The Hope of Glory (2 Cor 4:16-18)
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 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. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
Introduction
The things and people around us - our jobs, spouse, children, church, leaders, and even ministry - bring us great comfort and security. But, what if they are gone, or fail us one day? If we strip away all the earthly securities and refuge, and subject a Christian to suffering and affliction, how should he react? The passage today tells us that the Christian should have and will have hope.
The Hopeful Christian
Lest we are offended by Paul describing affliction as “light” (2 Cor 4:17), let us first see what “light” means, and then look at what Paul had went through.
“Light”, in Greek, carries the meaning of weightlessness or insignificance.
Paul suffered tremendously for the Gospel (2 Cor 6: 4-10; 11: 23-27; 4:8-12). No man has suffered, or ever will suffer, more than Paul has for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Hence, Paul is someone who can empathise with us.
Yet, Paul says, in the context of his apostolic ministry, “we faint not” (v1, 16) - the same idea as being not discouraged, not giving up, not losing heart, not being afraid.
- How does Paul go through all the afflictions and yet say, “we faint not?”
- Where does he anchor his hope?
- Why is his hope unshaken by his afflictions?
“For which cause” (v16) refers to the hope that we will one day be transformed to glory (2 Cor 3) in the resurrection to come (v4:14). This is where Paul anchors his hope.
How may we have such a hope that keeps us from despairing? The passage provides 3 clues.
3 Contrasts Why We Should Not Despair
a) Perishing vs Renewing
The “outer man” is the view from the lens of original creation - the mortal flesh that is perishing and decaying (4:7,10,11). In contrast, the “inner man” is the view from the new creation perspective - the life that we possess because of Christ, and the life of Jesus being manifest in us (5:17).
Paul deliberately emphasises the contrast: while our “outer man” is perishing, our “inner man” is being renewed (v16).
Also, Paul attaches the phrase, “day by day” only to the inner man (v16), to strengthen the fact that this renewing is an on-going process, day by day.
Too often, we focus on the tiredness and suffering that we experience in our bodies, and forget the renewing of our inner man. Hence, remember that God is working in us and renewing our inward man daily. Instead of merely focusing on what life brings, focus on what God is accomplishing - the Spirit is in us, changing and strengthening us every day (2 Cor 3:18; Eph 3:16)!
b) Light and Momentary vs Weighty and Eternal
Paul’s afflictions lasted for the duration of his ministry, till his eventual execution. Yet, Paul describes everything that he has been through as being “light”, because he is comparing what he is experiencing now in this life with what he will be receiving in the future, which is the glory (v17)! In comparison to the glory he will receive when he is in heaven, the difficulties he is going through now is insignificant!
Our afflictions are momentary. They can never last beyond a lifetime. However, the glory that we will receive lasts for eternity, with no expiry date!
Paul emphasises this contrast by saying the glory we receive is “exceeding” (v17). This means that the glory that we are going to be receiving is going to be far, far beyond any form of comparison that we can make with our suffering. There is no comparison at all!
Let us remember God’s sovereignty in all of these, how He is the one who “worketh” in us. God is sovereign even over our afflictions, and is able to use them to give us glory, to work out good for us (Rom 8:28).
Hence, when afflictions hit us, let’s focus on the joy and glory that we will be receiving which will outshine everything bad that we’ve been through. And when we do receive it, we will feel it’s weightiness and awesomeness, and these afflictions that happen to us can never spoil God’s plan of giving us this glory.
3. Seen vs Not Seen
The final reason why Paul is able to stay hopeful is because his gaze is constantly fixed upon the invisible and eternal things (v18). The word, “while”, tells us that this is conditional. As long as your gaze is upon the things that are eternal, you will be able to be hopeful through the afflictions.
Like Peter (Matt 14:24), it is easy to focus on the things that we see, and forget about what God has done, is doing and, will do. The immediate matters that confront us - our afflictions and struggles - are temporal and there is a time limit to these things.
Our affections must be set on things which are above and eternal - God the Father, the Son, the Spirit (Col 3:1). When our gaze and attention is fixed upon God, hope is produced. The gospel tells us that because we have been reconciled with God, we know that one day when this momentary life ends, we will be received in glory back to our heavenly Father and will be able to see Him as He is. That’s the Christian hope!
Just as the world did not spare our Master, or our faith forefathers, with severe afflictions, they will subject us to it too. How then do we, as Christians, live a life that is full of hope in the face of afflictions and disappointments? Like Paul, we can respond with a hope that is unshaken in the face of afflictions and not despair, when we focus on 3 truths:
- God is working in our lives through the renewing by the Spirit,
- the eternal weighty glory that our afflictions are working to produce
- the invisible and eternal Godhead.
What fuels this focus is our understanding of scripture. Hence, let us persevere in the study of scripture, as our knowledge of Christ fuels our hope in Christ.
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