A Ministry of Persuasion

Last week, Paul offered great encouragement to the Christian of a future hope in a final resurrection which leads us to life with God forever in the new heavens and the new earth. This week, Paul speaks to his ministry while waiting for that day. In this passage, he seeks to persuade others to rejoice in and believe in the gospel, a message of God's reconciling love. This persuasion was not for his glory or the applause of men, but it was motivated by a reverent fear of Jesus as Judge and the love of Jesus as Savior. Paul understands that in the raising of Jesus from the dead, a new age has now begun and it leads him to view all things through the lens of this coming kingdom. So, he is urgent to declare the message of the gospel and he even calls us to join him in this great work.