The Conduct of a Servant of God

2 Corinthians 4:2
2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 

This passage clearly outlines to me how I am to conduct myself as a servant of God. First I am to renounce any activity or behavior that has a hint of darkness in it. This necessitates walking in the light and a life of complete transparency before God and before man.It also implies holding myself accountable and opening my life to correction from those around me. This further requires humility on my part. This makes complete sense considering that the captain of the army who captured me with His love has walked the path of humility the entire time He lived as a human. 

Second, I am not to walk in craftiness. To be crafty is to be skilled in deception. In the Greek, the word "craftiness" mean "unscrupulous conduct". To be unscrupulous means to be unprincipled, "to lack moral standards or conscience to guide one's conduct. The unscrupulous  person is without scruples of conscience, and disregards, or has contempt for, laws of right or justice with which he or she is perfectly well acquainted, and which should restrain his or her actions." (Online Dictionary). Such people take advantage of the unfortunate and play on their weakness. Implicit in 2 Cor 2:17 is the fact that during the time of Paul there were those who took advantage of others by "peddling the word of God". This is not to be the conduct of a servant of God says Paul. As I am a servant of God I am to abide with the moral and ethical principles espoused by the word of God and let Biblical principles determine my conduct. To live a life free of deception, suggests alignment between my words and my life. 

Third, I am to preach and teach the pure word of God. Paul uses the word "unadulterated". For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Heb.4:12). It is the sword I am to use to vanquish the work of the enemy (Eph.6:17). By the pure word of God will those I reach out to be born of the spirit (I Pet.1:23),be nurtured (Heb.5:12, Mat.4:4), sanctified and be strengthened in the faith (Ac.20:32). As I preach and teach the pure word of God I can trust that those who obey God under my instruction will experience God's love in their lives, for anyone who obeys the the word of God., God's love is made complete in him (I John 2:5). By the preaching of God's pure word His truth will be clearly manifested to those I serve.

Finally, I am to "commend myself to every man's conscience in the sight of God." My commendation does not come from man. It is the audience and approval of God I must seek. I must walk with the knowledge that His eyes are upon me. By walking circumspectly and wisely before my God, I can maintain a clear conscience before men. To know that God's eyes are upon me brings both comfort and a deep sense of reverence in me; comfort, because I know God is always with me where ever I go and reverence, knowing that my heart will not want to cause Him any offense by my conduct.

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