2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10 (Part 30) True Service for the Lord: Its Suffering

Confidence in the face of death—4:16-5:10

Principles—vv. 17-18

• The principle of affliction and glory: 1) Contrasts: 1) Light and weight; 2) A moment and eternal; 3) Seen and unseen

• The measure to which our present pressure is regarded as light is the measure to which we see the future: Suffering has (produces) eternal value

The believer’s future hope (unseen reality)—5:1-10

Our future: Its assurance (v. 1)

• We know--this sets the tone and tells “why” we know: Greek word oida—knowledge obtained by intuition or revelation

• If –Christ might return before I die

The believer’s hope

• When the believer dies physically, he goes to be with the Lord [spirit and soul] and body [to the grave]—that is not our hope nor is it our comfort

• The hope is glorification—body to the grave and soul and spirit with the Lord [I Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5; I Corinthians 15].

The tent metaphor (v. 1)

• Transient

• Fragile

• No foundation

“Of God” (v. 1)—future body: 1) Divine in origin; 2) Eternal in duration; 3) Heavenly in adaptation