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Sketches from the Life of Paul
of Christ. He had become an incense-bearer, signaling the victory of
Christ over his enemies. Paul was now full of hope and faith. He felt
that Satan was not to triumph over the work of God. The praise and
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gratitude of his heart was poured forth as a precious ointment. He
determined that the name and salvation of Jesus should be diffused by
him as a sweet odor. He and his fellow-laborers would celebrate their
victory over the enemies of Christ and the truth. They would go forth
to their duties with new zeal and courage to spread the knowledge of
Christ, as a stream of fragrant incense, through the world. To those
who would accept Christ, the message would be a savor of life unto
life; but to those who would persist in unbelief, it would be a savor of
death unto death.
Paul, feeling the overwhelming magnitude of the work, exclaims,
“And who is sufficient for these things?” Who is competent to preach
Christ in such a way that his enemies shall have no just cause to
despise him or the message which he bears? Paul would impress upon
believers the solemn responsibility of the gospel ministry. Faithfulness
in preaching the word, joined to a pure and consistent life, would alone
make the efforts of ministers acceptable to God, and profitable to souls.
Ministers of our day, burdened with a sense of the greatness of the
work, may well exclaim, with the apostle, “Who is sufficient for these
things?”
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