Beyond all this there was another most powerful principle at work in the soul of the apostle, and that was the so linking himself with God in His service, that he was not discouraged amidst the greatest trials. “And all things are of God.” It was God Who first reconciled him to Himself by Jesus Christ, and then gave to him the ministry of reconciliation. It was the ministry of reconciliation; and the minister of it was not to invest himself with the repulsiveness of God in judgment, but with the attractiveness of God in grace. He would put himself in the way of the patient grace of God, even according as God was exhibited in Christ. It was the incarnation which brought out all the bright effulgence of the divine character— “full of grace and truth.” It was thus He exhibited Himself in the world; but the world know Him not. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. But He is no longer exhibiting Himself personally in the world in this manner to the eyes of men. Man has rejected this manifestation of God, however he may try to hide from himself his shame (as the Jews did theirs of having killed the prophets by building their sepulchers), by celebrating the day of the incarnation. But God, though not personally thus present, is manifested in the same grace now; and where is He to be so seen? In the ministry of reconciliation— “and hath put in us the ministry of reconciliation.” It is in this ministry we see God yet in the world; not judging, not ordering it, but ministering to its wretchedness in the only way which would meet man's extreme necessity; that is, by the testimony to the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
Christ is now personally away; but on His behalf “we entreat, as though God did beseech by us.” God had stretched out His hands all the day long by His Son to a disobedient and gainsaying people; but after this was rejected, it was by the means of others on the ground of more marvelous grace. “We pray in Christ's stead be reconciled to God. For He hath made Him sin for us Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."!
But it was not only as in testimony to the grace of God, there was Jesus Himself in the lying exhibition of it. If the testimony was to the abounding grace of God in the cross, there were the apostles as crucified men, the offscouring of all things, giving power to the testimony by conformity to that humiliation of Jesus which they preached. This, I believe to be the meaning of chap. 6:1, not working together with God, as is supplied in our translation, but as working together with their own testimony—in consistency with it—that whilst their mouth expressed the truth, they might themselves be found walking in it. And then, well could they ask the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain. There it was still in its fullest exhibition, able to meet all their wants, and to raise them up out of their sunken condition, It was still the season of acceptance: he puts them in mind of that, lest when they were awakened to a sense of their real state, they should be overwhelmed by the discovery of its evil. Their ease did not go beyond the reach of the ministry of reconciliation, and there was God exhibited. He feared to hinder this most blessed ministry: his own coming to Corinth with the rod might have hindered it, and therefore his conduct was regulated not by what man might judge fit and proper, but by ascertainment of the mind of Christ. “Giving no offense in anything that the ministry (the ministry of reconciliation) be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as ministers of God—in much patience...by long-suffering... by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true...as dying and behold we live.”
I do most assuredly believe the leading thought in these chapters to be the character of the service, corresponding to that of the grace ministered. It is not the laying before the church the dispensations of God as in the epistle to the Romans, or unfolding to it its own rich portion as in the Ephesians and Colossians. It is not argumentative as the epistle to the Galatians, but it is the working of that grace and truth in the soul of the apostle himself in service, of which he was the chosen witness. As he says, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” A great deal more to the same purpose might be noticed from the tenth chapter to the end, but I forbear to go further in this interesting subject except it be to present one trait of the servant most prominently set forth in the last chapter. It was a hard taunt indeed to be asked at Corinth, for a proof of Christ speaking in him, when they themselves were the mighty proof of it. But then, as it had been with the Master Himself to be in the eyes of men a worm and no man, so was the servant content to be. “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.” It was resurrection-power in which the apostle was strong, and everything that could make man appear glorious and powerful, was taken from him in order to manifest that his power was from above, not from man. But outwardly weak as he was, the fact of their believing was the proof of his power, for he it was who had ministered Christ to them. If they had proof of being Christians then had they proof of Christ speaking in him. This was the proof which satisfied the soul of the apostle; but if they sought others he had them ready, but he wished not to be put to the test. The best proof to him would be that “they did not evil” which might call forth severity; and he had rather by their well doing, still continue under the imputation of having put forth pretensions which were not made good, than make them good in their punishment.
Here is the servant hiding himself entirely that only He Whom he served might appear. Could the flesh do this? assuredly not. It was service in the Spirit, in the gospel of the Son, and therefore the pattern of all real service. And although as to outward hardship, we do not find the same trials now as in those days, yet, in all which arises from the church itself, the case is so sorrowful, that nothing but the deepest self-renunciation and self-abasement will at all enable us to serve in it, or lift us up above the painful pressure of present circumstances.
It is now high time to awake from ministerial ease. The Lord and the time are calling for energetic service. But it must be in endurance.— “I therefore endure all things for the elect's sake.” With uncompromising faithfulness, no weapon must be used that is carnal—only those which are mighty through God. Well may the servant say, “Who is sufficient for these things?” But it is not unprovided for. The Lord will still bless faithful service; and however little it may be crowned with present success, no labor in the Lord ever is in vain.
(Continued from p. 75.)