Wednesday, August 14 - 2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians 4

New International Version (NIV)

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

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St. Paul cites his "scars" on behalf of the Gospel.   He does this not as a braggart, but because there are others in Corinth who are questioning his sincerity, and challenging his message.  Paul wants them to know that his theology is not a theology of glory and personal gain, but that he goes forward with the Gospel despite the troubles and hardships that have come to him because of his preaching.

The Tempter was hard at work trying to get people focused on perceived insincerity.  He loves misunderstandings which divide people and wants these misunderstandings to discredit the message.

It is important for us to remember that there will always be inconsistencies and misunderstandings in the church.  The messengers are, after all, sinners, and will sometimes fail.   And sometimes sin gets a hold of them so that they know what to say, but they are not living what they preach.  

But, in the end, the message does not depend on the messenger.  It depends on the One who is behind the message -- the Savior who credited Himself to us by His sacrificial death on Calvary's cross.  In Him there is no inconsistency.  And His Word is true -- always.

Pedophile priests, scandalous pastors, dishonest evangelists sometimes rise up in the church.  They are a black eye, but they do not undermine the truth of the Savior who loved us.

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¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”  Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

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I love these last verses.  They make me think of my mother, as she was struggling with Alzheimers, wasting away from a human perspective.  And yet God was still holding her in His hands.  He loved her even when she could not express her faith out loud, and was, somehow, continuing to prepare for her for her eternal home.

We all (my family) grew a lot from dealing with my mother's struggles.  It taught us compassion.  It taught us patience.  I helped us understand that sometimes love doesn't get much back in return, but that true love perseveres.

God's love certainly perseveres with us, and He is the Master who uses even our hardships for good.