or reason by which something is or is not done—2a1) By reason of, 2a2) On account of, 2a3) Because of for this reason, 2a4) Therefore, 2a5) On this account. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).
“Honor/Glory”—doxa—Noun Fem.—1)Opinion, judgment, view; 2) Opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone; 3) Splendor, brightness; 4) A most glorious condition, most exalted state. Strong—Glory(as very apparent), in a wide application(literal or figurative, objective or subjective).
From the base of dokew—a prolonged form of a primary verb, dokw(used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of deiknuw[To show]) of the same meaning; To think; by implication--To seem(truthfully or uncertainly).
“Dishonor”—atimia—Noun Fem.—1) Dishonor, ignominy, disgrace. Strong—Infamy, i.e. subjectively--Comparative indignity, objectively--Disgrace. Used 7X.
From—atimov—from a(as a negative particle) & timh—a value, i.e. money paid, or (concretely & collectively)--Valuables; by analogy--Esteem(especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself.
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)
A 21st Commendation as ministers of God...
“by evil report & good report”
Comes “by”(thru—dia) both “evil report & good report.”
Two opposing rejections & receptions are maintained for the minister & his/her ministry.
A minister may be openly defamed on the one hand.
On the other hand a minister may be spoken highly of & praised. Both are the minister’s lot due to the message of God in Christ!
Most people enjoy having “good” spoken of themselves & their work in the Lord.
But if you are one who cannot accept “evil” being spoken of your work in the Lord, for whatever reason, then you will not be a strong minister in the Lord.
Brothers & sisters in Christ may complain about the way you handle certain situations of your ministry. Such ‘may’ be an opportunity to learn. Any time we are ‘defamed’, it should not be for ‘ministering’ in the flesh. If anyone ‘defames’ the Christian, it should be because we have so completely given ourselves to Christ, that their defamation of our character is actually a defamation of Christ’s character!
Argumentation:
1Sam. 8:1-10—“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, & the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, & perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together & came to Samuel at Ramah, & said to him, “Look, you are old, & your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day--with which they have forsaken Me & served other gods--so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, & show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.”
Ps. 81:1-16—<
Why?...That the “evil report” would be undeserved!
1Pet. 3:13-18; 4:1-2—“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, & always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness & fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”.....“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”
Mat. 10:17-28—“But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils & scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors & kings for My sake, as a testimony to them & to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, & a father his child; & children will rise up against parents & cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. “It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, & a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! “Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, & hidden that will not be known. “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; & what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.killed the prophets
1Cor. 4:13—“being defamed[blasfhmew], we entreat[parakalew]. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”
How so “made”? By the unbelief of lost people!
Mat. 5:10-12—“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Jn. 16:1-3—“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”
Mat. 10:34-42—“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, & a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; & ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross & follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, & he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, & he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
?Does the REPORT on other’s lips commend your ministry as born/borne of God...
...OR does it negate it?
“Evil report”—dusfhmia—Noun Fem.—1) The condition of one who is defamed—1a) Ill-repute, & the action of one who uses disgraceful language. Strong—Defamation. Used 1X.
Literally=‘Hard or Difficult Fame or Rumor’
From a compound of dus-—a primary inseparable particle of uncertain derivation; used only in composition as a prefix; Hard, i.e. With difficulty—& fhmh—A saying, i.e. Rumor(“fame”).
“Good report”—eufhmia—Noun Fem.—1) The utterance of good or auspicious words; 2) Good report, praise. Strong—Good language(“euphemy”), i.e. Praise(repute). Used 1X.
Literally=‘Good or Well Fame or Rumor’
From—eufhmov[Well spoken of, i.e. Reputable];
eu—Adverb—1)To be well off, fare well, prosper; 2)Acting well. Strong—neuter of a primary euv(good); adverbially--Well.
Our English,’Gospel,’ is a translation of euaggellion—A ‘good’(eu) ‘message’(aggellion), i.e. The gospel.
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)
A 22nd Commendation as ministers of God...
“as deceivers, & yet true”
Comes in their being regarded “as” “deceivers.” However, at the same time they are being regarded as “true.”
What a promised & truly conflicting chaotic reception for any minister of God. Some will believe but the majority will not. And some of those who do not receive God’s message & people may be maliciously defensive & aggressive toward them.
“Yet” here is supplied but is both implied(:8-10) as well as being stated twice in :10. They themselves are personally received as both “deceptive & true” at the same time. Of course such regard does not take place in a single individual but rather among different individuals simultaneously witnessing a shared occurrence.
The Christian’s life is fraught with both appreciative praise & hateful disdain from others.
Argumentation:
2Sam.22:26-29—“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down. For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.”
**Jn. 7:12—“And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.”
Mat. 27:62-66; 28:18-20—“On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests & Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ “Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night & steal Him away, & say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” So they went & made the tomb secure, sealing the stone & setting the guard.”.....“And Jesus came & spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth. Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Jn. 14:6—“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Lk. 10:16—“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, & he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
Jn. 15:20—“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
Mk. 13:19-22—“For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. “For false christs & false prophets will rise & show signs & wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Mat. 7:13-14—“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate & broad is the way that leads to destruction, & there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate & difficult is the way which leads to life, & there are few who find it.”
“As”(See :9, 10)—wv—Adverb—1) As, like, even as, etc. Strong—probably adverb of comparative from ov, h, o; Which how, i.e. In that manner(very variously used).
“Deceivers/Imposters”—planov—Adj.—1) Wandering, roving; 2) Misleading, leading into error—2a) A vagabond, "tramp", imposter, 2b) Corrupter, deceiver. Strong—of uncertain affinity; Roving(as a tramp), i.e. by implication--An impostor or misleader.
“True”(See :6:7—alhyeia)—alhyhv—Adj.—1) True; 2) Loving the truth, speaking the truth, truthful. Strong—True(as not concealing).
From—A(as a negative particle)—&—lanyanw—1) To be hidden, to be hidden from one, secretly, unawares, without knowing. Strong—a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses; to lie hid (literally or figuratively); often used adverbially--Unwittingly.
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
“Your wife NEEDS that AT LEAST twice a week if not every day.”.....“I can’t do that everyday but I can have her here on Tuesdays & Thursdays!”
Action:
14. A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)(CONT...)
xx. (6:8)in Both Honor& Dishonor
xxi. Both Evil Report & Good Report
xxii. Being perceived as Deceivers yet Genuine
i. (6:4)Patience—cheerful endurance & constancy
ii. Tribulations—pressures
iii. Needs—forced subsistence
iv. Distresses—narrowed circumstances
v. (6:5)Stripes—officially sanctioned punishment
vi. Imprisonments—officially sanctioned removal from society
vii. Tumults—chaotic/unstable lifestyle
viii. Labors—physically/mentally taxing work
ix. Sleeplessness
x. Fastings—prayer & fasting
xi. (6:6)Purity—living uprightly
xii. Knowledge—personal, of God & His way
xiii. Longsuffering—refrain from wrath/revenge/vengeance
xiv. Kindness—Useful moral goodness
xv. the Holy Spirit—
xvi. Sincere Love—Unhypocritical
xvii. (6:7)the Word Of Truth—God’s unfailing word
xviii. the Power Of God—God’s ability
xix. The Armor Of Righteousness—protection
Part ‘B’- subpoints xx.--xxii. of point 14 presented 10/23/2016pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
