2Corinthians Chapter Four
In this chapter Paul gets deeper into addressing the core of what he sees as the doctrinal problem that is in the Corinthian church. It is confusion about what is truly ‘spiritual’ as distinct from what is soulish. They are proud of themselves because of their spiritual giftings and they are comparing themselves with one another and proclaiming that they have ‘arrived’ spiritually, yet their attitudes and behavior belie this totally. Paul lays the blame for this on the deceitful practices of false apostles and teachers who have influenced many in the Corinthian church. He refers to this in verse 2; ‘We refuse to have anything to do with deceitful practices. We don’t have any hidden agendas, twisting the word of God to our own advantage’
Paul then goes further back and lays the initial blame for this deception on Satan, who blinds the minds of people to the truth. He says that his message is not about what he has done, but about Jesus and who he is and what he has done and is now ding, in partnership with Paul, who sees himself as simply a clay vessel that contains the treasure of Jesus within. He begins to explain the contrast between the outward natural and the inward spiritual works, and he begins to explain the management of human limitations in the light of the limitless hope we have in a wonderful God.
Paul then makes the pivotal statement of the powerful dynamic of spiritual by saying in verse 12; ‘So death may be at work in us but life is being released in you.’
Paul quotes David in the context of his total trust in a wonderful God despite the death to self experiences of human life. He experienced the salvation of his soul. Verse 13; ‘We feel the same spirit of faith that David did when he said in his afflictions ’I believed therefore I have spoken’. We can also say ‘I believe therefore I can speak’.
Paul finishes by stating that this is the reason that he will never give up and that even if we get weaker on the outside, we are being strengthened in the spirit on the inside every day. He say that our earthly troubles are so lightweight that they can’t compare to what they produce of the profound reality of God’s eternal life in us. He urges us to not set our sights on the things that people see and experience outwardly, but on the things that you can’t always see on the outside. Outward things will pass away but the unseen eternal things will last forever.
This then becomes the exercise of the renewed mind exercising faith in the spiritual dimension of love and goodness and power that floods our spirit and saves our souls. This is what Jesus meant by having tribulation in this world but being of good cheer because he has overcome the world. We light the fuse of hope and faith and wait for God’s goodness in his way and in his time.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 4- CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)
SPIRITCODE
1. Because we have received this ministry of the Spirit through God’s great kindness we will not give up.
2. We refuse to have anything to do with deceitful practices. We don’t have any hidden agendas, twisting the word of God to our own advantage. We reveal the truth of God’s word and we stand behind what we say in the sight of God and let people’s conscience be the judge of whether what we say is true or not.
3. I the message of a shared life with Jesus is veiled to anyone, it is to those who have lost their way
4. Whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, preventing them from believing, so that the radiant light of this truth of sharing life with Jesus cannot penetrate into their hearts.
5. Our message is not about who we are and what we have done but about the Lord Jesus Christ and who he is and what he has done. All we can do is make this truth available to you.
6. God has commanded the light of this truth to break through the darkness and he has shone it into our hearts. Now we can shine forth the revelation of who Jesus is which then puts the full glory of God on display.
7. But we are just the clay pots that contain this treasure of truth. We want the attention
To be focused on God’s great power, and not on the clay pot.
8. We come under pressures from all directions that would seem to limit us but we don’t feel restricted. We are very aware of our own limitations but we never lose our hope.
9. We feel like fugitives but we don’t feel abandoned. We feel like we’ve been beaten up but we don’t feel like losers.
10. These bodies of ours seem to carry around the same sentence of death that Jesus once had, so that they can also show the same risen life quality that Jesus now has.
11. For while ever we are alive we will always face death sentence experiences because of Jesus, so that the risen life experience of Jesus will be released and displayed in our humanity .
12. So death may be at work in us but life is being released in you.
13. We feel the same spirit of faith that David did when he said in his afflictions “I believed therefore I have spoken’. We can also say ‘I believe therefore I can speak’.
14. We know that because of Jesus, God will raise us up just as he raised up Jesus from death, and bring us all before him together.
15. All of this is for your benefit, so that the extravagant goodness of God will be appreciated and expressed by so many people sincerely giving thanks to him.
16. And that is why we will never give up. But even if we get weaker on the outside, we are being strengthened in the spirit on the inside every day.
17. The troubles that come and go in this life are so lightweight that they can’t compare to what they produce of the profound experience and display of God’s eternal life in us.
18. So we don’t aim for the things that people see and experienced outwardly, but for the things that you can’t always see on the outside. Outward things will pass away but the inward things will last forever.
