Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. 2 Corinthians 4:2 HCSB

What does our ministry of becoming more like an image of Jesus look like? We are to renounce shameful secret things. We are to not walk in deceit. We are to not distort God's message. We are to commend ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight and only by an open display of the truth 

We are to renounce shameful secret things. 

These things are sins in our lives. A good example of a shameful secrete sin in the Old Testament would be David's adultery with Bathsheba found in 2 Samuel 11. Five points either lead up to or were a result of His sin.

1. He was not active in fighting but staying in Jerusalem. He distanced himself from the fellowship of the army (verse 1).

2. He could not sleep so He went up the roof. While being tired he let his imagination get the best of him and saw Bathsheba bathing (Verse 2).

3. He inquired about her. He wanted to know her name (verse 3).

4. He took her from her house into his bed (verse 4)

5. Then he covered it up by trying to get Uriah home to sleep with Bathsheba his wife and it eventually lead to Uriah's death (verse 5-27).

If we find ourselves having to hide what we are doing then it is sin. Get in the Bible and fellowship with other beliefs. When we discover we are the most vulnerable find God. When we want to know more, pray. 

We are to not walk in deceit. 

Deceit is the opposite to the truth. The truth will make us free but deception will continue to bind us up.

“You must not steal. You must not act deceptively or lie to one another.

Leviticus 19:11 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/lev.19.11.HCSB

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:32 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/jhn.8.32.HCSB

We are to not distort God's message. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16‭-‬17 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/2ti.3.16-17.HCSB

I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book.

Revelation 22:18‭-‬19 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/rev.22.18-19.HCSB

The whole Bible is spoken by God and If we begin to teach others to more than what is in the Bible we begin to add plagues to our lives. And if we try to take out of context what God is saying to the churches then we are at risk of taking out our share of the tree of life. 

God's message found in the Bible is useful for correcting our current course of action. It is useful for rebuking our current life choices. It is useful for teaching us the current way to live. It is useful for training us in righteousness so that we will not travel down the same path again. Why? So that the Jesus follower will be thoroughly equipped for every good work God has for us to do. 

We are to commend ourselves to every person's conscience. 

If we know a younger Christian is torn on an unimportant issue we are to side with their weaker view because their conscience will bother them and may take our stronger belief as sin.

For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.  Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,  for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men. 

So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.  Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.  It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.  Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.  But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from a conviction, and everything that is not from a conviction is sin.

Romans 14:15‭-‬23 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/rom.14.15-23.HCSB

If a younger Christian is torn on an important issue we are to open up the word of God with them that They may understand the Word of God more adequately. 

A Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught the things about Jesus accurately, although he knew only John’s baptism.  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained the way of God to him more accurately.

Acts 18:24‭-‬26 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/act.18.24-26.HCSB

In God's sight. 

God is the one who will judge our thoughts, actions, and words. Anything that is not subject to Jesus needs to be. For those things are a hindrance to God working through us. He sees it all anyway so why not do it His way. 

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.  For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13‭-‬14 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/ecc.12.13-14.HCSB

wouldn’t God have found this out, since He knows the secrets of the heart?

Psalms 44:21 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/psa.44.21.HCSB

Only by an open display of the truth 

The Word of God is the only truth. It is truth to everyone and every situation. When God says it is sin then it is sin! He has the final word. So when will we open up the word of God in our lives and live it out for all the world to see? When we live by the Bible love will be the outflow of all our actions, words, and thoughts. There is no law against love or to make us more loving, but love is a choice on our part.

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.    This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.    All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Matthew 22:36‭-‬40 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.22.36-40.HCSB

The Christian can have no greater command to display the truth but to love. Look and see how Jesus loved.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”  And they divided His clothes and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/luk.23.34.HCSB

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need — how can God’s love reside in him? Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.

1 John 3:16‭-‬18 HCSB

https://bible.com/bible/72/1jn.3.16-18.HCSB