The Effective Servant

In this passage, Paul unpacks what it means to live in the reality of what he has said in the previous two verses. He shows in earthy terms what is entailed in living fruitfully for the Kingdom. The stumbling block or rock of offense he mentions doesn't refer to those truths that bring offense to the rebellious in heart. Rather, the offense Paul is talking about has to so with that which comes about because of our own flesh, that is, when our behavior is contrary to God's truth. When our words, actions, attitudes and ambitions contradict God's revealed will, then we will be offensive to others in a way that undermines the Kingdom. To be effective as the Lord's servants, we must present His truth without mixture of our sin and flesh. God then uses that proclamation from us and does with it whatsoever His sovereign decree has ordained. We are not to gauge our effectiveness for the Kingdom by how many people profess faith in Christ through our ministry, but rather, by how much we have freed our ministry from baggage that gives offense. Paul shows that even in the most extreme circumstances our primary responsibility is to demonstrate that we are God's servant by acting according to His revealed will and for His glory.