We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. [2 Corinthians 4.8-11]
If life were a bed of roses, where would the glory of our risen Christ be seen? As long as we are alive, the curse upon man's physical body will continue to press against us. We are all dying, but in the process, there are repeated and numerous faith opportunities for the resurrection life of Christ to be seen in us: we are pressed, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair, hunted down, but not abandoned by God, knocked down, but not destroyed. And so, Paul went on to write:
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. [2 Corinthians 4.16-18]
Here is where we need to pause for a moment to consider our current faith culture. Man's tendency is to automate everything - including faith. This has become so evident that a popular vehicle manufacturer advertises a self-driving vehicle allowing the driver to instead engage in an activity likened to "playing patty-cake."
What Paul is teaching in 2 Corinthians 4 is that faith is, and never will be, automated. As much as the Church would love to put faith on "auto" and go "play patty-cake" there is a higher, more glorious, much more serious calling upon our lives to represent Christ. Our sufferings give us regular opportunity to share in Christ's death so that His life might be seen in us. As Paul goes on to write in chapter 5, we are Christ's ambassadors. Yes, we fail, but the goal is for Jesus' life to be seen in every circumstance. Again, That is why we never give up.
Our bodies provide the most excellent platform for the life of Christ to be seen. As much as we wish to get past the suffering, we are tasked, with every instance, to reveal the life of Jesus through it by faith. Paul describes this magnificently here:
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. [2 Corinthians 5.1-5]
But, back to our modern faith culture tendency to want to automate faith...
Modern believers put their health on cruise control by trusting in insurance and medicine instead of God. The glory for well-being then, in the watching world's eyes, goes to science - not God (regardless how passionately Christians argue that "God uses medicine," it is laughable in the world's eye). The only tried and true way to prove that the power of the Holy Spirit is at work is to, by faith, put our health concerns entirely in the hands of Jesus, sidestepping conventional knowledge and science.
"But if we do that now, everyone will die!" Admit it, you probably thought that as much as I thought it when I wrote it. And here is where the condition of the Church's faith culture is plainly seen. Every medical advancement the Church has enjoyed along with the world has come at the grave expense of genuine faith in the Church. Their "cruise-control" mentality about health has atrophied their faith into practical uselessness.
Christians know the Bible promises health, but it's easier just to take a pill... Again, Paul is encouraging something different:
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. [2 Corinthians 4.16-18]
The problem is our lack of concern for the glory of God to be seen. We would rather "play patty-cake" than fight a spiritual battle over a cold or flu or cancer! The only reason we remain on earth after being saved is to GLORIFY GOD like Jesus by making other disciples who also look like Jesus. Every "suffering" we encounter is a fresh opportunity for us glorify God through our faith... even if it kills us. Nothing speaks a testimony of faith like "faith to the death."
How I've missed this even after years of reading it, I do not know. But I am thankful that God is giving me eyes to see and ears to hear. He is touching my understanding like never before, and it is challenging as much as it is good. I might die.
Does it not appeal to our hearts to please God with a faith that is willing to die so that His Glory might be seen? Oh how it must excite the Father when we really trust Him and Him alone!
Father, be glorified in my life! Forgive me for all my complaining about the opportunities You have given me to glorify You through the sufferings of fallen man so I might demonstrate the resurrection life of Jesus Christ! Forgive me for wanting to take the easy, more comfortable way of the world's solutions. I want You!
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