Paul begins explaining his ministry in 2 Corinthians 4. He says to the church members at Corinth that death works in us, but life in you. He was referring to death working in himself and those who are of his same calling, apostles. He also mentioned carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be manifested in their bodies.
He continues explaining the peculiarities of his ministry in chapter 5. In verse 12 he writes,
12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Skip to verse 18,
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we [apostles] are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you [believers at Corinth] on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Chapter 6:1-13,
1 And working together with Him, we also urge you [Corinthians] 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, in order that the ministry [apostolic ministry] be not discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves [apostles] 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.
11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
13 Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
The bottom line is this: Apostles speak FOR Christ; other ministries speak OF Christ. Apostles are ambassadors for Christ chosen explicitly by Christ. Apostles speak on behalf of Christ; other ministries speak of Christ.
Can you imagine every citizen of a country being an ambassador for his country? Neither can God.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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