AUGUST 14 & 20, 2022
THE CHARACTER OF A FAITHFUL MINISTER
INTRODUCTION:
1. From the beginning of Chapter 10, Paul has been in one way or another defending his ministry and authority as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. His enemies had brought a variety of charges against him, ranging from attacks upon his weak presence (speech, posture, lack of boldness, etc.) to accusations of self-aggrandizement, to out and out denial of his call to be an Apostle.
2. Against these charges Paul felt compelled to defend himself. He had before indicated, and will do so again in our present passage, that he could have wished that the Corinthians themselves had risen to his defense. However, since they had not done so, and because they were in grave danger, he was obliged to raise his own defense.
3. Painful as it was for Paul to engage in self-laudation, he had forced himself to call attention to the many proofs of his calling. These included his wonderful gifts, his amazing success, his horrible sufferings, his willing sacrifices and self- denial, etc.
4. With Chapter 12, he left off with what might appear to be boasting and turned to some marvelous revelations and vision which God had graced him with, such proofs of his calling that the telling of them ought not be construed as boasting since he was not the agent, but only the recipient. (Verses 1-10) Even so, just the telling of the event Paul feared would be regarded as boasting, as we see form his next remarks.
5. In these verses the Apostle addresses himself to the Corinthians in two ways.
a) He blames them for not coming to his defense.
b) He gives a large account of his faithfulness.
I. HE BLAMES THEM FOR NOT STANDING UP IN HIS DEFENSE AS THEY OUGHT TO HAVE DONE. (VERSES 11, 12)
A. THEY, BY THEIR SILENCE, HAD COMPELLED HIM TO COMMEND HIMSELF. “I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me.”
1. Because of their timidity, Paul was compelled to endure the unpleasantness of glorying.
2. With such good reason to vindicate their faithful father in the faith, why would they not speak up?
3. It is most dishonorable to allow the character and reputation of any good man to be slandered and not to raise our voices on his behalf.
B. TO STAND IN PAUL’S DEFENSE WAS A DEBT THEY OWED TO HIM. “…for I ought to have been commended of you.”
1. Words have meaning. It was not merely that they might have, or could have stood up for the Apostle; it is what they ought to have done. It was their obligation.
2. It is a debt we owe to good men to stand up in the defense of their reputation, and we are under special obligations to those from whom we have received spiritual benefit.
C. THEY, IN PARTICULAR, HAD GOOD REASON TO SPEAK WELL OF HIM. (VERSES 11c, 12) “In nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you…”
1. How is it that ministers of Satan can make folks question the obvious? Yet they can, and do.
2. The Corinthians were not wanting for proof. They had witnessed many signs, and wonders and mighty deeds, which God had wrought by Paul in their midst.
3. Couple these miraculous proofs with the countless blessings they had received because of his love and prayer and preaching, and be astonished at their silence.
II. HE GIVES A LARGE ACCOUNT OF HIS FAITHFULNESS TO THEM AS A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. (VERSES 13-21)
A. HIS DESIRE AMONG THEM WAS NOT FOR WHAT WAS THEIRS, BUT FOR THEM. (VRS. 13, 14)
1. He was not willing to be burdensome to them. He sought not to enrich himself by them, but to save their souls. I seek not yours, but you.
2. Paul proved himself to be no hireling. He sought not to clothe himself by the fleece of the flock, but rather to take care of the sheep as a good shepherd. (John 10:12, 13)
3. Paul saw his relationship to them as that of a parent to his children. In the course of nature, it is the parent’s office to provide for the children, and not the children for the parent. “…for the children ought to lay up for the parents but…” (Verse 14b)
B. HE WOULD GLADLY SPEND AND BE SPENT FOR THEM. (VERSE 15a)
1. His willingness to take pain and to suffer loss for their good had been made abundantly clear.
2. He so spent himself as to be spent for them. He spent his time, his strength, his all in ministering to them and for them. He was like a candle which consumes itself in giving light to others.
3. This was so true of this great servant of Christ. When he finished his course, he had left it all on the field, as we say.
C. HIS DUTY TO LOVE AND CARE FOR THEM WAS UNCONDITIONAL. (VERSE 15a)
1. It required not to be reciprocated.
2. Not only so, but he did not abate in his love to them even when the return was unkindness and ingratitude. “The more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”
3. It is a faithful minister who loves the saints for Christ’s sake, even when they are unlovely in their attitude.
D. HE WAS CAREFUL NOT TO GIVE ANY OCCASION FOR WHICH HE MIGHT BE CHARGED WITH MAKING GAIN FROM THEM. (VERSES 16-18)
1. Be it so; that is, admitted that I did not personally burden you, yet (anticipating what they would say) I craftily did it through others. This would be the charge of the false apostles; that he beguiled them by sending others to collect for him. (Verse 16)
a) This shows the character of his opponents, that he knew they would resort to such charges.
b) This shows the wisdom of the Apostle in disallowing any occasion to so question his motives.
2. He did not make gain of them either personally, or through his representatives who came to them from him. (Verses 17, 18)
a) It is genuine righteousness that refuses to do through others what he disdains to do personally.
b) Clearly, Paul was above reproach in all of these things.
E. HE WAS A MINISTER WHO DID ALL THINGS FOR EDIFYING. (VERSE 19)
1. He observes that they had long thought (this is the meaning of “again think ye”) that we excuse ourselves unto you, i.e. plead our innocence respecting your charges.
2. On the contrary, he says, “We speak before God in Christ.” All of his self-vindication was spoken as in the presence of God, by one who was in Christ.
3. What Paul had spoken, whether in his defense, or otherwise, was for their edification, and not for the saving of his reputation as the sole objective.
F. HE AIMED AT THEIR EDIFICATION BECAUSE HE FEARED THAT THEIR STATE WAS NOT WHAT HE DESIRED IT TO BE. (VERSE 20)
1. He feared lest they would not be acceptable to him, nor he to them.
2. He feared that the evils to which reference had been frequently made might be found still to exist (factions, envyings, strifes, tumult, etc.).
3. He would continue to be faithful in reproving sin, even if he should be found such a one as they would not.
4. His purpose was to please God, and to be faithful to their souls.
G. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HE WOULD FIND SCANDALOUS SIN AMONG THEM NOT REPENTED OF. (VERSE 21)
1. The fall and miscarriages of professing Christians has a humbling effect upon good ministers. “I fear lest God will humble me among you.”
a) Nothing gives a minister of the Gospel greater joy than to see his children walking in the truth. (III John 4)
b) On the other hand, nothing so bows down a pastor’s heart as seeing their “converts” go back into sin.
2. The fall of professing Christians is an unspeakable grief to good ministers. “And that I bewail (mourn over) many which have sinned already, and have not repented.”
a) All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven those who repent, even such sins as are found in this black list. (Verse 21c)
b) But, sin that is not repented of will bring the soul down to hell.
c) Paul feared that some at Corinth who had professed faith, even under his own ministry, should become apostate, and perish in their sins.
d) We have no reason to believe that those who are living in sin are the Lord’s.
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