LIVING A LIFE OF GOSPEL INTEGRITY
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on August 8, 2021 under 2021 |
Bethany Bible Church Sunday Message; August 8, 2021 from 2 Corinthians 10:7-11
Theme: Our witness for the gospel of Jesus in this world requires that we pursue wholehearted integrity in how we live.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
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There was a former leader in our church that I think about often. He went to be with the Lord a few years ago. But he was one of the first who were involved in issuing the call to me to become the pastor. I served with him for many years; and in some ways, he became very near to a father figure to me when I was a young pastor.
He took me under his wing as an outdoorsman—even though I quickly proved to be more of a bookish, ‘indoorsman’. But we did have fun together anyway; and he always gave himself very attentively to every sermon I preached and every Bible study he attended. In spite of my limitations in other areas, I received more genuine support and encouragement in my ministry from him than anyone else I can remember.
So; we spent enough time together for him to have observed my life up close. And the greatest compliment I received from him was one that I heard second-hand. Someone else in the church family told me that they were talking together; and I came up in the course of the discussion. Apparently, this church leader said, “You know; we’ve had lots of pastors over the years in this church that thought they were better than everyone else. But not Greg. He’s not any better than the rest of us.” He meant that as a compliment. That’s how the person he told it to understood it. And that’s how I have always gratefully received it.
I took it to mean that he considered me to be the real thing as a pastor.
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I don’t tell that story to exalt myself; but rather as an illustration of a spiritual principle. Just think, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, of how important it is that we be the real thing in presenting the gospel of Jesus to this world. I’ve heard lots of descriptions of the lives of different Christians over the years; and the stories that have always stood out the most to me have been the ones where people were able to say, “They never pretended to be something they weren’t. No matter where they were or who they were with—upfront or behind-the-scenes—at church or at work or at home—they were the same person all the time.”
I think of that as being what it means to have ‘integrity’ in our Christian life. To have ‘integrity’ means that you don’t live like one person in one setting, and then like another person in another setting. You don’t behave like a follower of Jesus in one area of life, and then like something else in another. You don’t divide your life up into distinct moral compartments. Instead, as I have grown to understand the word, you live a truly ‘integrated’ Christian life—integrated in the sense that all the parts are coordinated and are linked together in a consistent way under the Lord Jesus. That quality of ‘integrity’ is vital. After all, if people see that we don’t live in a consistent way as witnesses for the Lord Jesus, then they won’t be inclined to hear us when we want to tell them about Him.
The apostle Paul was a man who was very careful to live with integrity. He was the same kind of faithful follower of Jesus in all areas of his life. And that kind of integrity is what we find presented to us in this morning’s passage. A life of Christian integrity served him well in his role as a minister of the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 10:7-11—during a particularly challenging time—he wrote and told the Corinthian Christians;
Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—lest I seem to terrify you by letters. “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and 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 (2 Corinthians 10:7-11).
Now; Paul’s situation was a very specific one. It was quite a bit different from what you and I might face today. And in fact, Paul’s role in the ministry of the gospel was quite a bit different from what yours or mine could ever be. His calling was unique—never again to be repeated. But one thing that we have in common with him is the absolute need for Christian integrity in our lives. We—like him—need to be the real thing for Jesus all the time.
And as this passage shows us, our witness of the gospel of Jesus in this world requires that we pursue that kind of wholehearted integrity in how we live.
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Now; to appreciate what we’re being told in this passage, we need to take a few minutes to consider the unique situation Paul was in.
A couple of years before these words were written, Paul had come as a missionary to the ancient city of Corinth—along with his ministry partners Silas and Timothy. He had established the church there; and they labored very hard and very sacrificially—for a year and a half—to the believers in it. And the time eventually came when the Lord led Paul on to other fields of ministry. But he loved those Corinthian believers very much, and kept up an ongoing correspondence with them.
But not too long after he had left them, a serious problem arose. Some false teachers began to make their way into the Corinthian church. In reading through the rest of 2 Corinthians, it appears that these false teachers had come down from Jerusalem. They presented themselves as ‘apostles’. In fact, they presented themselves as ‘eminent’ apostles—a cut above the rest. They were seeking to bring the Corinthian Christians back under old Judaistic rules and regulations and ceremonies and rituals; and in the process, they were also seeking to discredit Paul and turn the Corinthian believers against him. These church-invaders were presenting themselves as better educated than Paul, and more spiritual than him, and much better speakers than he was, and even better looking than him.
And Paul didn’t take this all as a personal matter. He wasn’t as much concerned about their attacks on him as he was on their attacks on the gospel that God had given him to preach. These were false teachers; and they were trying to steal God’s people away from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ by means of a false gospel. And so; Paul spent much of the remaining portion of this letter defending not only his own ministry, but also the very gospel that he preached. He wrote to the Corinthian believers and called them to look carefully at the way that he had lived among them for all of that time, and urged them to recognize his integrity of life—and more importantly, the integrity of his gospel.
Now; as you can see, you and I would not be in the same kind of situation as Paul was. His calling in the ministry of the gospel was quite different from what ours would be. The challenge he faced was a unique one. But just as was true of him, the people around us also look at our lives as Christians. They hear that we are followers of Jesus, and that we bring to them the good news of the true gospel of God’s grace. They desperately need to hear the message of God’s love from us. They desperately need to hear about and believe on the Savior of sinners. And they long to find someone, in the midst of this whole fallen world of lies, that faithfully proclaims and faithfully lives the truth.
It is absolutely essential, then, that we live lives of integrity as messengers of the gospel in this world—that we be the real thing all the time. It’s the cultivation of that kind of integrity in our lives that will give credibility to the message of the good news that we proclaim.
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So then; how did Paul cultivate that kind of life of integrity? What can we learn from his example? How does this passage teach us to cultivate such integrity in our own Christian life?
In verse 7, Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers and said; “Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.” And so, the first thing we find is that we cultivate ‘gospel integrity’ by …
1. BEING GENUINE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.
Now; look at those first few words. In some translations, that first sentence is interpreted as a statement of fact. The New International Version has it, “You are looking only on the surface of things.” And of course, the ancient Greek people did that kind of thing a lot. Outward appearances were very important to them. Think of their statues. There aren’t very many plain, ordinary, normal, slightly-out-of-shape or unattractive-looking people represented in ancient Greek statues; are there? And so, that’s how they tended to look for their favorite speakers and preachers and teachers. They valued the ones that were cultured and well-styled and that looked good. In other translations, though, those first few words are presented as a command. The English Standard Version has it, “Look at what is before your eyes.” It would have been as if Paul were giving them an order: “Look at the situation as it really is. See things more realistically and see them for what they really are.”
In some manuscripts of the ancient text that were used to translate the version I’m reading from this morning—the New King James Version—these first few words are followed up with a question mark. And so, it’s put in the form of a rhetorical question: “Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?” And I’m convinced that that’s the correct way to understand this—as if Paul was putting this question to them as if to urgently warn them that they should know better than to do what they were doing—looking at spiritual things in an outwardly superficial way.
Later on, in 11:13-15, he warned about the false teachers who were pestering them and said;
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works (11:13-15).
Appearances can be deceiving; because there are people out there who do not have true integrity. It’s dangerous to only view ‘spiritual things’ as they appear on the surface; because we could be being fooled. We must always look deeper.
So; Paul urged the Corinthians not to just automatically believe it whenever someone says that they are ‘Christian teachers’ who ‘represent Christ’—especially when they stir up division among the people of God and then urge them to reject those who truly are Christian teachers. Those ‘false apostles’ were presenting themselves as if they were “Christ’s apostles” based on outward appearances—and that the outward appearance of things could then be used to persuade them that Paul was not a genuine apostle. But Paul urged the Corinthians to look more closely. He said, “If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.” In 12:11-12, Paul told the Corinthians,
for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds (12:11-12).
If they would only examine things more deeply—beyond just the surface appearances of things—then they would see the clear evidence that he and his co-workers belonged to Jesus at least as much as the false-teachers claimed to belong to Him … if not more so. The hard reality of the matter is that not everyone who merely says that they belong to Jesus truly does. In Philippians 3:17-19, Paul wrote these sobering words:
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things (Philippians 3:17-19).
Some walk around with the title ‘Christian’; but are in fact enemies of the cross of Christ. We must look deeper than on the surface. And the lesson that this teaches you and me, dear brothers and sisters, is that when people look deeper at us, they must be able to see that we truly belong to Jesus. And so, we must cultivate integrity in our Christian lives by being genuine in our relationship with Jesus. We must make sure that we truly belong to Him and are the real thing. The best way to convince others that we truly have a genuine relationship with Jesus is by making sure that we actually are in a genuine relationship with Jesus!
Have you ever read what Paul wrote near the end of 2 Corinthians? A lot of folks might be surprised to find these words in the Bible. But Paul wrote;
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5-6).
Have you done that? How long has it been since you’ve made a serious evaluation of your profession of faith? It may be that you believe in Jesus. It may be that you were baptized. It may be that you go regularly to church. It may be that you do good deeds in His name. It may be that you give to His work. But have you actually placed a deliberate, conscious, intelligent faith in what Jesus has done for you on the cross? Do you genuinely trust Him as your Savior, and for your only hope for acceptance before God? Are you born again through faith in Jesus? And more; do you prove it by the fact that you turn to Him as your trust in the trials and difficulties of life? Do you ask for His help and guidance? Do you obey His commandments? Do you depend on the Holy Spirit to live the life of Jesus in and through you?
One of the most important ways that we can cultivate Christian integrity in our lives is by making absolutely sure that we have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ by faith—that we are the real thing!
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A second way that we should cultivate such integrity is shown to us in verse 8. Paul went on to tell the Corinthians, “For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—“ This teaches us that we pursue integrity in our life with Jesus by …
2. BEING CONVINCED OF GOD’S CALL UPON OUR LIVES.
Now; Paul spoke about boasting about his authority, and that of his co-workers. In fact, he spoke about boasting “somewhat more” about it—or as it can be translated, “over and above”. If you read on in this letter, you find that he does indeed boast in his authority as an apostle and of his work in the gospel. He even seems to apologize for being made to do so. But even if he should do so, he insisted that he wouldn’t end up being ashamed. Why wouldn’t he be ashamed? It would be because what he would have boasted about would have been the truth. He wouldn’t be discovered later on to have been exaggerating about it.
Do you remember how Paul was called to the ministry of the gospel? He once told the story as he stood on trial before King Agrippa—the ruler of his people. As you read what he said, you can feel the confidence he had in God’s call upon his life. He explained the amazing story of how—at one time—he sought to arrest Christians and bring them to their execution:
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:12-23).
Paul told that story several times on different occasions. It’s plain that he was delighted to tell it. And don’t you love how he said, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision …”? He labored hard; because he knew what his calling in the ministry was—and he knew that it was from God. He was authentic in it. He was genuinely committed to the ministry that God gave him!
Now, dear brothers and sisters; you and I have not received the apostolic call from the Lord Jesus that Paul received. That was unique to him alone. But you and I have received a very wonderful and authoritative call to the work of the gospel. The Lord Jesus Himself said;
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
We haven’t reached the end of the age yet. And so, our call to the ministry of the gospel—in our time—is still an ongoing one. It comes from Someone who has ‘all authority in heaven and on earth’. And so, do you have confidence in it? Are you gripped by it? Are you convinced that—no matter whether all the world or hell itself opposes it—you are nevertheless called to bear witness to Jesus Christ? If you are, then you’ll live with genuine gospel integrity.
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So; we pursue integrity in our lives with respect to the gospel by being genuine in our relationship with Jesus, and by being convinced of God’s call upon our lives for ministry.
We see these qualities clearly demonstrated for us in Paul’s life. And finally, we see one more very practical way that we should cultivate such integrity. and that is by …
3. BEING CONSISTENT IN HOW WE BOTH BEHAVE AND SPEAK (vv. 9-11).
In verse 8, Paul told the Corinthians that the authority that God gave him in his apostleship was “for edification and not for your destruction”. It was not to cause divisions in the church—as the false teachers were bringing about; but rather for the building-up and strengthening of God’s people. And he went on to say, in verses 9-10 that he affirmed this, “lest I seem to terrify you by letters. ‘For his letters,’ they say, ‘are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.’”
That’s what the false apostles were saying about Paul. They were saying that his letters were all ‘huff-and-puff’. Those letters, they said, spoke about how he was going to come and deal with sinners in the church and straighten everyone out; but they only made him sound like he was stern and authoritative and powerful—as if his letters were serving as a kind of ‘Greek statue’ that made him appear to be more glorious than he really was. These false teachers were saying that, if you actually saw Paul and listened to him in person, you would be seriously underwhelmed. His personal appearance was unimpressive; and he was actually a lousy speaker. “Don’t listen to this man’s phony letters,” they were saying. “He isn’t what he presents himself to be. Listen to us! We’re the truly impressive ones.”
Well; the fact of the matter is that when Paul first came as a missionary to the Corinthians, he intentionally came in an unimpressive way. He didn’t want them to view the gospel of Jesus Christ as just another human philosophy. In 1 Corinthians 2, he wrote that he first came to the Corinthians in an intentionally weak manner; so that the power would plainly be of God and not of him. But that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t use the apostolic authority God gave him if he needed to. He went on to say, in verse 11 of this morning’s passage, “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.” In other words, Paul was consistent. He was the same person when far away as he was up close. He was the same person in his letters that he was in his life. He was the same thing in both word and in action.
And dear brothers and sisters; you and I need to live in the same way. We must not pretend to be something that we’re not. We must be the same faithful follower of Jesus all the time—in every area of life. And do you know where we best show that consistency? It’s when we are called upon to suffer for the cause of the gospel. It’s when we are called upon to keep faithful in the face of persecution and opposition for the faith—like Paul himself often was. Paul once wrote to the Philippian believers and told them this:
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. (Philippians 1:27-30).
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So; dear brothers and sisters; this world needs to see this kind of authenticity from us. It needs to see us conducting our Christian life with full integrity. It needs to see us be the real thing all the time.
Let’s take these examples from the apostle Paul, and present ourselves to the heavenly Father in the light of them. Let’s ask Him to make us sure that we have a genuine, ongoing, personal relationship of love for, trust in, and obedience to Jesus Christ. Let’s ask Him to fill us with the conviction of His call upon our lives to be the ambassadors of Jesus Christ in this world—wherever He places us. And let’s ask Him to make us completely consistent as followers of Jesus in every area of our personal lives—doing all things for the glory of God both publicly and privately.
And as a result, may He confirm the truth of His gospel message through us.
EA
