Don't Lose Heart - Part 3
Paul did not lose heart because of the glorious treasure he possessed (4:1-7a), because of the divine power he trusted (2 Corinthians 4:7-15 ), and :
III. Because of the Eternal Priorities He Established (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Paul gives us insight into what really was important to him, and how he assessed his present situation. What counted to Paul were the unseen eternal realities, not the seen, temporal stuff of this world.
1) The Priority of the Inner Man Over the Outer Man (2 Corinthians 4:16)
Paul honestly admits that the outer man is perishing. But, he took strength in the fact that a daily process of renewal was taking place in the “inner man.” This speaks of the “new creation” in Christ, the redeemed person who is being renewed and transformed from glory to glory by the Spirit of God. God is at work renewing us spiritually, inwardly, and eternally. This process is not hindered by the process of perishing that is taking place (Eph. 3:14-19; Rom. 7:22; 12:2).
2) The Priority of the Eternal Over the Temporal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Paul’s expectation concerning the future gave him perspective for the present. He had such a sense of the eternal; his preoccupation was on the greater glory being “accumulated” due to service and suffering in time and space.
Hel saw himself as a winner on two counts. First of all, he could say that there is really no comparison between the temporal and the eternal. “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus,” he could say. But, furthermore, the very sufferings were resulting in “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” The implication is that the more trouble here, the greater the reward there. That’s unconquerable optimism. He would not lose heart.
3) The Priority of the Unseen Over the Seen.
Paul equates the seen with the temporal and the unseen with the eternal. So, this is a restatement of the truth he has already mentioned. But, his use of these different words is significant, and has a special “ring” in our day. Is not our world totally preoccupied with the seen, the visual, the image, the tangible? Worldviews and value systems are based on the things we can see. It is so easy to get sucked into this way of thinking. Paul affirms that the priority needs to be on the unseen. We need to shut our eyes more often. We need to focus on the invisible. We need to be totally satisfied with the eternal and the unseen.
Series Conclusion: How do we not lose heart? It has to do with our values, our convictions, and our priorities. We have something worth having that cannot be taken away. This gospel and its ministry can be served with mercy, integrity, and sincerity. We have a power available to us that is victorious. And finally, we have eternal benefits that should be our priority as we face the tough times.