2 Corinthians 6:8
By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No.
Evil Report: defamation, reproach, ill-repute
From the Greek word 'dusphemia' (pronounced doos-fay-mee'-ah).
Good Report: commendation, praise
From the Greek word 'euphémia' (pronounced yoo-fay-mee'-ah).
Slandered. Spoken ill of for speaking the Truth. To share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is to expect people to come against you. As they came against Christ who not only speaks Truth but is Himself Truth, how can we expect any less to happen to us as His faithful followers?
Jesus Himself warned His disciples that as many came against Him for the Truth of the Word which He spake, people would also come against them, against us.
>John 16:1-3
>John 15:18-20
>Proverbs 29:27
>Matthew 10:22
>Matthew 24:9
Knowing that even the very mention of the Name of Christ could get a person killed, how does the kingdom of God keep growing? Grace.Joy. Peace. Rest. Forgiveness. Wisdom. Love. Hope. Mercy. Of God. In Christ. Through the Holy Spirit of God.
>GRACE: Ephesians 2:8
>JOY: John 15:11
>PEACE: John 16:33
>REST: Matthew 11:28
>FORGIVENESS: Ephesians 1:7
>WISDOM: Proverbs 11:30
>LOVE: 1 John 4:16
>HOPE: Psalm 39:7
>MERCY: Titus 3:5
All of these things Christ is to us who believe. All of these are in us and need to be displayed to everyone else by our words and our actions. The name is the reputation. Whose name are you defined by? The faithful follower of Christ is defined by Christ's Name and carries His reputation with them wherever they go.
Philippians 2:7, 8
But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
As such He did, so, too, do we, His followers. We make ourselves of no reputation, and yet, we are known by many for who we are. As Christ is known, both loved and hated, we who love Him and follow in His steps, are both loved and hated. Though we desire no reputation of our own, we are given two. We are only slightly known to this world. But in God's kingdom we are fully known.
Clean Hands - Lauren Alexandria
Better Than Life - Phil Wickham
Here's My Heart - I Am They
No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus - Steffany Gretzinger
Nothing Without You - United Pursuit
I Belong To Jesus - Paul, Hannah McClure
Give Us Clean Hands - Caedmon's Call
I Speak Jesus - Here Be Lions
Hands and Feet - Audio Adrenaline
Build Your Kingdom Here - Rend Collective
Known - Tauren Wells
