The Eternal Weight of Glory – 2 Corinthians 4:7-18
What are we living for? What gets us up in the morning? What gives us strength to continue, even in hardship? Why do we persevere?
Paul has just taught that we carry the incredible light of Christ’s glory through the Holy Spirit within us. Unlike the fading glory on Moses’ face, this glory endures forever. The Spirit illuminates, convicts, and reveals Christ to those around us, making the gospel known—even to those Satan blinds.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (CSB)
“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.”
This extraordinary power, the Holy Spirit, dwells in fragile clay jars—us. It reminds me of the hymn, “We are weak, but He is strong…” How can such frail vessels endure affliction, perplexity, persecution, and being struck down? Paul experienced this intensely—beaten, imprisoned, harassed by Jews and those jealous of his ministry. Yet, he wasn’t crushed, despairing, abandoned, or destroyed. Where did Paul find such strength and perseverance to say, “I believed, therefore I spoke”?
2 Corinthians 4:14-15 (CSB)
“For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.”
Just as the Holy Spirit raised Jesus, we too will be raised with Him. God uses our fragile lives to spread the gospel, despite difficulties from those who reject Christ and even from within the church, which can be harder. It’s worth it! This grace—salvation—extends to more people, increasing thanksgiving and glorifying God. If our chief end is to glorify God, nothing brings Him more glory than people moving from darkness to light, death to life, enemies to children of God, cursing to praising our King!
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (CSB)
“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.”
Exactly! As carriers of God’s glory, bringing salvation to others, we do not give up. Though our temporary body is destroyed, our inner being is renewed daily. These brief challenges produce an incomparable, eternal weight of glory—forever! That God would use us to bring people from darkness to light, eternally glorifying our King, outweighs any temporary struggle.
2 Corinthians 4:18 (CSB)
“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Father, help us see the eternal, not the temporary. May we focus on the unseen—what’s lasting—and pursue the eternal weight of glory. We won’t give up or be confused. Though fragile now, we’ll be raised with Him, and the glory of bringing more people to God far surpasses our earthly challenges. Are we living with this eternal perspective, persevering for His glory?
