Enlightenment, Part 3
Godliness
2 Corinthians 4v2
27th February 2015
We're looking at the ministry of enlightenment. In 2 Corinthians 3v13-16 Paul explains that there's a veil that prevents non-Christians understanding God and His ways, and that it's only in Christ that this veil is taken away. We who believe in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, and who repent of our sin, are in Christ, and so can understand the things of God. This is not our doing; it's a gift from God to all who believe.
Then, in 2 Corinthians 3v17-18, Paul teaches us that everyone who is in Christ - that is, all Christians - reflect the Lord's glory, which means that as well as being enlightened, we can be means of enlightenment to others, and that we're all being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which means we can be increasingly useful to God in this ministry.
Every Christian can help others to find Jesus Christ.
We all share what Paul calls, "the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God" (Romans 15v16).
In 2 Corinthians 4v1 Paul says, "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart." This ministry we all share, of reflecting something of the glory of God so others can find Him, is so important that Paul and his friends would never, ever, stop doing it. I hope you and I also have this passion within us, and faith that our efforts do make a difference. We're not as effective as Paul and his friends, but we are effective in our own ways, and we can be more effective over time.
Paul then says:
2 Corinthians 4v2
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word
of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's
conscience in the sight of God.
This is SO important. We share in the ministry of bringing God's light to others. But we must always conduct ourselves in a godly and honest way.
The degree to which we reflect the Lord's glory will inevitably be constrained to some extent by the degree to which we live godly lives. May God grant that my sin and yours doesn't obscure the greatness of God, so that others fail to see Christ reflected in us.
It's by our honestly, and our gentleness, and our holy lives, the we commend ourselves to every man's conscience. Our neighbours, friends, and work colleagues should see that we are godly people by our actions, by our words, and by our demeanour. And if they do, they may find Christ reflected in us, and be born again, and become part of the ministry of enlightenment, too.
And we must be honest to God, accepting all of His word. We might wish the Bible said something it doesn't say. or we might wish that the Bible didn't say something it does say. But we mustn't distort the word of God, even when it's unfashionable or unpopular, or it seems to make the ministry of enlightenment more difficult. The plain, faithful teaching of the word of God is a major component of the ministry of enlightenment. We want to introduce people to the real God, not some construction founded in our fleshly preferences.
Christian pastors and teachers should teach the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. May we be able to say, as Paul did, "I am innocent of the blood of all men for I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God" (Acts 20v27b-28).