the acts of the apostles-第55节

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measure；　above　strength；　insomuch　that　we　despaired　even　of　life。〃

But　now　one　cause　of　anxiety　was　removed。　At　the　tidings　of　the　acceptance
of　his　letter　to　the　Corinthians；　Paul　broke　forth　into　words　of　rejoicing：
〃Blessed　be　God；　even　the　Father　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　the　Father　of
mercies；　and　the　God　of　all　comfort；　who　comforteth　us　in　all　our
tribulation；　that　we　may　be　able　to　comfort　them　which　are　in　any　trouble；
by　the　comfort　wherewith　we　ourselves　are　comforted　of　God。　For　as　the
sufferings　of　Christ　abound　in　us；　so　our　consolation　also　aboundeth　by
Christ。　And　whether　we　be　afflicted；　it　is　for　your　consolation　and
salvation；　which　is　effectual　in　the　enduring　of　the　same　sufferings　which
we　also　suffer：　or　whether　we　be　comforted；　it　is　for　your　consolation　and
salvation。　And　our　hope　of　you　is　steadfast；　knowing；　that　as　ye　are
partakers　of　the　sufferings；　so　shall　ye　be　also　of　the　consolation。〃

In　expressing　his　joy　over　their　reconversion　and　their　growth　in　grace；
Paul　ascribed　to　God　all　the　praise　for　this　transformation　of　heart　and
life。　〃Thanks　be　unto　God；〃

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he　exclaimed；　〃which　always　causeth　us　to　triumph　in　Christ；　and　maketh
manifest　the　savor　of　His　knowledge　by　us　in　every　place。　For　we　are　unto
God　a　sweet　savor　of　Christ；　in　them　that　are　saved；　and　in　them　that
perish。〃　It　was　the　custom　of　the　day　for　a　general　victorious　in　warfare　to
bring　with　him　on　his　return　a　train　of　captives。　On　such　occasions　incense
bearers　were　appointed；　and　as　the　army　marched　triumphantly　home；　the
fragrant　odor　was　to　the　captives　appointed　to　die；　a　savor　of　death；
showing　that　they　were　nearing　the　time　of　their　execution；　but　to　those　of
the　prisoners　who　had　found　favor　with　their　captors；　and　whose　lives　were
to　be　spared；　it　was　a　savor　of　life；　in　that　it　showed　them　that　their
freedom　was　near。

Paul　was　now　full　of　faith　and　hope。　He　felt　that　Satan　was　not　to　triumph
over　the　work　of　God　in　Corinth；　and　in　words　of　praise　he　poured　forth　the
gratitude　of　his　heart。　He　and　his　fellow　laborers　would　celebrate　their
victory　over　the　enemies　of　Christ　and　the　truth；　by　going　forth　with　new
zeal　to　extend　the　knowledge　of　the　Saviour。　Like　incense　the　fragrance　of
the　gospel　was　to　be　diffused　throughout　the　world。　To　those　who　should
accept　Christ；　the　message　would　be　a　savor　of　life　unto　life；　but　to　those
who　should　persist　in　unbelief；　a　savor　of　death　unto　death。

Realizing　the　overwhelming　magnitude　of　the　work；　Paul　exclaimed；　〃Who　is
sufficient　for　these　things？〃　Who　is　able　to　preach　Christ　in　such　a　way
that　His　enemies　shall　have　no　just　cause　to　despise　the　messenger　or　the
message

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that　he　bears？　Paul　desired　to　impress　upon　believers　the　solemn
responsibility　of　the　gospel　ministry。　Faithfulness　in　preaching　the　word；
united　with　a　pure；　consistent　life；　can　alone　make　the　efforts　of　ministers
acceptable　to　God　and　profitable　to　souls。　Ministers　of　our　day；　burdened
with　a　sense　of　the　greatness　of　the　work；　may　well　exclaim　with　the
apostle；　〃Who　is　sufficient　for　these　things？〃

There　were　those　who　had　charged　Paul　with　self…commendation　in　writing　his
former　letter。　The　apostle　now　referred　to　this　by　asking　the　members　of　the
church　if　they　thus　judged　his　motives。　〃Do　we　begin　again　to　commend
ourselves？〃　he　inquired；　〃or　need　we；　as　some　others；　epistles　of
commendation　to　you；　or　letters　of　commendation　from　you？〃　Believers　moving
to　a　new　place　often　carried　with　them　letters　of　commendation　from　the
church　with　which　they　had　formerly　been　united；　but　the　leading　workers；
the　founders　of　these　churches；　had　no　need　of　such　commendation。　The
Corinthian　believers；　who　had　been　led　from　the　worship　of　idols　to　the
faith　of　the　gospel；　were　themselves　all　the　recommendation　that　Paul
needed。　Their　reception　of　the　truth；　and　the　reformation　wrought　in　their
lives；　bore　eloquent　testimony　to　the　faithfulness　of　his　labors　and　to　his
authority　to　counsel；　reprove；　and　exhort　as　a　minister　of　Christ。

Paul　regarded　the　Corinthian　brethren　as　his　testimonial。　〃Ye　are　our
epistle；〃　he　said；　〃written　in　our　hearts；　known　and　read　of　all　men：
forasmuch　as　ye　are　manifestly　declared　to　be　the　epistle　of　Christ
ministered　by　us；　written　not　with

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ink；　but　with　the　Spirit　of　the　living　God；　not　in　tables　of　stone；　but　in
fleshy　tables　of　the　heart。〃

The　conversion　of　sinners　and　their　sanctification　through　the　truth　is　the
strongest　proof　a　minister　can　have　that　God　has　called　him　to　the　ministry。
The　evidence　of　his　apostleship　is　written　upon　the　hearts　of　those
converted；　and　is　witnessed　to　by　their　renewed　lives。　Christ　is　formed
within；　the　hope　of　glory。　A　minister　is　greatly　strengthened　by　these　seals
of　his　ministry。

Today　the　ministers　of　Christ　should　have　the　same　witness　as　that　which　the
Corinthian　church　bore　to　Paul's　labors。　But　though　in　this　age　there　are
many　preachers；　there　is　a　great　scarcity　of　able；　holy　ministersmen
filled　with　the　love　that　dwelt　in　the　heart　of　Christ。　Pride；
self…confidence；　love　of　the　world；　faultfinding；　bitterness；　envy；　are　the
fruit　borne　by　many　who　profess　the　religion　of　Christ。　Their　lives；　in
sharp　contrast　to　the　life　of　the　Saviour；　often　bear　sad　testimony　to　the
character　of　the　ministerial　labor　under　which　they　were　converted。

A　man　can　have　no　greater　honor　than　to　be　accepted　by　God　as　an　able
minister　of　the　gospel。　But　those　whom　the　Lord　blesses　with　power　and
success　in　His　work　do　not　boast。　They　acknowledge　their　entire　dependence
on　Him；　realizing　that　of　themselves　they　have　no　power。　With　Paul　they　say；
〃Not　that　we　are　sufficient　of　ourselves　to　think　anything　as　of　ourselves；
but　our　sufficiency　is　of　God；　who　also　hath　made　us　able　ministers　of　the
new　testament。〃

A　true　minister　does　the　work　of　the　Master。　He　feels

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the　importance　of　his　work；　realizing　that　he　sustains　to　the　church　and　to
the　world　a　relation　similar　to　that　which　Christ　sustained。　He　works
untiringly　to　lead　sinners　to　a　nobler；　higher　life；　that　they　may　obtain
the　reward　of　the　overcomer。　His　lips　are　touched　with　a　live　coal　from　the
altar；　and　he　uplifts　Jesus　as　the　sinner's　only　hope。　Those　who　hear　him
know　that　he　has　drawn　near　to　God　in　fervent；　effectual　prayer。　The　Holy
Spirit　has　rested　upon　him；　his　soul　has　felt　the　vital；　heavenly　fire；　and
he　is　able　to　compare　spiritual　things　with　spiritual。　Power　is　given　him　to
tear　down　the　strongholds　of　Satan。　Hearts　are　broken　by　his　presentation　of
the　love　of　God；　and　many　are　led　to　inquire；　〃What　must　I　do　to　be　saved？〃

〃Therefore　seeing　we　have　this　ministry；　as　we　have　received　mercy；　we　faint
not；　but　have　renounced　the　hidden　things　of　dishonesty；　not　walking　in
craftiness；　nor　handling　the　word　of　God　deceitfully；　but　by　manifestation
of　the　truth　commending　ourselves　to　every　man's　conscience　in　the　sight　of
God。　But　if　our　gospel　be　hid；　it　is　hid　to　them　that　are　lost：　in　whom　the
god　of　this　world　hath　blinded　the　minds　of　them　which　believe　not；　lest　the
light　of　the　glorious　gospel　of　Christ；　who　is　the　image　of　God；　should
shine　unto　them。　For　we　preach　not　ourselves；　but　Christ　Jesus　the　Lord；　and
ourselves　your　servants　for　Jesus'　sake。　For　God；　who　commanded　the　light　to
shine　out　of　darkness；　hath　shined　in　our　hearts；　to　give　the　light　of　the
knowledge　of　the　glory　of　God　in　the　face　of　Jesus　Christ。〃

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Thus　the　apostle　magnified　the　grace　and　mercy　of　God；　shown　in　the　sacred
trust　committed　to　him　as　a　minister　of　Christ。　By　God's　abundant　mercy　he
and　his　brethren　had　been　sustained　in　difficulty；　affliction；　and　danger。
They　had　not　modeled　their　faith　and　teaching　to　suit　the　desires　of　their
hearers；　nor　kept　back　truths　essential　to　salvation　in　order　to　make　their
teaching　more　attractive。　They　had　presented　the　truth　with　simplicity　and
clearness；　praying　for　the　conviction　and　conversion　of　souls。　And　they　had
endeavored　to　bring　their　conduct　into　harmony　with　their　teaching；　that　the
truth　presented　might　commend　itself　to　every　man's　conscience。

〃We　have　this　treasure；〃　the　apostle　continued；　〃in　earthen　vessels；　that
the　excellency　of　the　power　may　be　of　God；　and　not　of　us。〃　God　could　have
proclaimed　His　truth　through　sinless　angels；　but　this　is　not　His　plan。　He
chooses　human　beings；　men　compassed　with　infirmity；　as　instruments　in　the
working　out　of　His　designs。　The　priceless　treasure　is　placed　in　earthen
vessels。　Through　men　His　blessings　are　to　be　conveyed　to　the　world。　Through
them　His　glory　is　to　shine　forth　into　the　darkness　of　sin。　In　loving
ministry　they　are　to　meet　the　sinful　and　the　needy；　and　lead　them　to　the
cross。　And　in　all　their　work　they　are　to　ascribe　glory；　honor；　and　praise　to
Him　who　is　above　all　and　over　all。

Referring　to　his　own　experience；　Paul　showed　that　in　choosing　the　service　of
Christ　he　had　not　been　prompted　by　selfish　motives；　for　his　pathway　had　been
beset　by　trial　and　temptation。　〃We　are　troubled　on　ev