“Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.”
2 Corinthians 4:1-2 NLT
“Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy [from God, granting us salvation, opportunities, and blessings], we do not get discouraged nor lose our motivation. But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:1-2 AMP
To Paul, there was something very precious about the “new way”. This was his ministry: preaching the Gospel throughout the Middle East, in the towns and cities where he found himself on his missionary journeys. Places like Ephesus, Galatia, Thessalonica, Philippi, and, of course, Corinth. Paul’s message, given to him through his encounter with the risen Christ on the Damascus Road, wasn’t just some theory or new ideology. To Paul, it was more valuable than anything else, and because of that, he never stopped sharing the Good News about Jesus. Imagine Paul holding in his hands a golden crown, studded with precious stones, worth more than anything he ever dreamed of owning. How would he have viewed it? As an investment opportunity? Or perhaps with disdain because it was of no practical use? But as a materialistic lump of precious metal and diamonds, Paul would have discarded it as “rubbish” because it fell far short of the value of what he had to share with people. The Gospel was, and is, priceless, because it brings people, human beings otherwise lost and hell-bound, into God’s presence. And Paul considered that it was through God’s mercy that he was able to share it. How could he ever abandon this ministry, no matter how many knockbacks he received along the way? Paul believed in the ministry granted him with a passion that took up every part of him, a passion that drove him on into one place after another. A passion that took him to marketplaces and even into the presence of kings. But in it all, he never lost the humility and gratitude of being able to do so much for Jesus.
“just as the Scriptures said”
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Note the repetition of “just as the Scriptures said”. Paul wasn’t making up the message he shared. It was based on the truth of Scripture. So why did Paul think it necessary to write, “We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God”. Had someone accused him of trickery and lies? Surely not, because Paul was transparent in all he preached, and his message was simple because all it contained was the truth that Jesus was crucified and on the third day he returned to life, the resurrected Son of God. Perhaps there were some charlatans in the First Century AD who, finding that here was a way to make money, were preaching a message that people wanted to hear. Paul warned Timothy about such people in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths”. There’s a satirical song, “Preachin’ Blues” recorded by the female duo “Larkin Poe” on their 2017 album “Peach”, that contains the lyrics, “I’m gonna get me some religion / I’m gonna join the Baptist church / Gonna be a preacher / So I don’t have to work”. Perhaps there were a few men with similar sentiments roaming the Middle East in the time of Paul, men making an easy living preaching what people wanted to hear.
Today, we pilgrims notice that the practise of “adulterating the word of God” hasn’t gone away. Of particular note is the JW sect, which, rather than fitting their faith to the Word of God, the Bible we know and love, instead have concocted its own translation of the Bible to fit its faith. And there are others who, in a more subtle way, have decided to omit certain passages of Scripture, or, worse, have ignored them or dismissed them as being of a bygone age, Scriptures they say don’t apply anymore. So we have the “woke” influence and gender ideologies being promoted in the liberal wing of the Church of England. A recent news report started, “Worshippers will no doubt have been delighted to read about the Church of England’s latest “diversity drive.” To help “boost inclusion”, we learnt yesterday, clergy in London are being encouraged to “preach anti-racism in sermons”. So Anglican ministers now have to be aware of DEI policies in their preaching. Can we go as far as labelling the liberals in the Church of England as being a “sect” much like the JW’s? Perhaps.
But back to us pilgrims. Like Paul, we only accept the “pure milk of the Word” because only this contains the words of eternal life. We do not “distort the Word of God,” but believe it to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). Not part of the Scriptures, or this bit that someone has rewritten. All Scripture. And so we look to Jesus, as did Paul, as the Author and Finisher of our faith, and one day we will join Him in the place He is preparing for us.
Dear Lord Jesus. All we want to do is follow in Paul’s footsteps and preach the words of eternal life that You left with us. Please lead us and guide us, we pray, in Your everlasting ways. Please protect us from preachers and words that distort the truth. We are so grateful, Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 