2 Corinthians 4 - Temporary troubles, eternal glory

2 Corinthians 4:11 "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."

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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."

Sometimes some eternal perspective can do you good. You might be discouraged about the unkind word you got at work, but if you try to back up and think about how Jesus sees that situation your thinking on it changes. You're no longer mad, you see it as an opportunity to show God's love. Like the old hymn says "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full on his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." When you think about things and compare it to Jesus, much of it just doesn't matter.

While this is all true and is great to think about, I don't think that this is what 2 Corinthians 4 is talking about. At least, I don't think that anymore. I used to have 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 taped up on my mirror to study and memorize as I got ready in the morning and I thought what it meant was that putting up with life today was going to get us an eternal reward tomorrow.

But, now as I'm reading it with the whole chapter I don't think that these verses mean that exactly. Paul is talking about his suffering for Christ. He is talking about his persecution. He is talking about how his earthly life has more physical pain it today because "we have the same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak." (vs. 13) Paul says that because he believes, he has no choice but to speak and because he speaks he shares in Christ's death but by sharing in his death he shares in his life. When you're in the midst of "sharing in his death" it's easy to lose sight of someday sharing in his resurrection, but this is the reward that Paul clings to.

So, verses 17-18 don't just speak of putting up with the troubles of today, it talks of the troubles of today that arise from our compulsion to speak about Jesus. This is how we earn eternal reward - build His kingdom.

1 Corinthians 15 - The hope for our future

This is an interesting chapter. Paul seems to be responding to people in the church that don't believe that we will be raised from the dead to be with Christ and so he makes the argument that if there is no resurrection of the dead then two things:
1) Christ wasn't raised either and so our faith is useless.
2) Our life has no meaning except for the here and now. Without Jesus the only philosophy that makes sense is "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die".

The resurrection of the dead and our future with Christ gives meaning to our today. We have purpose because we have a tomorrow. Our future with Christ gives meaning to our current suffering. Our future with Christ answers the question "What is the meaning of life?" Simple - to glorify Him until He comes. We give meaning to our lives by working to further his kingdom.

And so this leads me to question my own life. Am I living like I really believe this? Does my life look like someone who only gets meaning from my future with Christ and that everything else is futility? Money doesn't go with me, my work towards the kingdom does. If work towards the kingdom is the only thing that brings meaning to life, the only thing with eternal significance, is that reflected in my living? Or do I behave as someone who has no hope and whose only goal is how I can fill this 100 years?

Lord Jesus, reveal my priorities today and give me opportunities to further your kingdom.