Passage Read: 2 Corinthians 4-5
Meditation Verses: 4:2-4
Thought
Because Paul understands that his ministry is from God, so he trusts that God will do the work in men's hearts as he preaches a full and honest and complete Gospel. There are aspects of the Gospel that are embarrassing to confess. There are parts that are too incredible to believe. But instead of refashioning the Gospel into something palatable and reasonable and sensible to lost people, he tells it truthfully and completely, hiding nothing that might put someone off. In so doing, he can have great confidence that those who believe have believed in truth and those who reject or ignore his message do so because they are blinded by Satan. If God doesn't break through to them, there is nothing he can or should do to try to break through--especially if that means altering the Gospel in some substantive way.
Application
I must not be ashamed of any aspect of the Gospel, so that I withhold it when I seek to present it. I don't want to fool anyone; I don't want to deceive anyone into the kingdom. I don't want to hide the "fine print" in hopes of seeing more people accept my Gospel. I want to see God work in hearts, so I need to let the Gospel be as fantastic and foolish as it is in all its glory. It is ultimately about the glory of Christ, so He must be the focus and center of my presentation. God is calling all men everywhere to repent and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Those who do will receive forgiveness of all their sins and a new nature by which they can and should walk in righteousness. Those who reject do so because they cannot see; it's not my fault or the fault of my honest and transparent Gospel. My goal is to glorify and exalt Christ, not to rack up numbers who "prayed to receive Christ." My goal is to see God work in hearts through an impossible-to-believe Gospel, even though it means many will reject because they cannot stomach the exaltation of Christ over them and over all mankind.