We must not miss that all this is from God, this is the reason we do not become discouraged. He is our confidence, our competence, our courage. The Identity of Christians Look around you. Look at us. Look at the church, here, in other places.
Christians are positive in their methods, motives, message, and manner of life.
Notice Paul's detail as these ideas are interwoven. The message of the crucified yet living Messiah is communicated best through a crucified yet living messenger. Our great need is not to gain nor to share more information, nor to speak more loudly or with more authority. Our great need is to enhance our service by increasing our service. Often churches and Christians become ineffective because they grow out of the felt need to serve others.