2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10
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So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Last week we considered Paul’s and the believers knowledge of the resurrection and out thanksgiving to God in light of that knowledge. This week we will begin a 2 week look at a string of results the knowledge of the resurrection has on us as believers as we are servants of Christ and His church. Remember Paul’s argument through this last chapter is that he is willing to suffer, to carry the body of the death of Jesus as a minister of the gospel so that the life of Jesus might be manifested in his body. In other words, Paul’s affliction marked ministry was for the purpose of mimicking Jesus and making Him known. Paul continues to explain that his suffering does not discredit his ministry but affirms his ministry.
As he progress through his letter to the Corinthians, he moves to the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus as the hope of his life and ministry. But not only his hope, but the hope of all who have seen the light of the gospel of the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
In this next passage Paul explains the way in which the church lives knowing that Christ has been raised and that we too will be raised! Or he explains through a string of we statements the results the knowledge of the resurrection has on the redeemed! I tried to summarize these statements into 8 points which Paul makes in verses 4:16-5:10. My goal is to cover 4 today and 4 next week. We will see how it goes.
Let’s look at the first result the knowledge of the resurrection has on the life of ministers of the gospel, Paul explains,
I. We do not lose heart. (16-17)
I. We do not lose heart. (16-17)
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
That was easy to pick up. But what does Paul mean by we do not lose heart? We do not get discouraged, we do not weaken, we do not give up, we endure. Even in the midst of affliction, confusion, persecution, being beat down, being weary, we will not lose heart.
Notice how he explains perseverance through suffering,
Though our outer self is wasting away,
Think about Paul’s life for a moment, he had been shipwrecked, thrown in prison, beat with a rod, beat with a whip, left for dead. He was weak eyed, had a thorn in the flesh God would not remove. If anyone understood the outer self wasting away, Paul did. If anyone understood pain, Paul knew pain. He says, we will not lose heart, even though our body is falling apart. Even though I can’t hardly get out of bed in the morning, even though I may limp around every where I walk, even though I have scar on top of scar we will remain steadfast in the service of Christ.
Now, I want us to think about our own lives, some have suffered more pain and affliction than others. Some of us have watched and are still watching our loved ones suffer and hurt, but with Paul we ought to say we will not lose heart.
Why not, first, because,
our inner self is being renewed day by day.
In other words, as we are falling apart physically, God is renewing us spiritually. As our bodies are being weakened in the faithfulness to God’s work, our spirit is being strengthened by the Spirit to stand strong in the faith.
Paul was realistic enough to recognize that his toil and suffering had taken their toll physically. For this, however, there was splendid compensation. Matching the progressive weakening of his physical powers was the daily renewal of his spiritual powers
How does this in strengthening and renewal happen?
Paul wrote to the Ephesians,
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
This constant rejuvenation of the “inward person” (Martin, 82) is part of the progressive transformation of the believer into the image of Christ (2 Co 3:18) in a process that will be accelerated and completed by resurrection (4:14).
How does Paul express such confident, joy, and hope in the midst of his failing body and a renewing spirit?
He compares this current suffering to future glory.
Light --- weight
Momentary --- eternal
affliction ---- glory.
He is trying to explain this suffering we have here is light. Mike Riccardi was preaching on this text and said someone may look at me and say how can you say my affliction is light, you don’t look like you have suffered near as much as I have. Mike said you are correct, but I didn’t write this, Paul did by the inspiration of the Spirit. He knew pain, he knew affliction, and suffering. And in the midst of all he experienced he said this is light, and what else, momentary. Light is one thing, but when someone is in the midst of pain, it doesn’t fell momentary, it feels like time slows down. Like the day is never going to end. And if we don’t believe that this body will be raised from the dead, if we don’t believe their is glory following this affliction it will feel like it last forever!
But Paul explains, in this midst of this light, momentary affliction, there is a purpose, it is to prepare you for something this pain is getting you ready to receive, an eternal weight of glory.
This glory Paul explains to the Colossians is,
because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,
This eternal weight of glory is the hope laid up for us in heaven. Paul here is seeking to remind the Corinthians that because of the resurrection of Christ their affliction (persecution and pressure) was light, when compared to this eternal, everlasting weight, heavy glory that was to come!
Anyone want to take a shot at defining this glory to come?
Glory - the condition of being bright of shining, brightness, spender, radiance. The state of being in the next life is thus described as participation in the radiance or glory.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Do you get the point? There is coming a day when whatever we face in this life will be overshadowed by the glory, brightness, splendor, and majesty that is to come. This is of course the radiance of the majesty and glory of Christ. When we see him as he is, when we are snatched up into his presence, when we singing songs of praise with the saints of old, when we are sanctified, glorified and made like Him!
Look there is no denying pain hurts, there is no deny that there is grief and disappointment in this life. But if we behold the glory of Christ above all we will always have this hope of glory that will shine through the darkness and dispel all discouragement that we might rejoice in the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul continues his argument by explaining why we don’t lose heart, his second result of the knowledge of the resurrection is,
II. We look to the eternal. (18)
II. We look to the eternal. (18)
as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Paul says we labor to the point of death, because we are not looking to this life for our motivation. He writes, as we look not to the things that are seen. Think about all that Paul is seeing:
Beatings
Stonings
Incarceration
Mocking
Rejection
Ridicule
The church of God drifting from the truth of God.
But he is not looking to these things for his direction and affirmation of his earthly ministry. Instead he is looking to the things that are unseen. Paul is looking to the risen Christ. Although he saw him at his conversion, he is not seeing him every day. He saw him I imagine when he was caught up into the 3rd heaven. But he is seeing way more of the effects of sin in this life than the glory of the next.
But he believes that the things that are seen are transient or temporary, like our momentary afflictions. Think about it for a moment, how many times have things happened that were a big deal when they happened, but when it is over and time passes by we realize that in the big scheme of things that was just a small mark on our life.
However, Paul explains the things that are unseen are eternal. The reason Paul had this great hope in light of the resurrection is because he knew when Christ was raised and ascended, he was still reigning. When Jesus was no longer visible to the apostles as we was raised up into heavenly glory they had hope that where he was going there they would also be.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
If Christ would not have been raised and still lied dead in the grave we would not have an eternal Savior to look too. But since Christ just passed through this world and went to the next, an promised us where I go, you will too, we have this confidence that enables us as believer to live lives that are marked by suffering because we understand that is is only for a little while, then we will be with Him forever!
Samuel Rutherford wrote to a man who was going through an intense time of suffering and in that letter he wrote, "If you were not Christ's wheat appointed to be bread in His house, He would not grind you."
Do we think about suffering in that manner? That Christ is grinding us for our good that we might be prepared for the glory that is to come?
Paul has affirmed in light of our resurrection hope,
We do not lose heart,
We look to the eternal, and third,
III. We know heaven is our home. (5:1)
III. We know heaven is our home. (5:1)
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
David Garland provides a great purpose statement for the result of the knowledge of the resurrection in chapter 5.
He states, Paul is “arguing from the resurrection—how the resurrection makes our troubles seem slight and short-lived. The torrent of affliction that seems to engulf his ministry in shame will be nullified by the resurrection. He argues from what he believes to be a shared belief about the resurrection hope.” (pg. 246).
Remember what Paul said in
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
Consider the tent imagery for a minute. What are some places and purposes in Scripture we see a tent?
The OT, the tent is built as a temporary place of worship.
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place,
The are those who live in tents. In the NT when the transfiguration happens what does Peter want to do? Pop up some tents and tabernacle with Jesus, and stay on the mountain!
Paul here uses the tent as the imagery for our body, saying we know that if the tent is our earthly home is destroyed, in other words, this tent is going to fall apart. This earthly dwelling is going to be destroyed like an old wind beaten tent.
But we still have hope because, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The reason we have not only great hope but great confidence in our suffering turning to glory, is that we have a greater tent a greater person that has come to provided us a place to dwell and to worship where we will never be destroyed, torn down, or die!
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
Do you see the reason the affliction of the believer ought to seem light and momentary. We have this hope, this longing, this yearning for our home that is eternal in the heaven’s!
So like Paul,
We do not lose heart,
We look to the eternal,
We know heaven is our home,
and fourth,
IV. We groan for God’s eternal home. (5:2-5)
IV. We groan for God’s eternal home. (5:2-5)
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Notice Paul’s language in these verses,
For in this tent we groan, longing
verse 4 For in this tent we groan,
Do you get the picture Paul is painting for us?
When do you groan, when you are hurting, when you are sore, when you are sick.
Scott Hafeman states,
2 Corinthians Paul’s Confident “Groaning” for the Future (5:1–5)
Paul’s point is that the groaning of anticipation that comes from this longing is itself evidence that God has promised believers more to come than the moaning of suffering and death.
As Paul continues his theme of looking to future glory to maintain a right view of suffering in ministry he reminds the Corinthians that you may be groaning now, but look to what is yet to come. There is a heavenly dwelling, which will clothe us in righteousness and glory.
This heavenly dwelling is the believer’s assurance that they will not be found naked. We are clothed in Christ, theologically united with him in faith, we profess this union in baptism and we will receive this heavenly dwelling this eternal home when this old tent is torn down.
That’s why Paul writes in verse 4,
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we may be further clothed,
We have the confidence that we are in Christ now, but we are still in experiencing this momentary affliction, and it is painful. We are not concerned about being naked and exposed, because we have assurance that we are robed in the righteousness of Christ now. But we also understand that when we are separated from the tattered tent, we will be dressed in a glorified, heavenly, eternal, sin free, pain free, pure body to the glory of God the Father.
It is as this time, what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
The temporal will become eternal.
The hand made will become heavenly made.
The wrecked will be redeemed.
The broken will be made new.
The whining will turn to worship.
We know this because,
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
God has prepared for us a heavenly home. Not only has God built it, he has put the down payment on it. He has provided the earnest money, He is given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Can you give me one thing in this life that you have such a guarantee?
Is there one thing in this world that you are this confident in?
God has given us his Spirit that we might know we have a heavenly dwelling. God has given us his Spirit that we might believe in the resurrection of His Son! God has given us His Spirit that we might know that we will have the right wardrobe when He returns.
How then do we know that we have his Spirit?
VI. We are courageous because we know we are not at home. (6-8)
VI. We are courageous because we know we are not at home. (6-8)
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
VII. We make it our aim to please God. (9)
VII. We make it our aim to please God. (9)
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
VIII. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. (10)
VIII. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. (10)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.