Faithfulness as Evidence of Resurrection

Introduction:

From our study last Sunday morning, we weighed our ability to appreciate the evidence of God’s work in us.

Paul concluded our focus section with a set of contrasts that he points to as evidence of the power of God working in him.

This will become increasingly important as we proceed today.

We might think of ways we know the resurrection really happened:

The eyewitness testimony.

The eyewitness tradition (think Baukham’s point).

The willingness of the apostles to endure suffering and harm…would they do that for something they knew to be a lie?

Once again, we need to think about the spiritual conflict carrying over into the physical world, the real, lived experience of believers in the world.

Have peace and security deprived us of a valuable witness?

Paul’s Framing of His Life/Ministry

In 2 Cor. 4:10-11, Paul describes his apostleship as “always carrying around the death of Jesus in the body.”

Here, he does not simply mean to say he always tells that Jesus physically died.

Instead, he understood his own sufferings as a continuation of the sufferings and death of Jesus.

Colossians 1:24 NA28

Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία,

Galatians 6:17 “Τοῦ λοιποῦ κόπους μοι μηδεὶς παρεχέτω· ἐγὼ γὰρ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματί μου βαστάζω.”

Notice, though the purpose of this.

There must be two ways in which he means “might be manifested...”

The act of preaching. This must be the case in light of 2 Cor. 4:13.

The evidence of the resurrection in his behavior and endurance of suffering while preaching.

Paul makes this case in Philippians 3:10-14.

The truthfulness of the resurrection is seen through the changed life and the endurance of suffering by those who claim to believe Jesus is raised.

He explains all of this through the “for” statement in 2 Cor. 4:11.

He brings the Corinthians to this conclusion, and how they have benefited from his suffering, in 2 Cor. 4:12.

2 Cor. 1:6 “εἴτε δὲ θλιβόμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας· εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ὑπομονῇ τῶν αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν.”

Endurance is Evidence of Faith

Paul explains that all of this is consistent with biblical teaching about trust/faith.

Psalm 116 asserts the “spirit of faith” which Paul not only has just espoused but evinces when he preaches.

The Psalmist said bold things as evidence of his faith.

He endured suffering too, but he remained undeterred from preaching the truth, and his subsequent ill treatment did not dissuade him from relying upon the Lord.

Paul places himself squarely in that mold. The Corinthians have in Paul evidence for the resurrection and a lived witness of what the scriptures teach.

Do we see our own lives this way?

Do others see it?

How do we react in the midst of adversity?

How do others see us react?

Are we stressed? Doubtful? Do we question why God has forsaken us?

Paul makes the point explicit in 2 Cor. 4:14.

He explains the purpose of it all in 2 Cor. 4:15.

Through boldly preaching the truth, through many others, thanksgiving might increase for the glory of God.

Thanksgiving is important to God, and it should be something we hold dear. It was lost in the Fall.