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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
November 7
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Today's Pathway:
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After having stated that all believers will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ, Paul writes in verse 11,
"knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men".
Many people view this verse as saying that because Paul knew how terrifying it will be for unsaved people to stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15), he was busy persuading them to get saved. While this is an undeniably true concept, I do not believe this is what Paul is speaking about. The person in this verse who is to have fear ("terror") is Paul. The fear of the Lord is one of his motivators for service. Brian Bell wrote,
"It is not the sense of being afraid of being clubbed to death or whipped by an angry God. It is an awesome reverence, a fear that grows out of respect. The fear that is brought about by the thought of standing before the judgment seat of Christ and having one’s whole life exposed and evaluated".
While it is true that the Bema Seat will not be a place for the punishment of sin, it is certainly a fearful thing to have the One Who saved us reveal how much, or how little, we actually did for Him after our salvation. What an embarrassing and shameful time that will be for many Christians who chose to spend their lives on everything else instead of serving the Lord!
Because of this motivation, Paul persuades men. In Acts 28:23 we read,
"And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening."
He also persuaded believers to walk with the Lord. He did this through his teaching, (Acts 13:43), and also through his imprisonment (Philippians 1:14). Paul's incentive for ministry was a desire to see others be saved and committed to Christ, as well as a desire to have something to show for his own Christian life at the Bema. He writes in verse 11 that this is very clear (manifest) to God. Bruce Hurt wrote,
"The verb tense used pictures Paul as fully known to God in the past and still fully known to Him. In other words Paul is saying in essence 'all along we have been open to God's view.' There was no point when they had not had 'full disclosure' of their ministry motives and methods before God."
He then adds that he hopes that his motives are also clear to the Corinthians. We mentioned earlier in this study that there were those at Corinth who opposed Paul's teaching and his apostolic authority. They made accusations against him concerning his doctrine (II Corinthians 1:17) and his motivations (II Corinthians 4:5). Paul writes that God knows what motivates Paul, and it should be obvious to those in Corinth as well.
In verse 12 Paul adds that he is not trying to commend himself in front of the Corinthians. He is defending his ministry, but he knows that his enemies, those hypocrites who "glory in appearance (have some external showiness), but not in heart (lack an internal relationship with God)", might use what he has just written against him. He isn't bragging about himself. Instead, he is giving information to those who support him that they can use against those who oppose him. Albert Barnes put it this way:
"You regard me as your spiritual father and friend. Yet you often hear my name slandered, and hear me accused of lacking the evidence of being an apostle, and of being vain-glorious, and self-seeking. I know your desire to vindicate my character; I therefore say these things in regard to myself in order that you may be thus able to show your respect for me, and to vindicate me from the false and slanderous accusations of my enemies."
What kind of Christian are you? Are you persuading men? God knows.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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