Christ-followers are Selfless

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:17

For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Insights: The third unique characteristic of Christ-followers is that they are selfless.  I say they are selfless because in today’s verse we see Paul describing Himself as one who did not peddle the word of God.  He did not need to be promoted.  In fact, he needed to die and have Christ’s elevated.  He was always pointing people to Jesus.  Everything about his life and ministry was Christ-centered.  This fact means that he lived a selfless life.  At FBC Bowling Green they know one of my soap boxes is TV preachers.  I constantly warn them against those who preach an easy believes or a name-it-and-claim it type of gospel.  An encounter with Jesus transforms our very nature.  We are not capable of remaining the same.  We must display a change and self-promotion through preaching a false gospel that lines one’s own pockets is not a life of change.  It is a life of robbery.  Beloved, let us be very careful about what we proclaim.  Let us be certain it is about Jesus and the life we have in eternity with Him.  He is to be glorified and we are to be selfless and humble.  May our lives reflect this truth.

Questions:

1.  Are you profiting, in a worldly sense, by preaching a gospel of self-promotion?

2.  What do you think your religious profit will reward you in eternity?

Prayer: Father, it is my prayer that You would change the hearts of those charlatans who propagate on those who really want life in You, but have been taught a false gospel.  May those men and women truly encounter You and then preach powerfully the gospel of Christ Jesus and Him crucified.  May they understand their life in glory is all that matters and not their bank accounts.  Amen.