Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 188

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SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS . 181 hispromise, and argued that he was inconsistent and vacillating,changinghisplansaccordingto hisconvenienceor inclination. But theapostle solemnlyassureshisCorinthianbrethrenthat the reportswere untrue,and that theirknowledge of him shouldconvincethem of theirinjustice. His change of purpose,veiwed from any standpoint, was no evidencethat his doctrinewas uncertain. As God was true and faithful,Paul's preachingwas not in uncertaintyor contradiction. After he had once declared the doctrine of Christ,he had saidyea in Christ,and had never aftersaid nay ; or, in otherwords, had never retracteda singlepointwhich he had established by the word of God . His testimonyhad been straightforward, uniform, and harmonious, and exemplifiedby hisown life.He and his fellow-laborershad been, in their teachingsand doctrine, unchangeable. Their coursehad been consistentand unwavering. They had ever assuredtheirhearersthatsalvation was to be found alone in Christ . In matters of customs and ceremonies,the apostledeclared that he had wiselymet the peoplewhere they were,thatnone mightbeturnedfromthetruthby pressingupon them that which was of no vital importance. He had carefullyinstructedthem inthetrulyessentialmattersofthefaith. The apostledeclaresthattheirbeliefin the truthsofthegospelwas nottheresultof wisdom of words in theirteachers. No human power had worked the greatchange. They had not been converted from heathenism to Paul or to any otherman , but to Christianity. God had acceptedthem and made them his children, stampinghis divineimage upon theirhearts