2 Corinthians 12:19-21
19 Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.
19 Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.
Transparent, humble honesty is at the core of ministry. There are no excuses, only the awareness that God is ever present in us to witness how we follow Him. Here Paul gave the example of building others up with no hidden agenda nor ulterior motive. This is a two way street between the one ministering and the ones served. If we do not humble ourselves to speak truth in love as Paul did, it opens the doors to the list of selfish unconfessed sins listed in verse 20. He also pleaded with those who do not repent when their long standing sins were identified earlier when he visited, and is a warning to us all to deal with sin, both as sinners and as shepherds who serve and minister as called to do, with all humility and transparency.
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