2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
.. So he’s putting his faith – his boasting – in the grace and mercy of God that was doing it through him. That is what he’s revealing. They are questioning his ministry – it’s the usual thing – the gossip ..talk.. lies .. the deceit going on about this man. But God was with him and the test with any ministry always is their standing ..enduring ..remaining with it and being faithful. They are just some of the signs you test with a true minister of God..
‘In Simplicity And Godly Sincerity’ ..
.. And that is the key to what I’m talking about here. With regard to deceit or pretence we’re to be clean and pure before God. Godly sincerity and not what we can achieve – not what the world produces. It’s what The Holy Spirit produces working through each of us. It’s as we acknowledge when we fall short, ‘ maybe I’m not as sincere as I thought I was. ‘ It’s as we bring it out – bring it under the blood of the lamb that then He works that by His Spirit – because we know we can’t do it..
A Weight Off Our Backs
.. We can’t even save ourselves – it’s the grace and mercy of God. God doesn’t want us deceiving ourselves – being in denial, that’s one of the worst things. Sadly a lot of Christians are in denial and when God tries to home in and deal with it they run away.. switch off.. don’t listen. That is why we are to walk humbly before God and bow that knee, then He delivers us, then He takes that weight off our back because He’s the only one that can bear it. He’s our sin bearer – that’s what it means. He took our sin upon His flesh – the sin of the world – all that baggage that we had when we came to Him.. .. ..
2 Corinthians 2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
1 Timothy 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (NIV)
John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
