2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
<Chapter 5>
1 For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
3 since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked.
4 For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a pledge.
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
8 but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.
The Hope Beyond Death
Inner person renewed day by day
Even though Paul was conscious of his weakness amid affliction and persecution, he did not lose heart. This was because Paul had an unchanging hope. How much encouragement and courage the following words of Paul have given to countless saints. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day.” Here Paul compares the “outer person (the body)” with the “inner person (the soul)” and testifies that although the body grows old, the soul is drawing ever closer to perfection. In more general term, “The goal of life is the perfection of character.” In Christian terms, “The goal of life is the perfection of salvation.”
The hope Paul confesses
Based on the view of life described above, Paul records these precious words. (1) The affliction of the present time is light. Moreover, it produces for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. (2) The things that are seen are temporary. We should fix our eyes not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are not seen. (3) The body is an earthly tent. It will eventually be torn down, but after that, an eternal dwelling in heaven (the resurrection body) will be given. (4) Suffering on earth is the labor pain through which we obtain this resurrection body. When the dwelling from heaven (the resurrection body) is given, what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (5) The Holy Spirit has been given to us, so to speak, as a down payment. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that these things will surely happen to believers. For Paul, who had such confidence, death was no longer something to be feared. His greatest concern was how he could do “what is pleasing to the Lord.” Paul lived looking forward to the time when he would give an account before the Lord. Let us also take Paul’s following words to heart and make it our aim today to walk in a manner “pleasing to the Lord.” “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Today's prayer
Almighty God, today, please allow me to fix my eyes on the things that are unseen and to walk by faith. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.