Paul refers to his suffering as “carrying around the death of Jesus” in his body. Paul made the point in previous verses that his own weakness and frailty showcases the power of God by contrast, as God uses Paul despite his weakness. The same idea is continued in verses 10-12. In the Greek, the phrase “life of Jesus” doesn’t refer to biological life, but to the spiritual being. So, although following Christ can be difficult, even painful at times, there is great potential for Christ himself to be “revealed” in those times.
Have you ever been encouraged by another believer who was experiencing pain or difficulty? As odd as it sounds, we can sometimes be most effective in encouraging others when we’re experiencing pain. As we maintain our trust and dependence on God in the middle of suffering, others can sometimes see that and find themselves trusting God more as a result. We may not even be thinking about trying to encourage anyone. (In fact, we’re likely just holding on to God for every breath!) But God can use those moments of our weakness to impact others with the “life” of Christ (v. 12) in ways we’re completely unaware of and may never even see in this life.
Paul quotes a fraction of Psalm 116:10 to illustrate the natural behavior of genuine faith. It leads to speech. Let’s be clear, faith is not measured by the amount of speaking or “witnessing” we do. But think about it for a minute. If you are passionate about something, if you believe in a cause, admire a person or love a movie, you talk about it with someone. The same is true of our faith. If we are passionate about it, it will “show up” in our conversations and activities. (v.13)
Why does Paul believe? Look at verse 14. Because he “knows” that Jesus was raised from the dead and that he (Paul) and all believers will be raised, physically, from the dead as well. The Greek word used here for “know” means to perceive with the eyes or some other sense. Paul was an eyewitness to the reality of Christ’s resurrection (Acts 9) and this was the basis for his faith. The Bible does not ask us to believe blindly, but to search out truth and use our minds. A few verses on this theme worth checking out include:
1 Corinthians 15:14, Isaiah 1:18 , Mark 12:30, Proverbs 25:2 and Acts 17:10-11.
The amazing promises of the Bible can seem fantastical. They can be easy to compartmentalize into a back corner of our mind that “believes” in a sense, but not in the same way that we believe the sun will appear tomorrow. But there is no need to keep our faith in that emaciated condition. The Bible asks to be scrutinized, because it can take it. If your faith is fading because of doubt, seek out the evidence for the truth of scripture and you will begin to develop the kind of “eyewitness” faith that Paul had. The kind of faith that sees the eventual bodily resurrection of believers to be just as real as the computer screen in front of you.
Paul recognized that his ministry, with all the pain it brought with it, was for the benefit of the Corinthians. Paul was being used as a tool of God’s undeserved favor (grace) toward the Corinthians, so that they would ultimately live lives that recognized who God is and what he has done for them, and repeatedly thank God as a result. (v.15)
It’s this perspective that “renews” Paul’s attitude and keeps him from “losing heart”, even though he is experiencing severe difficulty. He knows he will eventually share in an “eternal glory” that outweighs any difficulty he can potentially experience in this life.
So what is this “eternal glory”? Romans 8:17 indicates that believers will be “co-heirs” with Christ. We will share in everything that he possesses. Imagine that for a moment. We will have all the wealth, excitement, and discovery that can be potentially found in what an eternal, infinite God has to offer us. According to this verse we will also share in Christ’s “glory”, meaning we will reflect who he is. We will become like Christ(1 John 3:2) and become perfect reflections of who he is. All the aspirations we may have for who we want to be and what we hope to accomplish will seem like nothing when we become perfect reflections of Christ. And this future we look forward to will never fade, or become stale. Unlike the temporary things of this life, believers will eventually have fulfillment that lasts forever.
Next Week
A Glimpse Of What Is To Come
Coffee House Question
Have you ever met a believer in pain, or heard a story of one, that encouraged you to put more trust in God? Don’t be shy! Let’s hear about it! (‘cuz we all need encouragement, too!)
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