June 21, 2023
Author: Pastor Bernard Ibrahim
June 21, 2023
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.
II Corinthians 4:16-5:5
If we look at the passage just a few thoughts. He, Paul through the
Holy Spirit gives his perspective on all these trials that they're
facing. To what purpose to what end and the perspective of how big are
they really? How impactful are these trials that we face in this life.
Notice that his comparative statement is describing this wasting away of
the outer man and the inner self being renewed. And the comparison is
these afflictions, verse 17 are light momentary compared to this eternal
weight. You know one is light, one is heavy, one is momentary and one
is eternal. These are not comparable, not equally comparable. He's
basically saying is this the way I see the trials that we're facing in
this life and this body, they are light and momentary or temporary. You
could also see that they are transient they're not going to be around
for forever. But what we're being prepared for is forever is eternal and
it is glory beyond all comparison. So he is saying what we're facing
now pales in comparison both in duration and in impact. For what we look
forward to is eternal and weighty. Then he said I'm having this
perspective because I can see with eyes of faith, look at verse 18 “We
look not to the things that are seen.” So what he's saying is I'm not
focused on these actual trials that I have that's not my focus, that's
not the focus of my eyes. My eyes can see them they are real, they're
real for now but I am looking and this is a very interesting phrase, he
is looking to the things that are unseen. The natural mind, our earthly
mind would say well that's that's nonsensical you can't look at the
unseen. But what he's really telling us is we need to look with eyes of
faith. You know he uses this phrase “the just shall live by faith,” he’s
used it several times and quoted from Galatians 2:20 “I have been
crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in
me and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of
God who loved me and gave himself for me.” He’s living this life that
he's living in the flesh by faith and he's looking at things that are
unseen while living in the flesh here into the eternal weight of glory
with eyes of faith. That's what he focuses on, for the things that are
seen are transient but the things that are unseen are eternal. And if
you go on to his look, what is he seeing? We see it there he expands on
it in chapter five.
This tent notice in verse
one. A tent is a temporary dwelling. It’s just fit for purpose, it’s
just temporary. As opposed to later on in the verse, “We have a building
from God, a house.” That’s permanent that’s stationary. It’s durable,
it lasts but it’s not made with hands it’s eternal in the heavens. It’s
an eternal home versus the tent we’re experiencing now. “In this tent we
groan”. While we’re groaning we're looking forward to heaven our
heavenly dwelling. and to me this is really now the essence of his
perspective is the groaning is real. The tent is real. The time here is
real but comparatively it’s small. And comparatively the afflictions are
light compared to what? Compared to our time here on earth? Someone
else's time here on earth? Someone who has suffered more, or maybe our
own sufferings that we’ve had before? Well this may be the worst
suffering we've ever had. That's not the comparator, the comparator is
this eternal weight of glory that’s unseen, that is what he compares
his current situation and trials. This is the key to living in our
trials with this mind, heavenly mindedness. Comparing putting into
perspective, what I'm suffering, what I'm enduring, it’s real no less
but comparatively it is light and momentary. This is the right thinking,
this is not only spiritual thinking it's real thinking as opposed to
letting our eyes, our thoughts and our fears deceive us into thinking
that this is all we have and this trial will never end, these
difficulties are going to overwhelm us, and forgetting the promises that
God has given us even in giving us the spirit. You see that's how we
end this section in verse 5 who has given us the spirit as a guarantee”
in that word guarantee is a very good word. You could also look at it as
pledge or the down payment. If you ever bought anything and you didn't
have to do the transaction you put down an earnest payment. You said I
am going to fulfill my commitment for this transaction and here's a
token of my intentions. And that is what the Holy Spirit is, a reminder
for us Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit so that we would know he gave us
himself the Holy Spirit we would continually remember in the trials of
this life that we have an eternal home and that these are light and
momentary afflictions. My encouragement to you and to me that we would
think more on heaven in our trials here on earth.
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