2 CORINTHIANS 8:16–24
… providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men
(2 Cor. 8:21).
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes, “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). These were not mere words but a living reality in the life of the apostle. He took public opinion very seriously and did everything within his power from him, as long as it did not compromise the Gospel, to avoid any appearance of evil. We see this principle put into action in 2 Corinthians when Paul arranged the distribution of gifts from the gentile churches. While it might have been easier for Paul to distribute the money himself, he took a companion from Macedonia and put Titus in charge of collecting the gifts.
Paul was consumed with living for the glory of God. He did not want any shadow to fall on that blessed Name, and so he took great precautions to avoid any taint of scandal. Paul’s wisdom of him in this matter sprang from a deep respect for God and a divinely-given humility, which put the name of Christ before his own concerns of him. “It was not enough for the apostle to do right, he recognized the importance of appearing right,” Hodge wrote. “It is a foolish pride which leads to a disregard of public opinion. We are bound to act in such a way that not only God, who sees the heart and knows all things, may approve our conduct, but also so that men may be constrained to recognize our integrity.”
Whether you be a manager, a salesman, a minister, a teacher, a politician, or a housewife, your duty before God and men is not only to be honest but to appear honest. Sometimes it takes some extra effort and prior planning to arrange a situation so that you do not put yourself in any compromising position. Sometimes it takes sacrificing the easier way or doing what you want to do at a given moment in order to remain pure in appearance. This does not mean that you become bound by the consciences of others, but as we learned when we studied the conscience in 1 Corinthians, it is the greatest act of love to put others first and to place the honor of God before your own desires. In the long run, the peace you maintain with others and the integrity you preserve in your own life will far outweigh any sacrifices you make in order to maintain the appearance of purity.
CORAM DEO
Jeremiah 9–10
1 Timothy 3
Examine areas in your life that might need to be “cleaned up” a little. Is there anything you do that could cause your children, your spouse, your employees, your church members, your neighbors to realistically question your purity and honesty? If so, start making some changes toward avoiding the appearance of evil.
For further study: Prov. 3:1–4, 7–8 • Rom. 12:9–21 • 1 Thess. 5:12–22
Thursday
october