4
But it isn't easy
1 Therefore, since we have received mercy along with this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in deception nor falsifying the Word of God,* but by the open proclamation of the Truth† commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God. 3 So where our Gospel has actually been concealed, it has been hidden from those who are being wasted, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving,‡
so that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
5 Now we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Sovereign,§ and ourselves as your servants* for Jesus' sake; 6 because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness† is He who shined in our hearts to give the light that comes from the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.‡ 7 Further, we have this treasure in jars of clay,§ so that this all-surpassing power may be of God and not from ourselves* 8 —we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, but not out;† 10 always carrying about in the body the putting to death of the Lord‡ Jesus, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body.§ 11 For we, the living, are always being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.* 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.†
Momentary affliction; eternal glory
13 Now since we have the same spirit of faith, just like it is written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,”‡ we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus§ and present us together with you. 15 So all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that has spread through the many may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.*
16 Therefore we do not lose heart—even though our outer man is wasting away, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day— 17 because our light, momentary affliction is working out for us an eternal and limitless measure of glory,† 18 as we do not focus on the seen, but on the not seen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.‡
* 4:2 Alas, there is no lack of those who deceive and falsify. † 4:2 The importance of this is enlarged upon in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. ‡ 4:4 The Text clearly states that Satan, “the god of this age”, is in the business of blinding the minds of unbelievers when they hear the Gospel, so they will not understand, so they will not be convicted, so they will not repent and convert. This is a terrible truth, the most terrible truth in the world, at least as I see it. The enemy has access to our minds, access in the sense that he has the power or ability to invade them, whether by introducing thoughts or by jamming our reasoning. The Lord Jesus had already declared this truth previously, when He explained the parable of the sower. “These are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown; but, as soon as they hear it Satan comes and takes away the word that was planted in their hearts” (Mark 4:15). In the parallel passage in Luke 8:12 Jesus adds the following words: “lest they believe and be saved.” Note that the Word is already in the mind or heart of the person, but then Satan comes, invades the mind and “takes away” that word. I am not sure just how this intrusion by the enemy works, perhaps he causes a mental block of some sort, but the practical effect is that the Word becomes ineffective, as if the person had not even heard it. The crucial question then becomes, what can we do about it? We find the answer in Mark 3:27. “No one can plunder the strong man's goods, invading his house, unless he first bind the strong man; then he may plunder his house.” I have used the definite article with the first occurrence of ‘strong man’ because the Greek Text has it, the point being that this particular strong man has already been introduced in the immediate context. “The strong man” here is Satan. (The Jewish leaders tried to explain Jesus' authority over the demons by saying that He expelled them by the power of Beelzebul, prince of the demons. In His retort Jesus does not waste time with that name but uses the enemy's proper name, Satan.) So then, the Lord Jesus declares that it is impossible to steal Satan's goods unless we bind him first. (From His use of “no one” it seems clear that the Lord is enunciating a general principle or truth.) And what might the nature of those ‘goods’ be? In the context (see Matthew 12:22-24) Jesus had delivered someone from a demon that caused blindness and dumbness, and in their comments the scribes and Pharisees include other instances where Jesus had expelled demons—it seems clear that the “goods” are people who are subject to Satan's power, in one way or another. Thus we have the same essential truth as that declared in Acts 26:18—we have to do something about Satan's power over a person so that he or she can be saved! So what can we do? Since the point of handcuffs is to keep someone from acting, I believe that in so many words, aloud or in thought, we must forbid Satan from interfering in the minds of our hearers, before we preach. For more on this subject the reader may consult my site: www.prunch.org. § 4:5 That is what the Text says; Christ Jesus must be proclaimed as Lord/Sovereign, nothing less. * 4:5 Literally, ‘slaves’. † 4:6 See Genesis 1:3. ‡ 4:6 Did you get that? When you really look at Jesus you see God's glory; that knowledge becomes a light shining in your heart. Wonderful! § 4:7 That we are clay pots does not change the nature of the “treasure”. * 4:7 God gives us the privilege of using His power, but we had better not try to take the credit! † 4:9 Dear me, this really doesn't sound like ‘easy street’ or a ‘bed of roses’! Paul is talking about very real struggle. ‡ 4:10 Perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts omit “Lord”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc. § 4:10 One is reminded of 1 Corinthians 15:31, where Paul says, “I die daily”. Clearly he cannot be referring to physical death, so it must be a dying to self. As I die to myself, to my own ideas and desires, the life of Jesus will be manifested in and through me. Or as he put it in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, so it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; what I now live in this body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself in my place.” * 4:11 You can't have resurrection without death. † 4:12 There are stages in Christian life and ministry: at their beginning stage, Paul is paying the price for them to have life; later, they should pay the price for others to have life; and so on. ‡ 4:13 See Psalm 116:10. We speak on the basis of what we believe. § 4:14 Our resurrection depends upon that of Jesus. * 4:15 The more people are reached by God's grace, the more thanksgiving God gets. † 4:17 Using the language in 1 Corinthians 3:12-14, whatever we build in gold, silver and precious stones will contribute to that glory. What we do for the Kingdom down here goes into our savings account in the Bank of Heaven. ‡ 4:18 Where is your focus?