JANUARY 30, 2022
PAUL’S WORK AS AN AMBASSADOR
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul had just declared that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, i.e. God, through the atoning sacrifice of His Son had removed the enmity between Himself and sinners. As the substitute for sinners, Christ had become sin for us, and paid our sin debt by His death on the cross. Not only did God make His Son to be sin for us, but He makes us to be righteous by imputing Christ’s righteousness to us. (Verses 19, 21)
2. Paul was thereby himself reconciled to God, and was then given the ministry of reconciliation. (Verse 18) As a minister of reconciliation, he was actually an ambassador of God, sent forth to speak in God’s stead, and plead with men to be reconciled to God. (Verse 20)
3. In the verses before us he describes his general errand and the manner in which he carried out his embassy. In this description of his ambassadorship he is also giving a further vindication of himself and his ministry.
I. HE EXHORTS ALL MEN TO WITHOUT DELAY COMPLY WITH THE GOSPEL OFFER OF RECONCILIATION. (VERSES 1, 2)
A. THE EXHORTATION ITSELF, NAMELY, THAT BEING FAVORED WITH THE GOSPEL, THEY OUGHT NOT TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN. (VERSE 1)
1. What is it to receive the grace of God in vain? It is not, as some have taught, to accept of Christ’s atonement, and be thereby reconciled to God, but still live in sin. Others say that Paul is exhorting believers to guard against “falling from grace.”
2. The grace of God here spoken of is that provision which he spoke of in the preceding chapter. He exhorts men not to let it be in vain that God had graciously provided satisfaction for sin sufficient for all, and appropriate to all, and offered to them in the Gospel.
3. The Gospel is a word of grace sounding in our ears, but we hear it in vain unless we believe it and appropriate it to ourselves.
B. THAT THIS IS PAUL’S MEANING IS MADE CLEAR IN THE PARENTHETICAL QUOTATION IN THE NEXT VERSE. (VERSE 2; ISA. 49:8)
1. The Apostle was reminded of a passage in Isa. 49:8 where the Hebrew word rendered “a time accepted” is literally “a time of grace.” To this he then gives the equivalent expression, “the day of salvation.”
2. In others words, this is a time and a day in which grace and salvation may be obtained. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
3. The only proper time to accept these offers is the present time. “Today, while it is called today…” (See
Heb. 3:7, 8, 13)
4. All who are favored with the present privilege of hearing the Gospel, and yet let the day of grace slip away, will have received the grace of God in vain. What a tragedy!! Having heard Jesus’ words, “Come unto me,” they shall in the end hear Him say, “Depart from me.”
II. HE TELLS WHAT CAUTION HE USED NOT TO GIVE OFFENCE THAT MIGHT HINDER THE SUCCESS OF THIS WONDERFUL GOSPEL. (VERSES 3-10)
A. HE CONTINUES THE VINDICATION OF HIMSELF. (VERSE 3)
1. This was an on-going defense, as we have seen.
2. This verse, coming after the parenthesis in Verse 2, connects with Verse 1. “We…,beseech…,giving no offence…”
3. If his hearers should hear the Gospel without profit, God forbid that the manner or method of his ministry should be in any way to blame.
4. Although many are apt to take offence at the preaching of the Gospel, we must be nonetheless careful not to give offence, and bring blame upon our ministry.
B. HIS CONSTANT AIM AND ENDEAVOR WAS TO PROVE HIMSELF FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS, AS BECOMES A MINISTER OF GOD. (VERSES 4, 5)
1. Far from bringing blame on his ministry, Paul in all things (in every relation, on every occasion, under all conditions) approved himself, i.e. commended himself, not by self-praise, but with such conduct that all could see the conviction and sincerity of his ministry.
2. Paul specifically says that he commended himself as a minister of God, i.e. as the ministers of God commend themselves.
3. Paul proved himself to be a true minister of Christ by the fortitude with which he endured sufferings, and by the constancy with which he adhered to his Lord under all those trials. “In much patience.”
4. He enumerates in these two verses the trials to which he was subjected. These are arranged in three classes.
a) The first are general trials, afflictions, necessities, and distresses. (Ch. 12:10)
b) The second are specific, stripes, imprisonments, and tumults.
c) The third are voluntary, labors, watching, and fastings.
5. His constancy was exhibited in the cheerful endurance of all these kinds of trials.
a) The first category includes pressures from without and within; necessities, when a man is taxed to the utmost; distresses (straits), no place to turn when escape seems hopeless.
b) The second category includes stripes (Ch. 11:4, 25) to which at this time, he had been exposed eight times; imprisonments. How many times we do not know, but he was the Lord’s prisoner in every case. (Eph. 4:1) Tumults. The word means tossings to and fro, but always in the New Testament it refers to riotous outbreaks.
c) The third category includes labors, indefatigable exertions in traveling, studying, preaching, caring for the churches; watchings, constant vigilance, sleepless nights, etc.; fastings including all voluntary acts of self-denial.
6. A simple reading of Paul’s life and ministry in the book of Acts is sufficient proof of these things.
(Acts 13-28)
7. It is the lot of faithful ministers often to be reduced to great difficulties, which require much patience. Those who would approve themselves to God must prove themselves faithful in trouble as well as peace.
C. HIS MINISTRY IS FURTHER PROVEN BY THE GRACES AND GIFTS HERE SPECIFIED. (VS. 6, 7) Paul had approved himself to God not only by his constancy and patience in sufferings, but also by acting from good principles in all that he did. He here tells what those good principles were.
1. By pureness, both in heart and life. If we are to have God’s approval, we must keep ourselves unspotted from the world.
2. By knowledge, by which he means knowledge of the Gospel; that knowledge which he manifested in teaching and preaching. (Gal. 1:12; Eph. 3:4)
3. By longsuffering, i.e. patiently submitting to injustices and undeserved injuries.
4. By kindness, i.e. benevolence, a disposition to do good, as God is said to be kind to the unthankful and the evil. (Luke 6:35)
5. By the Holy Ghost, that is, by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as dwelling in him. This was seen by the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which he possessed.
6. By love unfeigned. This is Christian love; brotherly love; love of the brethren.
7. By the Word of truth, that is, by the preaching of the truth. The content of Paul’s preaching was God’s truth. (Ch. 4:2)
8. By the power of God. The power of God was variously manifested in Paul. It was seen in his conversion and calling; in his preparation and apostleship, etc. God’s power was abundantly manifested through Paul’s ministry at Corinth.
9. By the armour of righteousness. By righteousness he could be referring to his uprightness and rectitude in his dealings, his honesty. Or he could be speaking of the righteousness of faith, justifying righteousness. The latter is more in keeping with his defense here. Righteousness is the breastplate of faith. (Eph. 6:14) Here, it is the whole panoply. “…on the right hand and on the left.”
D. PAUL MAINTAINED HIS CONSTANCY AND FAITHFULNESS WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES. (VERSES 8-10) These verses form a distinct division in the Apostle’s discourse. In Verse 4, 5 we had the Greek preposition (en) in its local sense, in which he shows his patience in afflictions, in necessities, etc. In Verses 6, 7 the same preposition is used in its instrumental sense, where he shows his method, by pureness, by knowledge, etc. Here the preposition is (dia) and it is used in a local sense, though, in the midst of.
1. The Apostle met with honour and dishonor, nevertheless he was ever the same, maintaining the same principles, preaching the same doctrine whether his preaching was approved or disapproved, i.e. whether it was considered an evil report or a good report.
2. Though some would call him an imposter and a deceiver, while others would find him to be true, in either case he still held fast his integrity.
3. Paul was unknown to many to whom he ministered and well-known to others, but neither circumstance would see any alteration in either his walk or word.
4. He was daily dying, being hunted and persecuted, yet by the good providence of God he yet lived, and would continue to live, by God’s will. He here is reminded of the words of the psalmist. “The Lord hath chastened me sore, but He hath not given me over to death.” (Verse 9c; Psalm 118:18)
5. Appearing to others as persons disowned and sorrowful, yet he was always rejoicing in God.
(Hab. 3:17, 18)
6. Though poor so far as earthly wealth was concerned, he was making many rich in grace and eternal inheritance. (Acts 3:6)
7. “Having nothing, and yet possessing all things, as having nothing.” He had no house or lands; no silver nor gold; and yet satisfied as if he possessed all things. As he himself said of the Corinthian believers, “All things are yours.” (Phil 4:11; Rom. 8:18)
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