Unknown, Yet Well Known

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

The congregation in Corinth was divided four ways because not everybody had the same opinion of Paul’s character and ministry (1 Cor. 1:10–17).

Some questioned his apostolic authority

while others accused him of using his ministry for personal gain.

In his letters, Paul defended himself and lovingly pointed out to them the many ways the church had failed to obey the will of God.

The Corinthian Christians claimed to know all about Paul but they really did not know him well at all,

so he proceeded to tell them in his letter the dangers and difficulties he had experienced for their sake (2 Cor. 11–12).

Paul was not a famous celebrity, nor did he want to be.

Paul was a faithful servant, “as unknown, and yet well-known” (2 Cor 6:9).

In the history of the church, you find the names of many famous men and women who, like Paul, served and suffered and yet were ignored or criticized by the very people for whom they gave their best.

As we meditate on this paradox—“as unknown, and yet well-known”—let’s ask ourselves three questions.

Do we really know other people?

Do we really know ourselves?

Do we really know the Lord?

Do We Really Know Other People?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you know others? What can you do to make it a 10?

I know we act like we got everybody figured out.

You have to spend some time with people to move from acquaintance into a deepening friendship.

Paul spent eighteen months ministering in Corinth during his first visit, and while this does not match his nearly three years in Ephesus, it was time enough to learn to love the people and carry them away in his heart.

However, some of the Corinthians did not take Paul into their hearts, and this created serious problems.

In his first letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul said that God had made him and the other apostles “a spectacle to the world” (1 Cor. 4:9).

1 Corinthians 4:9 ESV

9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

The word translated “spectacle” (theatron in the Greek text) gives us the English word “theater.”

In other words, these people considered Paul to be just an actor playing a part.

But that would make him a hypocrite, a word that comes from the Greek and means “play actor.”

There were people in Paul’s day who were not sincere in their Christian testimony but were only playing a part (2 Cor. 11:5–15), but Paul was certainly not among them.

I’m sure we all have worked alongside people who turned out to be pretenders and eventually imitated like Demas and went back into the world (2 Tim. 4:10).

2 Timothy 4:10 ESV

10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Occasionally Paul was not identified accurately.

Even Christ’s apostles did not recognize Paul as one of their number and were afraid of him,

but Barnabas defended him and they changed their minds (Acts 9:26–30).

The Greek scholars in Athens thought he was a confused visiting philosopher (Acts 17:18–20),

and the Roman soldiers thought he was an escaped Egyptian criminal (Acts 21:37–39).

The Roman governor Festus knew next to nothing about him and admitted it (Acts 25:13–27).

But the demons recognized Paul (Acts 19:11–15)!

And yet, in all his ministry, Paul had never used deception but had always been honest and without guile in his ministry (2 Cor. 6:1–10).

How can we verify potential church members and know they are born again (2 Peter 2:1–3)?

2 Peter 2:1–3 ESV

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

The apostle John in his first epistle gives us a number of inspired “birthmarks” of true believers,

beginning with obedience to the Lord’s commandments (1 Jn 2:1–6).

True believers have love for the people of God (1 Jn 2:7–11)

and live a consistent Christian life (1 Jn 2:12–14).

They are separated from the world (1 Jn 2:15–17),

faithful to God’s people and God’s word (1 Jn 2:18–23).

We must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn 2:20, 27),

lest we carelessly allow the “antichrist crowd” to start infecting the church (1 Jn 2:18–19).

These are the marks of the well known

or should we say the known well?!?!

In the parable of the tares, Jesus warns us that Satan is a counterfeiter and sows counterfeit Christians wherever Jesus sows true believers (Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43);

and Paul teaches the same thing (2 Cor. 11:13–15).

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 ESV

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

We must ask God for humility and wisdom (James 1:5)

English Standard Version Chapter 1

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

and take heed to Matthew 7:1–6,

English Standard Version Chapter 7

Judging Others

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

or we might not really come to know the people we are trying to serve.

If you have ever been misunderstood, you know how painful it can be.

Jesus knows what is in every person (John 2:23–25).

John 2:23–25 ESV

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

He knew who Peter was and what he would become (John 1:42; 21:17–19),

and He also knew Nathanael (John 1:43–51).

He could read the hearts and minds of the crowds (John 5:38–47; 6:60–66)

and critics (Matt. 9:4; 12:25).

He knew that Judas was a traitor (John 6:67–71; 13:11).

King David warned his son Solomon that “the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (1 Chron. 28:9);

he also wrote that God “knows the secrets of the heart” (Pss. 44:21; 139:1–6).

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9).

The apostle John warned the churches of his day and today, “And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and the hearts” (Rev. 2:23).

The older I have grown in the things of the Lord, the more understanding and forgiving I have become regarding those who have attacked me or differed from me.

I do not think I am compromising, but I do believe that the Lord is enabling me to practice that love which “is not provoked”

but “bears all things” (1 Cor. 13:5, 7).

1 Cor 13:5, 7

English Standard Version Chapter 13

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Do We Really Know Ourselves?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you know yourself? What can you do to make it a 10?

Psychologists tell us that childhood is a time for pretending,

but maturity demands that we be authentic and not wear masks.

Maturity can only be developed from reality.

In Matthew 23, Jesus accused the Pharisees of being hypocrites.

The meaning of the Greek word translated “hypocrite” is “play actor,” for ancient Greek players wore masks to depict their various parts in the play.

This does not mean that we cannot fulfill several adult roles during the day—parent, sibling, employee, friend, and neighbor—but we must always be the same person no matter what our roles might be.

Being true to ourselves unifies our lives, but once our false self appears, we become double-minded and this brings instability (James 1:8).

James 1:8 ESV

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We may briefly impress others, but we are not building the kind of mature character that honors the Lord and leads to a fruitful Christian life.

Many people are ignorant of their own potential, what the Lord can make out of them and accomplish through them.

Moses argued with the Lord that he was not qualified to lead Israel (Exod. 3–4),

yet see what he accomplished by saying yes to God.

Gideon was sure that he and his family were losers, but God transformed him into a courageous general (Judg. 6–7).

The young prophet Jeremiah felt unprepared for his ministry, but what a servant he turned out to be (Jer. 1)!

But there also lurks in us the potential for failure if we are not honest with ourselves.

King Saul had impressive physical stature and great popularity,

but his envy, pride, and gradual spiritual decay brought him defeat and death.

The apostle Peter was a brave man who was sure he could die for Jesus.

Yet he slept when he should have been praying,

attacked when he should have been obeying,

and followed when he should have fled away.

But keep in mind that all the apostles echoed Peter’s boast, so they were guilty too (Matt. 26:31–35).

Matthew 26:31–35 ESV

31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of cultivating a false self that kept them from receiving God’s truth.

They refused to face themselves honestly and submit to the will of the Lord.

How do we get acquainted with ourselves?

By paying attention to the Lord’s teaching and submitting to His testing, which Hebrews 12:1–11 calls chastening.

Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us,

but the Lord tests us to bring out the best in us.

When God chastens us, it is not a judge punishing criminals

but a loving Father helping His children discover themselves and develop themselves.

David experienced much testing from the Lord,

but his faith and obedience turned the shepherd boy into a victorious soldier and a successful king.

As brothers and sisters in God’s family, we can help one another discover our strengths and overcome our weaknesses.

I thank God for family, friends, and co-laborers who have helped me better understand myself and my work.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Prov. 27:6).

We must look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s word (James 1:21–27)

James 1:21–27 ESV

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

and ask God to deal with our weaknesses and protect our strengths.

We must confess our sins to the Lord (1 John 1:9)

and “wash” in the water of the word (Eph. 5:26).

Experiencing God’s forgiveness is a humbling experience that reassures us that we belong to Him and that He loves us.

Do We Really Know the Lord?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you know the Lord? What can you do to make it a 10?

The nation of Israel in the Old Testament was frequently guilty of spiritual blindness,

a lack of understanding of the heart and mind of their great God.

They heard His words and saw His wonders and yet deliberately disobeyed His will,

sometimes tempting God and sometimes deliberately rebelling.

But when I read the four Gospels, I am reminded that the twelve apostles did not always understand the character, power, and works of Jesus.

Sometimes they made suggestions that were outrageous.

But before we denounce either Israel or the apostles, we should review church history and admit that our forefathers were not always obedient, nor are we.

The twelve apostles had the privilege of living with Jesus,

hearing His words, and seeing His works, and yet many times they did not really know Him.

They scolded a man who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus (Mark 9:38–41).

They tried to prevent parents from bringing their children to Jesus (Mark 10:13–16).

James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven to destroy an unfriendly Samaritan village (Luke 9:51–56).

They told Jesus to dismiss a hungry crowd so the people could find food (Matt. 14:15),

and they also wanted Him to get rid of a burdened Gentile woman who was pestering them (Matt. 15:22–28).

Jesus told His disciples He would be crucified in Jerusalem and Peter took Him aside and reprimanded Him (Matt. 16:21–23).

No wonder Jesus cried out one day, “How long should I bear with you?” (Matt. 17:17)!

Matthew 17:17 ESV

17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

God wants us to know Him personally,

for to know Him is to love Him,

and to love Him is to worship Him and obey Him.

As we are “increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10),

Colossians 1:10 ESV

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

we are also receiving the grace and peace we need to serve Him day by day (2 Peter 1:2).

God’s light has shone in our hearts and has brought to us “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

We will have all eternity to grow in our knowledge of God, but we must begin learning and growing today.

Paul said that his greatest desire was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection,

and the fellowship of His sufferings,

being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10).

Paul makes it clear in this verse that before believers begin to conform to Christ in His life and death,

they must have a personal experience of knowing Christ,

a powerful experience of His resurrection victory,

and at times a painful experience of suffering for His sake.

But ultimately this leads to our becoming more and more conformed to His image and not conformed to this world (Rom. 8:29; 12:1–2).

God wants us to know His will (Acts 22:14),

Acts 22:14 ESV

14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

understand His will (Eph. 5:17),

delight in His will (Ps. 40:8),

and obey His will from our heart (Eph. 6:6).

He has given us the Spirit of God,

the word of God,

and the church of the living God to encourage and enable us.

He is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10),

the living God (Ps. 42:2),

the merciful God (Exod. 34:6),

the almighty God (Rev. 1:8; 4:8),

the holy God (Ps. 99:9),

the God of love and peace (2 Cor. 13:11),

the God of patience and comfort (Rom. 15:4),

and we are privileged to call Him “our God” (1 Cor. 6:11)

and “my God” (Phil. 4:19).

Jesus came to reveal the Father to us.

“If you had known Me,” He told the disciples,

“you would have known My Father” (John 14:7).

John 14:7 ESV

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

The unconverted people we witness to point only to the Old Testament and argue that our God is a bully who destroys cities and kills innocent people.

If these unbelievers could understand theology,

I would answer their worn-out arguments,

but instead, I simply point them to Jesus.

See Him!

God carrying a baby in His arms!

God touching and healing a leper!

God giving sight to a blind man!

God feeding thousands of hungry people!

God dying on a cross for the sins of the world!

Does that look like a hard-hearted bully?

Like Jesus and Paul, every faithful Christian will be

“as unknown, and yet well-known.”

They will encounter envious criticism and unfair accusations,

but like Jesus and Paul they will go on with life and ministry

and seek only to serve the Lord and glorify Him.

The only words we should strive to hear are,

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.

Enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matt. 25:21).

Matthew 25:21 ESV

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

When we get to heaven some may think they will want to sit with and questions the giant characters of scripture.

I submit that your first impulse will be to seek out those you have known to see if they have made it to heaven as well.

That you might have fellowship eternally.

Then we will truly be the unknown but well known!

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