The Apostle Paul and His Ministry - Humility and Fatherliness, the seal of Apostleship

Paul's humility and commitment to Christ and the gospel far outstrips any other preacher. Over the ark of time and history, Paul's ministry stands as the true seal of apostleship, head and shoulders towering over other ministers and preachers.

Not only could he work the "mighty works" of an apostle in demonstration of divine power and in preaching, he was also unusually favoured by God to know and see and hear of un-utterable secrets in the third heaven. He also possessed a comprehensive understanding of the gospel.

Talking about his divine revelations of heaven, he refrained to speak even a word of them. He was so far removed from wanting the honor and glory of being 'the prophet,'the one' favored by God to minister in such fashion, 'the one' whom was shown and favored to know unique revlation. By far, he prefered the works and attitudes of true God-born love.

He so far removed himself from such exeperiences as to refer to these in the third person in the 12th chapter of 2nd Corinthians and choosing rather to glory in trials, weaknesses, oppostions, difficulties etc for the sake of the glory of Christ - Knowing that Christ's glory and strength was strongest and most glorified in times of his weakness, testing, trial, difficulty, oppositions and such. Imagine the man's faith, one that gloried in trials so that Christ and His power and glory might be the more exaulted. He refrained from boasting in the mountains of achievement, but chose to boast in suffering, that Christ's glory might not be dimmed by the man, standing for his own ministry -

Something that many lesser preachers have stooped to publicise their own special graces at the expense of Christ getting the glory. He remained committed to the fundemental preaching of the gospel, not veering into mighty prophetic experiences when he could have and might have thought he had a right to - but was sternly warned not to speak about such, knowing the weight of his revelation which was 'unlawful to utter'.

He refused to take a stipend from the church at corinth, when every reasonable ground was his to do so - he pioneered the work, suffered for the ministry, was poured out in love and service for the people, fathered them in love, gave birth to them in prayer and travail and in the preaching of the gospel. Yet he maintained the attitude not to be a financial burden to his spiritual children but to add to them, to bless them, to add spritual blessings, to strengthen and augment their faith, as 'parents out to lay up for children, not children for parents', seeking 'them. not theirs'. Their hearts and persons, not their possessions.