Disicipleship Devotional, July 31st, 2025
“Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:3 (KJV)
In the verses leading up to our anchor text, the Apostle Paul reminds believers that we have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. He emphasizes that we are now ambassadors for Christ, commissioned to represent Him on earth (2 Corinthians 5:17–21). Following this, Paul explains that he strives to avoid anything that could bring disrepute to the ministry.
This is the kind of ministry-mindedness every believer should cultivate. As Christ’s ambassadors, we are His representatives, and our lives serve as a form of public relations for the gospel. That means we don’t live carelessly. What we do either reflects well on the gospel—or poorly.
When we are truly ministry-minded, there are certain things we will not do. There are words we won’t say, clothes we won’t wear, and attitudes we won’t adopt—not because we are trying to impress anyone, but because we are conscious of how our lives portray Christ. Paul advised Timothy to be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. If that was good advice for Timothy, it’s good for us too.
Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 KJV). And Paul, writing to Titus, said:
“Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.” (Titus 2:9–10 ESV)
Here, Paul uses the word adorn. To adorn something is to decorate or beautify it. In other words, our conduct should enhance the beauty of the gospel message. The New International Version puts it this way:
“And not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” (Titus 2:10 NIV)
Though our lives are not the primary means of preaching the gospel, they can lend credibility to it. Sometimes, our lives may even lead others to Christ. Conversely, when we live carelessly, we can discredit the gospel. Peter alluded to this when speaking of a believer married to an unbeliever—that the unbelieving spouse may be won over without words by the conduct of their believing partner (1 Peter 3:1).
Let us live with this awareness: we represent Christ. May our lives adorn, not tarnish, the message of salvation.
Prayer:
Lord, help me live in a way that honours You and draws others to Your truth. Make me mindful of how my actions reflect the gospel. May I never be a stumbling block, but always a light that points others to You. Amen.
No responses yet