保羅繼續為自己的事工辯護。他說他已經致力作一個誠實正直的透明人，他的事奉一點也沒有什麼秘密、可恥、或詭詐。他不為個人私利或名氣而謬講上帝的話。他坦率直言，別無企圖或其他的動機。

        他只單純的「將真理表明出來」。好大的口氣啊！我們當中誰敢說我們的教訓和生活是「真理的表彰」？我相信我們大部分的人會說：「不要看我，應當注視耶穌。」當然，我相信保羅也會同意這個想法。但保羅並不反對將自己的生活交給他的會眾用顯微鏡來檢驗。他的表白事實上是在說：「察看我的生活吧，我所活的就是真理。」

        用以檢驗的「顯微鏡」是什麼呢？標準？法則？傳統？都不是。答案是：「各人的良心」。良心可說是最具個人性的判斷。但在我們欽佩保羅不凡的承受力之前，請注意他的條件：在上帝面前。保羅在這裡所說的是一種有所根據的良心：明白「上帝的道」，且被上帝之道所改變的良心。

        重點很清楚：我們要分辨任何自稱為主的事工。保羅敢說：「請審察我的事奉」，但不要根據外表判斷，而要察其實質。而當你順服在上帝的話語之下時，也別忘了讓你更新變化過的良心來引導你。

        主耶穌，求您幫助我們能分辨那些基督教領袖的生活的果子。但主啊，求您先幫助我們完全誠實的察驗我們自己的生活，看看我們自己是否有結出聖靈的果子。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Paul continues to defend his ministry. He speaks of the integrity and vulnerability to which he has committed himself. There's nothing secret, shameful, or deceptive about his ministry. He doesn't distort the Word of God for personal profit or popularity. He tells it like it is; and what you see is what you get.

        What you see is the "manifestation of the truth". That's quite a claim! Who of us would refer to what we teach and how we live as a "manifestation of the truth"? Most of us, I'm sure, would say, "Don't look at me, look at Jesus." A thought, by the way, with which I'm sure Paul would concur. But he's not averse to putting his life under his congregation's microscope. "Examine my life," he says in effect, "and see the truth."

        And what is the "microscope?" Standards? Rules? Traditions? No. It's something else: "every man's conscience". There may be nothing in life more personal than conscience, and nothing more judgmental. But before we react to this remarkable vulnerability, notice the qualifier, "in the sight of God". Paul is talking about an educated conscience here: one that has been informed and transformed by the "word of God".

        But the point is clear. We're to be discerning in our acceptance of professed ministries. Paul says, "scrutinize my ministry", but don't judge on the basis of style. Rather, judge on the basis of substance. And, as you submit yourself to the Word of God, let your conscience be your guide.

        Lord Jesus, please help us to be discerning, examining the fruit of the lives of those who are in a place of Christian leadership. But first of all, Lord, help us to be totally honest in examining our own lives, so as to be sure that we ourselves have the fruit of the Spirit.