By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
The verse lists six marks by which God's ministers commend themselves, moral cleanness, true understanding, patient endurance, kindness, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and sincere love. It is spoken to workers together with God who urge men not to receive grace in vain in the accepted time of salvation, giving no offense, living by truth and God's power, and enduring afflictions, imprisonments, labors, watchings and fastings. It binds all who take the name of Christian, ministers and church members alike, to reveal Christ's character as His chosen representatives to the world. True ministry is approved in this spirit amid hardship and persecution by being a living example of the truth, giving no offense in anything, and being kind, tender and Christlike in thought, word and act with much patience. These qualities are the highest education, to be diligently studied from God's Word, received under the sanctifying Holy Spirit, and carried into faithful daily work whether in school, in canvassing from house to house, or in shining brightly amid moral darkness.
Meaning and Setting
The sixfold list names the inward credentials by which God's ministers commend themselves — cleanness, understanding, endurance, gentleness, the Spirit's presence, and genuine love. These are the marks of approval for faithful ministry carried on amid hardship, the example ministers set by living the truths they teach. The same word is spoken to teachers as fellow laborers together with God, making the list part of the instruction for Christian workers.
The terms signify moral cleanness, true understanding, patient endurance, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They denote character and spirit, purity of life and inward marks rather than outward display.
The setting is that of workers together with God pleading that grace not be received in vain, because now is the accepted time and the day of salvation. It calls for giving no offense in anything so the ministry is not blamed, living by the word of truth and the power of God with the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. It joins these graces to endurance in afflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings.
As part of 2 Corinthians 6:1-18, the requirement binds everyone who takes the name of Christian, ministers and church members alike, to reveal Christ's character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world. The whole chapter from first verse to last is of great importance, and its conditions must in no case be neglected. Its call is for now, because now is the everlasting accepted time and there is no tomorrow that belongs to us.
Ministry and Character
True and faithful ministry is approved by pureness, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and sincere love. These six mark character and spirit, purity of life and inward sincerity, by which ministers of God commend themselves. That approval is proved amid hardship, persecution, necessity, distress, and hard labor, with faithfulness sustained through trial. The gospel minister must therefore be a living example of the truths taught, carrying them out in life as well as in word.
Such ministry gives no offense in anything, so that the ministry is not blamed. There is no unkind dealing, no harsh words, and no disparaging speech. Instead the meaning is to be kind, tender, loving, and Christlike in thoughts, words, and acts, living the word of truth by the power of God. Workers together with God thus mark out the way for church members to represent Christ in character.
This character must be joined to much patience in afflictions, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings. Preparation must be made for these trials because they will come. Those who share in Christ's glory must share in His sufferings, enduring affliction, necessity, distress, persecution, and hard labor.
The six qualities are timbers, material provided by God for building character, to be heeded by co-workers with Christ in approving themselves as ministers of God. In times of perplexity and distress, when heavy strain is brought to bear, it will plainly appear what kind of timbers were used. Those who bring this material into their character building will be chosen by God as temples for His indwelling. A church composed of such members meets the divine requirements.
All who have the light of truth are called to thorough conversion and to leave nothing undone in faithful doing of what God expects. In this way they shine brightly amidst the moral darkness of the world. When these qualities are lived with the whole being, Christ's prayer in John 17 is answered. Then the world sees that God has indeed sent His Son to save sinners, and others take knowledge that His people have been with Jesus and have learned of Him.
The same standard exposes a self-centered life in which self is center and circumference, drawing in everything within reach. There selfishness reigns in heart, spirit, soul, flesh, and bones, grasping and retaining every advantage while other souls are endangered and the soul is spiritually deceived. The command is to fall on the Rock and be broken, humbling the heart before God without deferring full surrender of heart, soul, strength, and mind. Such brokenness for putting the Saviour to shame receives His offered blessing, undoing what has been done, because hope still remains. In unity with others, faithful service is to be done cheerfully, lovingly, patiently, and hopefully, with encouragement to others.
Study and Daily Work
The six traits of moral purity, true understanding, patient endurance, kindness, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and genuine love belong to the principles of higher education taught in 2 Corinthians 6. That instruction from God's Word was given to the early disciples and is given to believers now, and it is more exalted in the line of education than anything in the world. There is no education higher than what is contained in these traits, and they guide Christian work and teach understanding of God's will.
Students and teachers are to study these principles diligently. They are to give special attention to searching the Word, to advance just as far as the Word will take them, and to work intelligently for this higher education. They are not to shape learning by the world's studies nor to become familiar with what the world studies and what the world becomes familiar with. As they do this the Holy Spirit impresses the truth upon the mind, and righteousness will be the sign of understanding God's will committed through His messengers.
The word is addressed to teachers as fellow laborers together with God. This requires that school work never be cheap and careless but faithful in the least things. Small mistakes are to be corrected at once, and every task is to be done well whether cultivating the land or erecting buildings. Exact planning and execution are required in temporal matters because eternal interests are at stake, and such faithfulness is noticed and strengthened by God.
Canvassers who are also evangelists approve themselves as ministers of God in this spirit. They visit from house to house to do good and educate themselves for the work. They share the light contained in religious books, pressing everywhere the light in Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, and Desire of Ages. They dwell upon the precious truths in those books and get that light before as many as possible so that light shines into many minds.
The instruction of the chapter is to be read, studied, and carried into daily life. It serves as encouragement and as a safeguard against error. Its graces belong to Christian experience and are to be received by meeting the conditions God sets. The Lord desires every servant to be under the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
The verse lists six marks by which God's ministers commend themselves, moral cleanness, true understanding, patient endurance, kindness, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and sincere love. It is spoken to workers together with God who urge men not to receive grace in vain in the accepted time of salvation, giving no offense, living by truth and God's power, and enduring afflictions, imprisonments, labors, watchings and fastings. It binds all who take the name of Christian, ministers and church members alike, to reveal Christ's character as His chosen representatives to the world. True ministry is approved in this spirit amid hardship and persecution by being a living example of the truth, giving no offense in anything, and being kind, tender and Christlike in thought, word and act with much patience. These qualities are the highest education, to be diligently studied from God's Word, received under the sanctifying Holy Spirit, and carried into faithful daily work whether in school, in canvassing from house to house, or in shining brightly amid moral darkness.
Meaning and Setting
The sixfold list names the inward credentials by which God's ministers commend themselves — cleanness, understanding, endurance, gentleness, the Spirit's presence, and genuine love. These are the marks of approval for faithful ministry carried on amid hardship, the example ministers set by living the truths they teach. The same word is spoken to teachers as fellow laborers together with God, making the list part of the instruction for Christian workers.
The terms signify moral cleanness, true understanding, patient endurance, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They denote character and spirit, purity of life and inward marks rather than outward display.
The setting is that of workers together with God pleading that grace not be received in vain, because now is the accepted time and the day of salvation. It calls for giving no offense in anything so the ministry is not blamed, living by the word of truth and the power of God with the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. It joins these graces to endurance in afflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings.
As part of 2 Corinthians 6:1-18, the requirement binds everyone who takes the name of Christian, ministers and church members alike, to reveal Christ's character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world. The whole chapter from first verse to last is of great importance, and its conditions must in no case be neglected. Its call is for now, because now is the everlasting accepted time and there is no tomorrow that belongs to us.
Ministry and Character
True and faithful ministry is approved by pureness, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and sincere love. These six mark character and spirit, purity of life and inward sincerity, by which ministers of God commend themselves. That approval is proved amid hardship, persecution, necessity, distress, and hard labor, with faithfulness sustained through trial. The gospel minister must therefore be a living example of the truths taught, carrying them out in life as well as in word.
Such ministry gives no offense in anything, so that the ministry is not blamed. There is no unkind dealing, no harsh words, and no disparaging speech. Instead the meaning is to be kind, tender, loving, and Christlike in thoughts, words, and acts, living the word of truth by the power of God. Workers together with God thus mark out the way for church members to represent Christ in character.
This character must be joined to much patience in afflictions, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings. Preparation must be made for these trials because they will come. Those who share in Christ's glory must share in His sufferings, enduring affliction, necessity, distress, persecution, and hard labor.
The six qualities are timbers, material provided by God for building character, to be heeded by co-workers with Christ in approving themselves as ministers of God. In times of perplexity and distress, when heavy strain is brought to bear, it will plainly appear what kind of timbers were used. Those who bring this material into their character building will be chosen by God as temples for His indwelling. A church composed of such members meets the divine requirements.
All who have the light of truth are called to thorough conversion and to leave nothing undone in faithful doing of what God expects. In this way they shine brightly amidst the moral darkness of the world. When these qualities are lived with the whole being, Christ's prayer in John 17 is answered. Then the world sees that God has indeed sent His Son to save sinners, and others take knowledge that His people have been with Jesus and have learned of Him.
The same standard exposes a self-centered life in which self is center and circumference, drawing in everything within reach. There selfishness reigns in heart, spirit, soul, flesh, and bones, grasping and retaining every advantage while other souls are endangered and the soul is spiritually deceived. The command is to fall on the Rock and be broken, humbling the heart before God without deferring full surrender of heart, soul, strength, and mind. Such brokenness for putting the Saviour to shame receives His offered blessing, undoing what has been done, because hope still remains. In unity with others, faithful service is to be done cheerfully, lovingly, patiently, and hopefully, with encouragement to others.
Study and Daily Work
The six traits of moral purity, true understanding, patient endurance, kindness, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and genuine love belong to the principles of higher education taught in 2 Corinthians 6. That instruction from God's Word was given to the early disciples and is given to believers now, and it is more exalted in the line of education than anything in the world. There is no education higher than what is contained in these traits, and they guide Christian work and teach understanding of God's will.
Students and teachers are to study these principles diligently. They are to give special attention to searching the Word, to advance just as far as the Word will take them, and to work intelligently for this higher education. They are not to shape learning by the world's studies nor to become familiar with what the world studies and what the world becomes familiar with. As they do this the Holy Spirit impresses the truth upon the mind, and righteousness will be the sign of understanding God's will committed through His messengers.
The word is addressed to teachers as fellow laborers together with God. This requires that school work never be cheap and careless but faithful in the least things. Small mistakes are to be corrected at once, and every task is to be done well whether cultivating the land or erecting buildings. Exact planning and execution are required in temporal matters because eternal interests are at stake, and such faithfulness is noticed and strengthened by God.
Canvassers who are also evangelists approve themselves as ministers of God in this spirit. They visit from house to house to do good and educate themselves for the work. They share the light contained in religious books, pressing everywhere the light in Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, and Desire of Ages. They dwell upon the precious truths in those books and get that light before as many as possible so that light shines into many minds.
The instruction of the chapter is to be read, studied, and carried into daily life. It serves as encouragement and as a safeguard against error. Its graces belong to Christian experience and are to be received by meeting the conditions God sets. The Lord desires every servant to be under the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.