"For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness... "1
How to establish a cloak of covetousness. First we start with authority, it would be an autocratic leadership, establish a "divine right" authority from God. Enforce your authority with the letter of the law, rules and regulations, using the fear of punishment, all from God of course. Make it all about serving the organization, sacrificing for the good of the mission, shame those who do not. Finally, seek the glory of men, to show all the good works you are doing, this will feed the organization. Establish a cloak of covetousness, all for personal gain.
"... For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery."
Absolute authority. Top-down leadership is often called autocratic leadership as it depends on absolute authority. Everything flows down, vision, rules, teachings... of course this is fine to a point. The nature of light is that it is proclaimed on a lamp-stand for all to see, thus we have affirmation of the Spirit. Jesus said, the first must be last in his kingdom, thus it is bottom-up leadership. Top-down leadership establishes a type of authority that would be a nice cloak for personal gain, a cloak like an umbrella over the organization, you fall under the "umbrella" of God's authority and if you walk outside of this umbrella, hail falls on you. Put authority in men, in the organization, this authority hears from God and it tells the people the ways of God. Trust in the authority of men, is its motto. Then use fear as motivation.
"... entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts."
Put the fear of God in them. Portray God as thundering from a mountain, even an animal approaching his holiness would die. Because of the works of Christ, His blood, in the new covenant man can boldly approach the throne of Grace, by faith in Jesus. Jesus said of the Pharisee, they sat in the seat of Moses, dispensing God's laws and passing judgment on the people, they placed heavy burdens on the people without lifting a finger to help. The fear of punishment is the power of such authority, it is the idea of the old covenant Schoolmaster who used fear to produce obedience. Sit in a seat like Moses, thunder, put fear in them, my ministry, my way or the high way, its not about God.
"For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."7
Enforce the letter of the law. Use command upon command, rule upon rule.... you want slaves to the organization not free men. The Pharisee used rules and regulations to oppress and control people. They would make up rules as they went, we see this with the many thousands of rules they had established to define working on the Sabbath. The whole point was to rest in God but they made it all about rules. Though the law was good, the history lesson is that obedience to the letter of the law doesn't work. Paul writes, dominion of sin will not be achieved under the letter of the law, but under grace. But to control people, ignore this and use the letter of the law to enforce obedience and control of people.
"... For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We encouraged you and comforted you as we urged you to walk in a manner worthy of God"
Use the fear of punishment as motivation. This is the power you need to enforce the law. No mercy, as it is seen as weakness. The law exposed sin but had no power to overcome sin, nor could it produce life. The law had its power through the fear of punishment. The law was good and just and it demanded punishment for sin, the wage death. Christ died to pay the wage for us, such was perfect love, to lay down his life for us. Perfect love casts out fear, as fear has to do with punishment. Christ a life giving spirit and gives a spirit not of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. Jesus came not to condemn but to save. But to control people make it all about fear, condemnation, obedience to your authority, not about trust and faith. Absolute obedience requires fear, but be warned those who find justification in the law sever themselves from Christ and fall from Grace.
Take away justice. Remove the process for justice that Matthew 18 speaks of and you control what the people say and do. Without a process for justice, injustice rules within the organization, do away with the principle of bringing things into the light. Remove this process and the people have no say in the organization. Make the town-hall a process of formality that doesn't encourage the people to speak out, nor does it bring about change when the people do speak out. Of course, blame the people for being insubordinate, coming against the authority of the organization, oppress any attempt at change, and uphold the status-quo.
"... Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it."
Put glory in men. It is all about appearances, like a country club upholding appearances rather than a hospital more concerned about helping sick people. The motto of the Pharisee, the glory of men we seek. It was all for appearances so the people would think them holy, from God, such helped reinforce their authority. Oh, look at all the earthly wealth, they are blessed, they must be from God. And this Jesus from a little town in Bethlehem, what could come from there? would not our leaders tell us if he was the Christ? But Jesus said the Pharisee were outwardly clean. The problem with self-righteousness is the hypocrisy, you turn away the brother in need from your door and at the same time give much to strangers. why? It is to be seen by men? does not God see all? The state of the heart of the organization is seen in the hypocrisy of double standards, turn away the disabled man, asking for hundreds in emergency dental work, while you can get thousands in free dental work and other free things. Call these are perks of leaderships.
"... Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone..."
Teach sacrifice at all costs. "It is not about you." Make it all about the mission and use shame as a weapon against those who would question your actions, your mistreatment of others. Accuse them of not having a servants heart. Is it church's job to persecute and mistreat people to teach them sacrifice? and where do you draw the line between sacrifice and persecution? Persecution is defined as hostility towards someone for their faith. Thus sacrifice can easily be used an excuse and to hide mistreatment. It is a very simple thing, sacrifice states that the person is a willing subject. This is the concept of our faith, divine persuasion, or as the prophet Isaiah spoke, come buy food without cost. "Buying in" is divine persuasion. Remove this understanding of faith and you have teachings that would be used as a cloak of covetousness, it is not about you, not about your faith, not about loving you, it is about the mission. Such could be a cloak for personal gain.
"... We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us."
Make it about good works, not workmanship. Make them work for righteousness, then they will be better workers. They might burn out but it is the price to pay. Offer them salvation but put them to work. Jesus said many will say to him Lord, Lord and He doesn't know them, they have done many mighty works in his name but he says they are workers of iniquity. Their "good works" are iniquity to him, if it is by faith we please God and faith without love is nothing, then those who do "good works" for the wrong reasons are workers of iniquity, no less. Workmanship is this new creation, vessels for his use built up in faith and love. But for personal gain of the organization focus on conformation to the mission, do good works for people see, call it reaching the lost, but do not be concerned with transformation of God's people, it is not so glorious and costs much more time and resources.
Make it all about earthly blessings. Since it is about personal gain you need an excuse to "indulge." The double standards people will see, so tell them these are "perks" of leadership. Or these are blessings from God because of your obedience and authority or gift. Teach them if they are obedient to you they will receive such blessings too. Teach them faith increases through obedience, especially obedience to tithing and giving into your organization. Focus on the few dollars of the poor, rather than the increase of the wealthy, as these will be more likely to give to you. Press them in like a scrupulous car salesman going after a single mother. Use these emotions; shame, fear, condemnation, and guilt to your advantage. Teach shrewdness of money that despises the poor and doesn't make friends, no, do the opposite steal the cloak from the widows back. You can find friends around the corner and because you used fear successfully nobody will say anything anyway, you have taught them if they speak against you it is against God himself. Shame them, how dare you speak against a ministry.
These are not instructions on how to have a cloak of covetousness in your organization but the point you hopefully see; with the current teachings and actions of organizations it sure would be easy to have a cloak of covetousness. Teachings of authority that require absolute obedience to its commands, such eliminates trust. Eliminate the need to understand in faith which adds to this "blind" adherence to men and teachings. No understanding is no experiential knowledge of the scriptures, just a head knowledge, which is not faith. Eliminate understanding and you have no common sense, anything goes, and authority makes up rules "as they go," rule upon rule, thus reinforcing this blind adherence to absolute authority and its rule.
"... And we continually thank God that in receiving the word of God from us, you did not accept it as the word of men, but as the true word of God. And this is the word which is now at work in you who believe."
Of course each doctrine introduced by the devil has some partial truth, like teachings of sacrifice. Like the saying "it is not all about you." The Church, God's people, should be saying this to leaders who make it all about them. My friend likes to quote this old proverb,“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck.” While they might have good intentions they sure look like something else. It is about the Church of Jesus Christ, he cares very much how that should operate, as Paul writes he gave men gifts for the "building up" of the body, the Church. Not for personal gain nor to lord over men treating them like peasants. So if it not about the people then it is about the leaders who would use such for personal gain. We know that it is by faith we please God and that faith without love is nothing, thus the "building up" of the body is by faith through love. Everything else is not pleasing God and is nothing.
"Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away ... He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak... for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. And a Redeemer will come to Zion"
Christ wears a Cloak of Zeal. This word for zeal, speaks of ardour, which is a strong feeling of love, as the ardour of a jealous husband towards his wife. The church is the bride of Christ therefore it speaks of the zeal of Christ for His betrothed. The zeal of the LORD is what brought a new covenant to man.8 Paul writes it is God's zeal, that the Church be a pure offering. But he was afraid that it would be led astray by the cunning schemes of the devil.9 Christ has strong feelings about the Church and gives warning to those who would use it for personal gain, who would lord over it, who would hurt the faith of his children.
We proclaim today for his church; sanctify her, cleanse her by the washing with water through the word, present her to yourself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. We proclaim a zealous church, a faithful people.
We proclaim today for his church; sanctify her, cleanse her by the washing with water through the word, present her to yourself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. We proclaim a zealous church, a faithful people.
"I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in
righteousness and in justice, In grace and in love, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness."10