Most of what Paul has to say, however, deals with a positive aspect, namely, how he conducted himself in the situations into which his ministry brought him. There is a long list that follows, including some that are grouped in pairs. I think that it is possible to get a handle on all these by categorizing them, because when you begin to look at them, it is quite obvious that some of them go together.
Paul begins with a number of them which speak about how he commended himself in the work itself. A key term there is “endurance.” and after that you find nine different situations that are in groups of three. He is going to endure in 1.) troubles, hardships, and distresses; 2.) beatings, imprisonments, and riots; and 3.) hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger.
Secondly, he talks about how he commended himself in his character, which is seen as he was engaged in the work. Here you have not quite so neat a division but, nevertheless, it is evident how these things go together. In verse 6 he lists purity, understanding, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and sincere love. Then in verse 7 he continues with truthful speech, the power of God, and weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
Then you have a third section (v. 8a) in which he is talking about the way in which he was received when he went in that character to carry out the ministry. This third section has two contrasts: glory and dishonor, and also bad report and good report.
After this you have a fourth section, where Paul deals with the conflict between what was seen and what people thought of him, as well as the contrast between the things that were not seen but which were the things that really mattered (vv. 8b-10). Beginning in verse 8, Paul writes: “…through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (vv. 8-10).
I suggest that we look at it in terms of these four categories. The first one is the work itself, and the key idea is that of endurance. The reason he uses this word is because the work is hard. Now, I think all Christian work is hard. When one sets out to faithfully teach the Word of God, which is a minister’s chief responsibility, that is not done by being lazy. It is just hard work to sit down and study the Word of God, being disciplined in one’s mind, time, and understanding, in such a way that by the grace of God you begin to understand and appreciate this great revelation from God and learn to relate it in a relevant way to the people who are the minister’s responsibility.
Yet, having said that, let me say that there are many ministries that are particularly difficult. Sometimes, of course, things go relatively well. There are periods of great blessing when churches, or even whole denominations, thrive, or when the movement of God in a particular geographical area is evident. At that point we remark that it is a time of revival. Certainly there is much hard work to do during those times as well, but that difficult work is carried on in the midst of joy. And yet, as we know, there are people who are called to go to difficult places with the Gospel and bear a witness in the midst of the very kind of difficulties the apostle Paul talks about here. The words he uses to describe his experiences means that it is not always easy. There are financial stresses, problems of travel, and difficulties in the particular environment. Missionaries experience those things.
