11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
The Corinthians observed how God worked through the team. Their ministries were an open book to both God and the Corinthian church. The team’s work in the city pointed to what God did through them. The “consciences” of the congregation observed the integrity of the group.
PRINCIPLE:
People always hear us in the context of our character.
APPLICATION:
A person’s life and ministry are bound together. At times it is necessary to justify our conduct in light of this. Otherwise, the perception of how we live may get in the way of people hearing and following us. The Corinthian church needed clarification about the motives of Paul’s gospel team. Christian leaders today need to justify their ministries to their constituents.
Our conscience is a ruler, a measuring stick that reflects what we do. It is the norm or standard whereby what we do is acceptable or not. This “ruler” allows us to function properly in life. If the believer obtains the criteria for his conscience from God and His Word, then his conscience operates as it should. All service for God should come out of that. When we accept and believe in God’s norms, we live out what pleases Him.
