THE BRUTAL REALITIES OF MINISTRY

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-10

NASB

1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain — 2 for He says,

“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,

AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”

Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION” — 3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything commending ourselves as [a]servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9 as unknown [a]yet well-known, as dying [a]yet behold, we live; as [b]punished [a]yet not put to death, 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing [a]yet possessing all things.

6:4 [a]Or ministers  6:9 [a]Lit and  [b]Or disciplined  6:10 [a]Lit and 

NLT

1 As God’s partners,[*] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says,

“At just the right time, I heard you.

On the day of salvation, I helped you.”[*]

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[*] and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

[6:1] Or As we work together.   [6:2] Isa 49:8 (Greek version).   [6:6] Or by our holiness of spirit.  

Most people have strange ideas about ministry and what goes on in ministers’ lives. My heart goes out to the bewildered churchgoer who said on one exasperating occasion, “My problem is that God is a lot like our preacher. I don’t see Him through the week, and I don’t understand Him on Sunday.” I think people wonder about their preachers during the week. If they don’t see them on a Wednesday night or don’t run into them shopping in the supermarket or attending a local sports event, people might have all kinds of unusual ideas about what a minister’s life must be like. “What does that pastor do all week?”

Some think ministry is an ivory-tower affair. They picture a place of stained-glass solitude where pastors pore over the Scriptures in a study, surrounded by endless shelves of books. They see ministry as a virtual monastic life of solitude and study —except for a few hours on a Sunday morning. Others think ministry is for the superspiritual models of perfection: mature saints whose lives are all together and who get paid to live the way nobody else in the congregation can. On the negative side, others might think a minister is simply a well-polished charlatan, skilled in emotional manipulation and slick exploitation. Some especially harsh cynics look at pastors not as pious monks, but as powerful moguls —cultish gurus who like to tell people what to do.

None of these estimations are true, at least not among the pastors I’ve known over my lifetime of ministry. People in the ministry are neither perfect nor fiendish. Admittedly, all of us have weaknesses, problems, imperfections, and blemishes. We aren’t always loving or patient, unselfish or forgiving. We can succumb to temptations and suffer from trials, just like anybody else. Ministers are imperfect people living in an imperfect world, called to a seemingly insurmountable task.

Nevertheless, God continues to call and set apart an army of ministers for every generation —pastors, professors, evangelists, and missionaries; Sunday school teachers, children’s pastors, and youth volunteers; mentoring moms, small group facilitators, counselors, musicians, and worship leaders —all imperfect people called with a holy calling. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul states that if we have been reconciled to God, then we have been given a ministry of reconciliation (5:18). God Himself has therefore committed some kind of ministry to each of us, not merely to a select elite (5:19). All believers are called to be His ambassadors (5:20).

Therefore, each of us, regardless of our particular role in ministry, should be prepared to handle its brutal realities —realities Paul addresses in 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.

— 6:1-3 —

Paul begins his description of the realities of ministry with two exhortations that will help us keep it together when we face the inevitable trials, temptations, hardships, and frustrations of ministry: do not receive the grace of God in vain (6:1-2) and cultivate credibility in ministry (6:3-4).

On the heels of his call to take seriously the ministry of reconciliation as ambassadors of Christ, Paul exhorts the Corinthians to receive the grace of God with sincerity and urgency. The “grace of God” ( 6:1) could refer to the saving work of Jesus Christ (5:21) —the reconciliation that occurs through the Savior’s substitutionary death for us. It could also refer to the ministry of reconciliation granted not only to the apostles, but to all believers in Christ (5:18-21). This does not have to be an either/or interpretation. Paul mentions both:

Now all these things are from God [that’s grace in general],

who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [that’s saving grace]

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [that’s the grace of ministry]. (5:18)

In this context, the danger of receiving the grace of God “in vain” (6:1) refers to the tragedy of a fruitless ministry. The word “vain” in Greek is kenos [2756], which means “empty, without content, without result, useless.”[131] A person’s ministry can be fruitless in at least two ways. First, it might embrace a graceless Christian lifestyle that depends on self rather than on the Spirit, reducing the Christian faith to a religion of works-related righteousness rather than the righteousness that comes only by grace. When a person fails to live by grace, their ministries will be law-oriented rather than grace-oriented. In short, it will not be a ministry of reconciliation to God but alienation from God (Eph. 2:13-19). The Judaizers had this kind of works-based “ministry” down to a fine art; the message of the atoning work of Christ ricocheted off their hearts like arrows off a plate of steel.

Second, a person’s ministry can be fruitless when it fails to take advantage of present ministry opportunities. Paul alludes to Isaiah 49:8 to support his assertion —“Thus says the LORD, ‘In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of salvation I have helped You; and I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages.” The NASB translation capitalizes the “You” because the translators rightly understood this passage as a prophetic reference to the Messiah, called to be a Covenant to the people of Israel. When we examine the context of this messianic “Servant Song,” we discover additional themes similar to Paul’s discussion in 2 Corinthians 6, making it a fitting passage for Paul to quote.

The song in Isaiah 49 begins with a call for the “peoples from afar” (the Gentiles) to hear the word of the Lord (Isa. 49:1). As the person of the Messiah speaks, He recounts that the Lord had called Him from the womb (Isa. 49:1), making His mouth like a sword (Isa. 49:2; see also Rev. 1:16; 2:16; 19:15, 21) and hiding the Messiah in His quiver like a secret weapon (1 Cor. 2:6-8), ready to be fired in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4). The prophetic voice of the Messiah then recounts the words of the Father: “You are My Servant, Israel, in Whom I will show My glory” (Isa. 49:3). Whereas national Israel, named after their patriarch, Jacob (Israel), utterly failed to reflect God’s glory among the nations, Jesus Christ would succeed in this mission as the embodiment and epitome of Israel and heir of the covenant promises.

The voice of the Messiah in Isaiah 49:4 cries out as if he had “toiled in vain” and spent His strength “for nothing and vanity.” That is, even though He labored to the utmost, fulfilling the will of the Father and paying the price for Israel’s redemption, the nation refused to accept Him and instead rejected His lordship. This “failure” of the Messiah’s mission, however, actually results in a greater plan of redemption when the “arrow” in God’s quiver is pulled and fired into salvation history (Rom. 11:12, 15). He describes this expanded mission in Isaiah 49:5-6:

And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength),

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

When Paul alludes to Isaiah 49:8, then, he extends the Messiah’s new covenant ministry of reconciliation to the church, whose role it is to carry on Christ’s proclamation of salvation not only to Israel, but also to all the nations. Why? Because now is “the acceptable time” and “the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Christ has come. Israel has rejected Him. Yet their rejection has led to the preaching of the gospel of reconciliation throughout the world: “Their rejection is the reconciliation of the world” (Rom. 11:15). This means that so long as we have breath in our lungs, we should act as Christ’s covenant ambassadors, “working together with Him” (2 Cor. 6:1) to make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:19).

Having warned the Corinthians about receiving the grace of God in vain (2 Cor. 6:1-2), Paul continues to help believers face the brutal realities of ministry with an additional exhortation: Cultivate credibility in ministry (6:3-4). How do we, as imperfect ministers of the gospel, keep the new covenant ministry from getting discredited? By not giving any cause for offense (6:3) and by being faithful servants, just as Christ is the faithful Servant par excellence (6:4; see Isa. 49:3-7).

The Greek term for “discredited” (mōmaomai [3469]) is used only here and in 2 Cor. 8:20. It means “to find fault or blame.” The Hebrew equivalent (qalown [H7036]) is used in Proverbs 9:7, translated as “dishonor.” Just imagine for a moment all the ways our ministry can be discredited. We could:

Sadly, we could all add to this already harrowing list. Any one of these could topple our ministries and bring dishonor to the gospel.

— 6:4-10 —

As he sets out to paint a brutally honest picture of authentic Christian ministry, Paul lays aside the pastel palette that would naturally attract people to ministry. Instead, he reaches for darker hues that shock the senses and present a realistic picture of the life of those who have commended themselves as servants of God.

The word “servant” here is not the term for “slave” or “bond-servant,” doulos [1401] (Rom. 1:1; Titus 1:1). Rather, Paul uses the term diakonos [1249]. This Greek word has a fairly broad range of meanings: “a generic servant,” “a food server,” “an agent with a special mission,” or “an official minister in a church.” In the New Testament, diakonos is used to mean a servant with a certain mission or task (Rom. 15:8; 1 Cor. 3:5; Eph. 3:7); an assistant of a particular person (Matt. 22:13; 2 Cor. 6:4; Col. 1:7); or an official appointment, office, or position as a “minister” in a local church (Phil. 1:1; 1Tim. 3:8-12). Paul’s usage in 2 Corinthians 6:4 relates mostly to the first two meanings: he and his companions, all of them sold out for the gospel ministry, viewed themselves as conscripted servants of God Himself, assigned with the specific task of proclaiming the Word far and wide.

This ministry, however, did not come with competitive compensation, a great benefits package, or a comfortable retirement plan. Paul’s description demolishes every false image of Christian ministry. Under its weight, the ivory-tower image collapses, the perfect-saint portrayal fades, and the in-it-for-the-money idea loses credibility. Look at how Paul describes the brutal reality of Christian ministry: He served the Lord “in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger” (6:4-5).

That’s not exactly the description you would expect to find in a seminary brochure, hear from those recruiting volunteers for ministry, or read in a missionary’s quarterly report. Granted, not all ministers encounter extreme hardships like those Paul described. But ministers must prepare themselves for both pleasant and unpleasant times. In a word, they must “endure” (6:4). The Greek word for endurance is hypomonē [5281]. William Barclay explains its meaning:

It is not easy to capture the richness or depth of this expression with a single word in English. It does not describe the frame of mind which can sit down with folded hands and bowed head and let a torrent of troubles sweep over it in passive resignation. It describes the ability to bear things in such a triumphant way that it transfigures them.[132]

If anyone ever endured hardships for the sake of ministry, it was Paul. But because he set up his life as a model for others, we can learn from the various trials he endured (6:4-5) as well as the vital attitudes he exhibited in the midst of those trials (6:6-7).

Various trials endured (6:4-5). First, Paul battled inner struggles —afflictions, hardships, and distresses. His “afflictions,” or “pressures” as the Greek root thlipsis [2347] indicates, included concerns that pressed in and weighed him down. His “hardships” required that he do without those things that make life comfortable and secure. His “distresses” pushed him into tight spots, where he felt cornered and trapped. We get the picture of a minister who had become stressed out, mentally and emotionally drained.

Second, Paul experienced external troubles —beatings, imprisonments, and tumults. His “beatings” were physically painful, even torturous. He had been imprisoned many times, and his tumultuous situations landed him in the midst of violence, public outcries, and assaults. In short, Paul was severely persecuted, physically brutalized by his enemies.

Third, Paul endured the private disciplines of commitment to the cause —labor, sleeplessness, and hunger. Whatever it took to advance the cause of the gospel, he did it with little regard for his own well-being. He worked tirelessly and without ceasing to spread the gospel throughout the world. Yet he counted it all expedient for the joy of the Cross (11:23-28).

Vital attitudes maintained (6:6-7). Paul then fills in the dark tones of his painting with nine beams of light, reminding us that even in the midst of the gloom, God is present to see us through. Paul served the gospel ministry “in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left” (6:6-7). Four of these attributes are external attitudes visible to other people: purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness. The remaining five wield their power in the hidden places of the heart: the Holy Spirit, a genuine love for others, the word of truth, the power of God, and the weapons of righteousness.

What is Paul’s point in listing these vital attitudes? It is that even in the midst of internal and external pressures, a believer can be sheltered, shielded, and strengthened by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-7), and the spiritual armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17). What is the result of this “mixed bag” of horrendous ministry experiences endured by means of God’s strengthening presence and providence? As one might expect, our entire ministries will be characterized by extreme ups and downs and even confusing contradictions:

DOWNS

UPS

by dishonor

and glory

by evil report

and good report

regarded as deceivers

and yet true

as unknown

yet well-known

as dying

yet behold, we live

as punished

yet not put to death

as sorrowful

yet always rejoicing

as poor

yet making many rich

as having nothing

yet possessing all things

Considering the light and dark sides of ministry, it is sometimes hard to know which image we project to others as Christians, especially those of us who have chosen ministry as our vocation —or rather, have been chosen for ministry. In light of the brutal realities of ministry, the vital attitudes described in 2 Corinthians 6:6-7 become all the more important to maintain, so that even if we are experiencing more downs than ups, we can keep our heads above water and breathe the refreshing air of the Spirit’s sustaining grace.

APPLICATION: 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-10

Reflecting, Risking, and Leaving a Legacy

A large group of people over the age of ninety-five were asked the question, “If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?”[133] Their answers fell into three general categories. They said they would 1) reflect more, 2) risk more, and 3) do more things that would live on after their death.

Those are revealing answers, aren’t they? They are filled with a wise understanding of the basics of a fruitful, abundant life —reflecting on what is most important, taking chances instead of shying away from the unknown, and leaving a legacy for the future. And yet those responses also reveal a tinge of regret.

I’ll be honest. I am thrilled by the work the Lord has given me to do. Every day I thank God for the ministry He has given me —and the ability to press on even through the storms of conflict, the dark clouds of hardship, and the raging winds of controversy. Yes, I acknowledge the brutal realities of ministry, but by the grace of God I have been able to tread water when the floods of adversity pummeled my life —not by my own wisdom and strength, but by the purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, love, truth, power, and righteousness that have come by His Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 6:6-7). I can testify without hesitation: I love the ministry with my heart and soul.

That said, I know that not everyone is called to full-time Christian work as a lifelong career. Yet all believers are called to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). All believers. Sadly, I fear too many perfectly capable believers live in such a way that they are headed for a retirement of regrets: “I wish I would have reflected more, risked more, and left more of a legacy.”

Don’t let this be you!

Have you reflected on your present involvement in ministry versus what you are actually capable of doing? Are there opportunities at your local church which you have dismissed without even reflecting on whether you should get involved? Take time to reflect on the ministry needs in your church or with those around you and determine specific ways you might contribute. Not next year. Not next semester. Not next month. Do it today!

Second, are you playing it safe with your life, refusing to take risks? For example, are you sitting on a heap of cash for a rainy day that may never come when you could be using it for strategic ministry opportunities? Or are you avoiding outreach opportunities because of the risks involved to your pride, reputation, schedule, or comfort? Take a hard look at your travel, ministry, work, and leisure plans over the coming year and ask yourself whether you are playing it too safe.

Third, will anything you are doing now live on after you die? Are you throwing yourself into your career to the neglect of your family and church? When you get to the end of your life, what will be the legacy of eternal significance you leave behind? Are you discouraging children or grandchildren from engaging in vocational ministry for the sake of more lucrative, but less eternally significant, careers? Ministering to others is a noble calling. Not the only one, but a noble one. It doesn’t have to be vocational, paid ministry. Any positive impact you can have on other believers or unbelievers will echo into eternity.

Yes, ministry is hard. It can be mentally draining, emotionally painful, and physically demanding. When not balanced by consistent, prevailing prayer, mixed with vital attitudes to keep us afloat, we can sink under the stress and surrender to its incessant demands and deadlines. When we endure the tough times, however, ministry is the most rewarding and satisfying life anybody can live.