2 Cor 4

IN ALL THINGS

afflicted

... but not crushed

perplexed

... but not despairing

persecuted

... but not abandoned

knocked down

... but not destroyed

ALWAYS carrying the death of Jesus in the body so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body.

Paul's theology betrays his grammar ["our body"]. I love it when he does that. Then, with the odd couple of contrition and confidence, he tell the Corinthians,

So, death is at work in us, but life in you.

How and why are modern gospel-ministries often not described as such?

this might not make any sense. it just came out of the keyboard. it's not my fault.

In a sense, works justify justification. They are also inseperably linked to it, follow it, and flow forth from it.

Also, since when did good works get a bad rap?

Probably since we deduced from the Protestant Reformation that Judaism and Catholicism are both merely morality-based expressions and attempts at a relationship with the God of the Bible.

Or, probably since we have set the post-Enlightenment human psyche as the goal and end of all thinking. When this happens, human motives behind works take a seat on the throne.

But all of this - works, motives, justification, sanctification, salvation, etc - all of this takes its proper order and place when our focus is correct. Our focus is God Himself [2 Cor 3.17-18]. This means we must "hear with faith" [Gal 3] and walk by the Spirit [Gal 5, Rom 5-8] as we have our eyes perpetually fixed on what God has done in Jesus.