Today we had our ‘make up Christmas Night Dinner’ dinner. Remember that we were all so sick last week, but we had already purchased everything to make the traditional Christmas Dinner meal like we do every year with my brother, his fiancé Jax, Hannah, Brie, my mom/dad, and the six of us. So, they all came over tonight and we had Beef Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, ginger carrots, sautéed mushrooms, salad, and to top it all off, Crème Brûlée. It was a wonderful evening of togetherness, good food, football, and gift exchange. Love this family!
17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:17 [ESV]
So, yesterday I warned that some of my stated passage yesterday might slip a day and here we are. This will be short as it is just one verse but it is a powerful one.
The first thing I asked myself was, “who are these many peddlers of God’s Word”? After doing a little study, ‘peddlers’ was a negative connotation (as I assumed) give for the market sellers at the gates that would do things like water down their wine or use phony weights for their scales for purchases. What Paul is talking about here are the preachers of God’s Word who tamper with scripture to make it more palatable for the hearer…that he and his companions are not like these peddlers of God’s Word. They speak Christ crucified; they do not remove the offense of the gospel. At some point in the life of the church at Corinth, there would be Jewish Christian Intruders who came to prey upon the Corinthians. It is possible that they might have already been in the background at Corinth *during the writing of chapters 1-7) and it may will be that Paul is alluding to them here in the letter.
Paul then contrasts this with the sincerity that they carry themselves as God’s servant, being commissioned by God as an apostle, and Paul knows all too well, nothing is unseen by the perfect Judge, so their speech is IN CHRIST.
Application:
This is such a reaffirming confidence to step out and not be afraid of speaking the TRUTH of God’s Word. As I continue to walk in service to God in my church role, my role as a Life Group Leader, I must never tamper with God’s Word; being above reproach in sincerity and integrity of representing the Living Word to others.