For the second time in this chapter, Apostle Paul asserts that he “does not lose heart.” (vss. 1, 16). Why does Apostle Paul “not lose heart” according to this passage? According to this passage, Apostle Paul does not lose heart because the ministry that he has is given through God’s mercy. It’s not because Apostle Paul was so capable and competent in ministry skills and personality that he was given the role to minister. God just did, by choosing him, and the ministry is not dependent upon what Paul can do.  Also, Apostle Paul does not lose heart because although he is experiencing outward wasting away due to the difficult circumstances in his life, he is inwardly being renewed day by day. He also has the perspective that his life on earth is short, and that there is the “eternal glory that far outweighs” the troubles of this earthly life. So he is able to press on.

Things that would make me feel hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down are the very things that would waken me up to the reality that I am frail and powerless, without any control, that I am but a jar of clay.

The relationship between my frailty and God’s surpassing power is that these things would drive me to turn to a power source outside of myself – which is God. If my life was without any problems, any pressure, detached from the reality of life’s frailty protected by wealth and fame (& whatever else that will keep me protected from life’s difficulties), then I would not have any need to go to God.

How will I need to respond to these things? – When I am hard-pressed by different demands of ministry, to meeting the needs of people all around me, working out relational conflicts, wondering about what would be the best direction to take for effective praxis ministry, needing wisdom needed to minister & lead element & interhigh, at the same time fighting the voice of my own sinful nature, with its demands and emotions, and when persecutions come and when all my efforts to live according to God’s truths is responded with being “struck down”- one lesson that I can take away from this is that I need not to fear any difficulties and being in this kind of a situation and state where I am feeling my frailty and powerlessness. That is the place that I need to be in, that I need to even seek them out, so that God’s power within me and my life is not without effect as I persevere through them.

Submitted by David Tung, Gracepoint Berkeley.

2 Corinthians 4:13-18

For the second time in this chapter, Apostle Paul asserts that he “does not lose heart.” (vss. 1, 16). Why does Apostle Paul “not lose heart” according to this passage?

The reason why Apostle Paul does not lose heart is because, through God’s grace, he has this ministry – this ministry that that is causing the grace of God to reach more and more people.  That makes sense.  He does find himself in difficult circumstances – he is hard pressed, persecuted, and struck down; he carries the death of Jesus in his body and he is always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake; his life is outwardly wasting away and full of troubles.  He lives a life that is characterized by setback, suffering and troubles – being persecuted, experiencing imprisonment, getting shipwrecked, being misunderstood by those that he is trying to minister to, getting rejected by the Jews again and again, etc.  However, in the midst of this Apostle Paul says that he does not lose heart – and the reason why is because of the ministry that they have been given and the ministry that they are a part of.  Through their ministry, the grace of God is reaching more and more people that cause thanksgiving to fill their lives.  Through their ministry, people are being saved for eternity.  In the end there is an eternal glory that far outweighs all of the troubles that they are presently experiencing.

Reflect on the two contrasting themes in vv. 16-18, and arrange in two columns the contrasting pairs of words.

The reason why Apostle Paul does not lose heart is because he knows that through experiencing the things in the left column, he will achieve the things in the right column.  And this is something that is true to life.  I know that many of the things that I experience as trouble are actually light, momentary, and temporary.  But, in the moment of struggle, it is difficult to see this clearly.  When I need to die to myself, or swallow my pride, or deny my body, or push through fatigue, it does feel like a big drama – but if I do, oftentimes my experience is that the drama of that moment of trouble passes very quickly.  And what is able to happen through enduring that momentary trouble?  Oftentimes work that contributes to the kingdom of God is done – some outreach event becomes that much more excellent, someone in the church is loved and strengthened, or someone outside of the church is drawn in.  The momentary trouble leads to an eternal impact.  And even the troubles that do not seem so light and momentary are still temporary – like chronic sins that I am always struggling with to one degree or another.  It is because, at max, they are only going to last for this lifetime – and we have all of eternity ahead of us.

How does one’s life focus shift from one column to the other?  What does that process look like?

So these two columns characterize the experience of Christian life – we will experience both the things in the left column and the things in the right column.  And it just makes a whole lot of sense to focus on the things in the right column over the things in the left because those are the eternal and weighty things that are actually going to last.  At the same time, it is easier to notice the things in the left column because they are “seen” while the things in the right column are often “unseen.”  In reality, the things on the left just feel closer, and thus they feel more real – it is very easy to notice them and then to focus on them.  That is the reality that I experience – it is easier to get upset that things are not going well, or to feel slighted about some perceived offense, or to get down about my chronic sins, or to just think that this work is hard and to want to go home and indulge myself.  To notice the glory and eternal work is going to take more work.  So, one thing that I have to become good at is reflection and thanksgiving – taking time out to think about what is going on and to think a little deeper about what I actually experience during this week.  And there is probably not going to be a huge victory every week, but I can appreciate the small victories as something that can potentially have a greater impact down the road.  As C.S. Lewis says, “Good and evil both increase at compound interest.  That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.  The smallest good act of today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”  Another thing that I must do is to just increase in love for other people – and I can do this by arranging my life so that I am maximizing my opportunities to serve and encourage other people.  This can help move the focus from the left column to the right column because these are all things that can have eternal impact – and if I arrange my life around such things, then it is going to bring me back again and again to the things in the right column.

1. DT_Life Of Apostle Paul Week 2 Small Calendar

2. DT_Life Of Apostle Paul Week 2_Questions_only

3. DT_Life Of Apostle Paul Week 2 Side by Side

4. DT_Life Of Apostle Paul Week 2-3_Chinese

Summarize the message of these texts regarding a Christian’s life.  What are Christians called to do and not do because of this identity?

As Christians we are called to be separated from the world, to not conform to their ways, not to be yoked together with unbelievers, not to be partners with them and do things in darkness, not to love the world or anything in the world, not to be friends with the world, and not to have our minds on earthly things and thus become enemies of God.  These are all the things these passages tell us not to do.    These texts tell us to live distinct lives from that of the world, to be the salt, the light in order that our difference can attract people of this world.  We are to expose their darkness with our light and show our good deeds so that it can result in the people of this world praising God.  We are to find out what pleases God and live by it.

What question about Christian life does this answer, or what commonly-held misunderstanding about Christian life might this clarify?

These passages bring to mind the phrase “in the world but not of the world”, as that is what I am called to do.  These passages make it very clear that we are called to be so different from the rest of the world as we are put in stark contrast with clear words like “darkness” versus “light”, “wickedness” versus “righteousness”.  And there are sharp words used against those who love the world, such as “adulterous”, “hatred”, “enemy”, etc.  These clear distinctives leave little room for people who say things like we need to be more like the world so that we can reach out to the world, who take verses like 1 Corinthians 9:20 – “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.” – out of context as a justification for living a compromised, secular life.    At the same time I think these passages answer the question of WHY we have to live such different lives and be so “weird” and not do what we consider to be the “norm” by worldly standards.  In this context, it shows us that we’re not to be weird just for the sake of being weird and different, but it’s because there’s a mission behind it all, which is to turn people of the darkness into the same light that we have found, to do good deeds so that it can result in people of this world praising God.   I think a lot of times we have this misconception of Christian life as just full of dos and donts.  And without understanding the heart of it, it can sound like drudgery, who would want to succumb to such restrictions in your life.  But it makes sense in the context of embracing your identity.  When I got married, I embraced my identity as a wife and didn’t think twice about the dos and donts of marriage, how I’m now restricted and there are things that I cannot do as a married person.  Those were minor and irrelevant in the context of my new identity and mission of loving my husband and treasuring this relationship.  In the same way, when I fully embrace my identity as a Christian and embrace God’s mission to bring others into the same light that I have found, I don’t have to think twice about the dos and donts that are entailed in this relationship. They suddenly seem obvious and something that of course I should submit to and not think twice about in the greater plan of bringing others out of the darkness into God’s marvelous light.    In light of all of this, one point for me to reflect on is how different am I from the world?  Am I living a life that is in stark contrast with the “norm” out there – in terms of how I spend my money (for selfish purposes or others), how I spend my time (consumed in media and personal comfort or serving and loving others and being in God’s word), how I view others (consumed with just my nuclear family or increasing my sphere of concern), etc.  In addition, I need to work on fully embracing the great mission that God has given me and let that shape all of my values and direction of my life.

———————————-

Submitted by Jacob Chang, Gracepoint Berkeley

Summarize the message of these texts regarding a Christian’s life.  What are Christians called to do and not do because of this identity?

Christians are called to be distinct from the culture they live in.  The purpose of this distinction is so that the world will see the distinction and glorify God.  This distinction is not a matter of preference.  A Christian is supposed to have a relationship with the living God and this is incompatible with living for things of this world.  The passages make clear that being a friend of the world is equivalent to being an enemy of God.  Christians are specifically called to find out what pleases God, to test and approve his will, and that goes hand in hand with stepping out of the world, not loving the world, etc.  It’s not a suggestion or recommendation; it’s a statement of fact.  You can’t please God and chase after things of the world at the same time.

What question about Christian life does this answer, or what commonly-held misunderstanding about Christian life might this clarify?

These passages clarify the commonly held misunderstanding that God is interested in giving us worldly success or material blessings, and that these are a sign of his favor.  God specifically tells us not to love the world or anything in the world, and that anyone who does love the world does not have the love of the Father.  Since experiencing God’s love is the best thing for us, it is inconsistent to think that God would want to give us worldly success or material blessings (things of this world), which could hinder us from experiencing his love.  This is a warning I need to remember, especially when I come upon a material blessing, such as a promotion or a raise.  It is not necessarily a blessing and may very well become a curse if it causes my heart to become a little less dependent on God.