ers of the world may never be able to say: "Behold the knavery and
licentiousness of these people! Surely their doctrine cannot be true."
Otherwise our evil name and fame and the obstacles we place before
others will extend to the innocent and holy Word God has given us to
apprehend and to proclaim; it must bear our shame and in addition
become unfruitful in the offended ones. Grievous is such a sin as
this.

MARKS OF CHRISTIANS AS MINISTERS OF GOD.

"But in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much
patience."

10. The apostle here portrays the Christian life in its outward
expression. Not that it is possible for anyone thereby to become a
Christian, or godly; but, being servants of God, or Christians and
godly people, we furnish in this manner, according to Paul's statement
here, the evidence thereof as by fruits and signs.

Mark his phrase "ministers of God." What a remarkable service for God
is this wherein we must endure so much suffering, so much affliction,
privation, anxiety, stripes, imprisonment, tumult or sedition, labor,
watching, fasting, and so on! No mass here, no vigil, no
hallucinations of a fictitious service of God; it is the true service
of God, which subdues the body and mortifies the flesh. Not, indeed,
as if fasting, watching and toiling are to be despised because they do
not make just. Though we are not thereby justified, we must
nevertheless practice those things, instead of giving rein to the
flesh and indulging our idleness.

11. Paul also mentions sedition. Not that by our teaching or life we
should be guilty of sedition against others; rather, we should be
quiet and obedient. See Romans 13. Christ says (Mt 22, 21), "Render
therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." Paul's meaning is
that when we become victims of sedition on the part of others we
should submit; just as we are not to inflict upon others privations,
distresses, stripes or imprisonment, but rather to accept them at
their hands. So Paul heads the list with patience; which does not
produce sedition, but endures it.

It is a consolation in these times when we are charged with raising
seditions, to reflect that it is the very nature and color of the
Christian life that it be criticised as seditious when the fact is it
patiently bears sedition directed against itself. Thus was it with
Elijah, who was accused by King Ahab of troubling Israel and exciting
turbulence. 1 Kings 18, 17-18. Then, when