The Pain and Pleasure of Transparency by crw

2 Corinthians 4:2, "But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God."

 

     Paul and the other apostles desired that integrity be a hallmark of their lives and ministries.  Just as Christ lived always before the face of God, the apostles were conscious of this.  Paul and other gospel ministers associated with him displayed undisguised sincerity with reference to pleasing the One who always sees and knows our very steps and our deepest motivations.  When we start thinking God-wardly about the manner in which we carry ourselves, the weeds of hypocrisy will begin to wither and die.  The gospel (that is the context of this verse--the lava-hot center of revelation) makes us say things like what Tim Keller said, "...We are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope — at the very same time. This creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth. It means that the more you see your own flaws and sins, the more precious, electrifying, and amazing God’s grace appears to you. But on the other hand, the more aware you are of God’s grace and acceptance in Christ, the more able you are to drop your denials and self-defenses and admit the true dimensions and character of your sin" (Timothy Keller, http://mail.google.com/mail/#label/Of+First+Importance/119fb104f9c86ec4, Internet 2008).  How we need...no, how I need desperately a constant dose of transparency as a minister of God's gospel.  I need the pain of seeing my sin.  I want the pleasure of seeing my Savior.      

Revelation Chapter 4

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon that thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Out from the throne come flashes of lightening and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature like the face of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creature, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." --NASB