Understanding Gospel Ministry: The Confidence of the Persevering

By Robb Brunansky

Published May 6, 2025

In 1 Corinthians 1:18, the apostle Paul begins to unfold his philosophy of ministry, explaining how and why he does the ministry that Christ has called him to perform. This verse is so rich because it contains many elements that are foundational to what we do together as the body of Christ.

The truths that Paul lays out here shape our view of the gospel. How we view the cross will impact the body of Christ and our role in it. How we consider the cross will impact whether we approach ministry and life together as the body of Christ with humility or with pride. How we treat the cross will impact our relationships with others so that we either become those who seek unity or who create conflict in the body of Christ. How we regard the cross will impact our motivation for ministry, resulting in building with precious stones and receiving the reward, or constructing with objects that will be burned up.

These matters are of massive importance, and so we must take time to ensure we look closely at everything Paul says in verse 18.

We have already seen that Paul begins by sharing the content of the preaching, which is the Word of the cross, or the message about Christ and His atoning death on the cross. Everything in Scripture is either leading up to the cross, proclaiming the cross itself, or flowing from the cross.

A cross-centered message is surprising, to say the least, because of how unbelievers think of such a message, which leads Paul to describe the condition of the perishing. The unbeliever rejects the message of the cross because he finds it to be folly, stupid, and moronic. Those who are perishing reject the gospel, not because of what Christians have done or because of something that has happened externally to them, but because of their spiritual condition as blind and dead, enslaved to sin and Satan, and children of wrath who are naturally unable to please the God they hate.

These two points bring us to the third point, then, as Paul highlights the confidence of the persevering. While those who are perishing regard the gospel as nothing but foolishness, Christians have utmost, unshakable confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ because we see that it is the power of God.

What is the message of the cross and what about it inspires unshakable confidence in our hearts? The answer can be found in in three parts.

In the first part, we see what the Word is like.

When Christians look through Scripture and read how God describes His word, we find many comparisons to show us its value and power. This knowledge is vital because, while we all recognize Scripture’s inerrancy and infallibility, it is easy for those terms to become too familiar to us. We can take the power of the word of the cross for granted, and we can even begin to lose confidence in the power of the word, especially when those around us reject the word or find their confidence in something else. We might also be tempted to supplement the word when doing ministry or evangelizing someone. However, we must always resist the temptation to supplement or abandon the Word, reminding ourselves of God’s incredible power that is in Scripture.

To this end, there are four things that God says His Word is like.

The first is a sword, which we see in Hebrews 4:12. God’s Word is a powerful sword that accomplishes whatever He purposes. It judges motives of the heart, exposes our sin, lays our motives bare, and pierces through to our very thoughts and holds them up against the standard of truth and righteousness.

The second is a light, as Psalm 119:105 instructs us. God’s Word shines light, showing us the way in which we ought to walk. Furthermore, the Word is a light that brings salvation per 2 Corinthians 4:6. The Lord breaks through with the gospel so that our eyes can see, and this gospel is used by God to shine light in our hearts so we can behold the beauty and glory of Christ’s face.

The third and fourth are a fire and a hammer. Jeremiah 23:29 combines these two pictures, where we read that the word is like a fire that consumes everything in its path, and it is like a hammer that can shatter the hardest rock. We require something mighty, powerful, and strong, which is the word of God, to burn through all defenses and effect transformative change in the hardest of hearts.

As Christians, we have come to realize what the Word is like, and because of what it is like, we have unyielding confidence in the power of the Word.

In the second part, we see that the Word is like these things because of what the Word is.

The Bible has no shortage of descriptions of itself, but there are four realities that give us confidence that the Word is the power of God.

First, we know that the word is God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16 is a foundational verse for understanding Scripture, especially when Paul says that the Word is inspired by God. The Bible, the message of the cross, is not the result of man’s ingenuity, creativity, philosophy, education, knowledge, or wisdom. Rather, Scripture is exactly, word-for-word, what God wanted us to have.

Second, the Word of God is eternal. In Isaiah 40:8, God’s Word is contrasted with elements of His creation that wither and fade away. The Word of God, however, stands forever, because it was in the mind of God from all eternity, and it will last to all eternity. When we get to the new creation, we will find that everything God has said about the past to eternity past to the future has come to pass and endured, because His Word is eternal.

Third, the Word is perfect. We see this in Psalm 19:7. If the Word is from God and contains every word God wanted to communicate to us and is eternal, then it must be perfect. God’s Word will never need updating, changing, or editing because everything He has said is perfect. As such, we can rely on this Word of God.

Finally, the Word is true. In Psalm 119:160, we observe the combined truthfulness, perfection, and eternality of the Word of God. When we take everything in the Bible and add it all together – the major doctrines, themes, storyline, and conclusion – it’s all true! Our confidence in Scripture derives from the fact that it is true.

We know that Scripture is the power of God, then, because it is God-breathed, eternal, perfect, and true, and so we have confidence as those who are being saved that this Word comes with divine power.

Finally, because of what the Word is, we can say that the Word does certain things.

First, the Word gives life. In James 1:18, we read that God caused us to be born again by the word of truth. God brings about the new birth through the power of His Word.

Second, the Word creates faith. In Romans 10:17, Paul tells us that God creates faith in a sinner’s heart when an unconverted individual hears the Word of Christ. The message about Christ and His cross moves unbelievers to faith in Him.

Third, the Word makes holy. In John 17:17, Jesus states that we will be sanctified in the truth, which is the word. As believers growing to be more like Christ, we have seen that the power at work in our hearts to sanctify us is the Word of God.

Fourth, the Word sustains hope. Paul gives us this assurance in Romans 15:4. God’s Word gives us hope that, despite all the brokenness, pain, and failures of this present life, those will soon cease, and we will forever be with the Lord and His redeemed, glorified bride, eternally experiencing joy in His presence.

This is just a sampling of what Scripture says about itself. Studying what the Bible says about the Bible will give us immeasurable confidence in the Word and in the God of the Word. This is why we should focus on the Word with every ministry, decision, sermon, lesson, teaching, class, and counseling session – because the power that God has given us is found in the Word of the cross. It is here where the Lord gives life, creates faith, makes holy, and sustains hope, through His God-breathed, eternal, perfect, true Word that is like a sword, a light, a fire, and a hammer that shatters the hardest rock.