On A Mission From God
2 Corinthians 3:6
"He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life." (NLT)
We who have been born again are on a mission from God. It is a mission delegated to all of God's ministers: Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (KJV) It is a mission of purpose: John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Our mission has requirements and standards by which we live and die.
2 Corinthians 6 describes both hardships and rewards for God's ministers. In fact, there are many Scriptures throughout The Holy Bible which touch on this subject; I offer you this one only.
From the NASB rendering of 2 Corinthians 6:1-10=
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 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 yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
God's ministers go through many things to preach the gospel to the lost souls. A lost soul is someone who does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. A lost soul believes that religion will save him or her. A lost soul follows and obeys other gods. A lost soul can be sitting on the pew or standing behind the pulpit; after all a good salesman can sell anything to the right person, right?
But God's ministers don't sell the gospel, we live the gospel. For The Gospel of Salvation is not only through Christ Jesus, but IS Christ Jesus. "In Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28.
2 Corinthians 3:6
"He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life." (NLT)
We who have been born again are on a mission from God. It is a mission delegated to all of God's ministers: Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (KJV) It is a mission of purpose: John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Our mission has requirements and standards by which we live and die.
2 Corinthians 6 describes both hardships and rewards for God's ministers. In fact, there are many Scriptures throughout The Holy Bible which touch on this subject; I offer you this one only.
From the NASB rendering of 2 Corinthians 6:1-10=
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 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 yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
God's ministers go through many things to preach the gospel to the lost souls. A lost soul is someone who does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. A lost soul believes that religion will save him or her. A lost soul follows and obeys other gods. A lost soul can be sitting on the pew or standing behind the pulpit; after all a good salesman can sell anything to the right person, right?
But God's ministers don't sell the gospel, we live the gospel. For The Gospel of Salvation is not only through Christ Jesus, but IS Christ Jesus. "In Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28.
