II Corinthians 4:1 and 2:
4:1Because-of-this having this ministry according as we were shown-mercy, we do not despond .2but we renounced-from-ourselves the hidden-things of shame, not walking in every-working nor deceiving (towards) the word of God but with the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves towards every conscience of men before God.
The word “ministry” here refers to the service of the righteousness to benefit others, not 'being-subject' to them but doing work to bring profit to others, the day-by-day ministerial-duties, the functions of service pertaining to the new covenant of spirit (refer to II Corinthians chapter 3).
Continuing with his teaching, Paul writes: on this account (for the reason) of having/holding this ministry according as we (myself and those with me) were shown mercy (merited judgment was withheld by God from us, we did not deserve this ministry), we are not despondent (we do not lose-courage, give-up as a coward would give-up when faced with trial or evil, we do not lose-heart).
But contrary to desponding, we renounced from ourselves (we spoke ourselves away from, repudiated, disowned, and thus rejected the approach of) the hidden-things of shame (the things which are concealed, hidden from open view, which are shameful and cause the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt bringing reproach having recognized and being sorry for one's own performance of an improper, ignominious or dishonorable deed from God's point of view).
We are not walking (literally: moving the feet around, going on foot; but figuratively: walking during the everyday living of life, behaving ourselves, conducting ourselves) within the sphere of action of every-working. The word translated “every-working” is used here in the bad sense of being prepared and ready to do anything considered to be needed towards and for the purpose of attaining our own personal goals and ambitions. We are not unscrupulous in all our workings, in craftiness that is contrary to God's will.
Neither are we being deceitful towards or with God's Word (we are not baiting or using guile by stratagem or subterfuge towards the revealed word of God, catching or ensnaring it and mixing it with falsities). We are not deceitfully-handling and misrepresenting the truth of the spoken-account of the inner thoughts of the only true God, our Father.
But on the contrary, we are commending ourselves (we are causing ourselves to stand in conjunction together, in the sense of favorably introducing ourselves) with/by the manifestation of the truth (the evidence, bringing to light, showing-forth in the physical realm of the truth which is what God says, etc) for the purpose of every conscience belonging-to men (mankind) before God (in the sight and presence of God). The word “conscience” means: the knowing-awareness, the perception of what is right which men put together for themselves in their minds as a result of all that they have already been taught and learned in relation to the one whom they recognize as their ruler, the one who has authority, ultimately this authority should be the only true God.
Every person who heard God's Word which Paul and those with him spoke did not accept and believe what was said and so these unbelievers would not think that they were favorably introducing themselves! But nevertheless, Paul and those with him continued to do what God and the Lord Jesus Christ wanted them to do and therefore, from God's point of view, they were commending themselves with the manifestation of the truth towards every conscience of men. They did this in God's sight. They knew that God knew what they were doing because they were communicating with Him and did everything before Him; they were not trying to do something different behind His back when He wasn't looking!
In this letter Paul continues teaching the Corinthian church and all the holy-people in the whole of Achaia regarding the truth (which issues originally from God, and includes the words God speaks, the Lord Jesus Christ, the gift of holy spirit, etc), and regarding how he and those with him lived their lives preaching that truth. Thus he was refuting accusations which may have been made against them.
[Reference: Luke 18:1, and 20:20-23; John 17:17; Acts 13:10; Romans 1:29, and 6:21; I Corinthians 3:19, 4:5, and 12:7; II Corinthians 3:6, and 11:3; Galatians 6:9; Ephesians 4:14; Philippians 3:18 and 19; II Thessalonians 3:13; Hebrews 12:2.]
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