TRUE MINISTERS

TRUE MINISTERS
The one who speaks God's Word and the testimony of Jesus is hated and persecuted because of it, for this Word is holy, pure, and righteous, while man, on the other hand, is unholy, impure and hypocritical. Man comes in touch with an element which affects his life like a fire, and he must either permit this purging fire to burn off from himself things inconsistent with a Holy God; himself becoming a part of the purifying fire, or else he will rise in bitterness against it, trying to quench his agony and anger on the instrument through whom he has heard the Voice of God.

On the other hand, one speaking about God's Word
can be elevated and honored of men, because he places himself as a guardian angel between God and the people in order that the Word of God might not reach and disturb them. In order to prevent this, he places himself as an interpreter of the Word, just as if God had chosen him, not to speak his Word--be His mouthpiece--but had chosen him to explain what God means, as if God Himself were unable to make His meanings clear, but were dependent upon an interpreter to be correctly understood. "Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the Truth?" Gal 4:16
--contributed by John Lake