Paul was a scholar and an orator of the highest degree; he was not
speaking here out of a deep sense of humility, but was saying that when
he preached the gospel, he would veil the power of God if he impressed
people with the excellency of his speech. Belief in Jesus is a miracle
produced only by the effectiveness of redemption, not by impressive
speech, nor by wooing and persuading, but only by the sheer unaided
power of God. The creative power of redemption comes through the
preaching of the gospel, but never because of the personality of the
preacher.
Real and effective fasting by a preacher is not fasting from food,
but fasting from eloquence, from impressive diction, and from everything
else that might hinder the gospel of God being presented. The preacher
is there as the representative of God— “. . . as though God were
pleading through us . . .” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
He is there to present the gospel of God. If it is only because of my
preaching that people desire to be better, they will never get close to
Jesus Christ. Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the gospel
will result in making me a traitor to Jesus, and I prevent the creative
power of His redemption from doing its work.
“And I, if I am lifted up. . . , will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32).
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