Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 6

2 Corinthians 6:3 (ESV) "We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry..."

Sitting in the bleachers, I stood up and realized I had a stain on my pants. Glancing left and right, I considered how I would escape without anyone noticing my fashion flaw. Then I had an idea: I could cover the stain with my jacket.

But covering our flaws does not fix them.

And while my pants are a mild example, this is also true in much bigger situations: We try to cover up our faults with excuses or denial, or we dodge blame by abusing God's grace. Sometimes we don't recognize our faults at all, and this is especially dangerous for Christ followers since sin can stain our testimony of faith.

The Corinthian church was in such a place of denial. Christians were engaging in idolatry, suing one another, and behaving just like the world. But Paul spoke into this space to reveal the need to be faultless in Christ.

Paul said, "We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry" (2 Corinthians 6:3, emphasis added). How is this possible? Well, living a no-fault life is not about good works or being perfect in our own strength. The key is in 2 Corinthians 6:1, where Paul says his ministry was a product of "working together with him": Jesus, the only One who is perfectly faultless (John 18:38; John 19:4). He became sin on our behalf to obtain righteousness for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). The perfect Lamb of God is the only One who removes our blame (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Paul shared three areas where Christians can exemplify a no-fault life by working with Jesus:

1. A no-fault life is demonstrated through our suffering.

Suffering is unavoidable in a fallen world, but how we suffer can preach the gospel to those around us (2 Corinthians 6:4-10). Will we persevere, like Paul and the apostles did, with "patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, [and] genuine love" from God (2 Corinthians 6:6)? Exhibiting patience and purity in our suffering speaks volumes about our faith that mere words can't say.

2. A no-fault life is evident in our set-apart lifestyle.

Paul's appeal to the Corinthian church to be separate from unbelievers was a reminder to be in the world but not of it (2 Corinthians 6:17). In the Old Testament, God also told the Israelites to be separate from other nations for ethical and spiritual reasons (Isaiah 52:11). Today, God's principle remains: His people are not to be "unequally yoked with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14a). Partnering and uniting ourselves with the world is hatred toward God because it means living a compromised faith (James 4:4). We cannot reach people with God's love if we live a lifestyle Christ died to free us from.

3. A no-fault life is shown by our worship.

The temples of Corinth had idols, but God's temple, His people, are not to have idols (2 Corinthians 6:16). Living a no-fault life in Christ is not about worshipping in a temple but about being the temple of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

As Christians, we seek to share the gospel that offends in an easily offended world (1 Peter 2:7-8). This is hard. But when we live what we say we believe, we remove stumbling blocks from those we seek to reach, and the grace and salvation we have received in Christ are not in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1).

Prayer: Jesus, please help me to recognize where I am at fault in my walk with You, and transform my mind and heart to be like Yours. I don't want anything in my life to hinder anyone from coming to You. In Jesus' name, amen.