Tag: eternal

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2 Corinthians

Though we may groan

2 Corinthians

In this passage, Paul continues his thought on why he had hope in the midst of trial.

He says,

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

Whereas Paul compared our bodies to jars of clay in chapter four, he now compares our bodies to tents. And he says these bodies we live in are just as temporary and flimsy as a tent. It will not last.

But even if they’re destroyed, we have hope. Why? Because we know that we will have another dwelling that is much stronger and will endure forever.

Here he is talking about our resurrection bodies which he talks about in 1 Corinthians 15, bodies that will never get sick or die. But he says that while we have this hope,

We groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. (2 Corinthians 5:2-4)

In other words, we have hope that we’ll not be mere spirits after we die but will actually have new bodies.

But until then, we groan. And as we suffer in this body we are in now, we long to have our new body, knowing that when we receive it, all our weaknesses and sufferings will be gone.

Why in the midst of our troubles can we have this hope? Because God has given us his guarantee on it.

Paul says,

Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:5)

In short, it was God’s purpose from the very beginning to give us this new life in him, and to assure us that it will happen, he has sent his Spirit into our hearts.

And each day, the Spirit whispers to us that we are God’s children and works in us each day to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

It is as we hear his voice and see his work in us, then, that we find hope.

Because of this, Paul writes,

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:6-7)

I like the way the ESV puts verse 6. We are always “of good courage.”

We know that we are only away from the Lord for just a little while. We will see him. And so each day, we live by faith with these things in mind. That in turn affects the way we live each day.

So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

Because we know that we will see Christ some day, because we know that we will one day be judged for how we live our lives, we make it our goal to please him.

We no longer live to please ourselves, but to please him.

So though we may groan through our trials and struggles, let us keep the end in mind. We will be with the Lord some day and all things will be made new.

Knowing that, let us make it our goal to please him each day. If we do, on judgment day, we will have no need to be ashamed.

How are you living your life? With temporary things in view? Or with the eternal?

Categories
John John 6

“Working” for true bread

John

This is one of the more powerful passages in scripture, but it is also a somewhat difficult one.

After Jesus fed the 5000, they wanted Jesus to become their king, and so he left. When they found him, Jesus admonished them,

I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. (John 6:26-27)

In other words, the only reason you’re seeking me is for physical reasons, not for spiritual ones.

I gave you physical bread, but don’t make what’s temporary your priority in life. Instead, work for the food that gives eternal life.

The Jews then said, “What should we do to do the works of God?”

Perhaps, they expected him to say, “Well, memorize the scriptures. Keep the ten commandments, and make sure you keep all the other laws as well.”

After all, that’s the kind of thing they heard all the time.

But Jesus told them something totally unexpected. He said,

The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent. (John 6:29)

In other words, “The only thing you can do to obtain eternal life is to put your trust in me. Eternal life doesn’t come from keeping God’s law. It comes from putting your faith in me.”

I’m sure this must have bothered the Jews to hear this, and so they asked for a miraculous sign to prove what he said, pointing out that Moses gave the Israelites manna in the desert as a sign to them that he was God’s servant.

But Jesus responded that it wasn’t Moses that gave the Israelites bread, but God.

He then taught them that the manna was a mere symbol of the true bread that would come into the world and give people, not a life that was temporary, but eternal life.

His next words, though, truly stunned them.

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

This by the way is the whole key to the passage. Jesus isn’t talking literally. He isn’t literally a piece of bread. And just because you come to him and believe in him doesn’t mean you’ll never have to eat another meal. All of this is spiritual.

To “eat his flesh,” is to come to him. To “drink his blood,” is to believe in him. And if you come to him and believe in him, you will never be hungry or thirsty for God again.

You see this theme throughout this passage.

He told them that their problem was they had seen him, the true bread and did not believe in him. But all the Father gave him would come to him.

He said if you look to the Son and believe in him you’ll have eternal life (John 6:40).

That everyone who listens to the Father comes to Jesus (John 6:45).

That he who believes has eternal life (John 6:47).

He then pointed out that if you eat physical bread, you’ll eventually die, but if you eat this spiritual bread, if you come to the one who gave his life for the world on the cross, you will live forever (John 6:51, 58).

He goes to say that if you do not come to him (eat his flesh) and believe in him (drink his blood), you do not have eternal life.

But if you do, you will be raised bodily when Jesus returns and you’ll live forever (John 6:53-54).

And if you come to him and believe in him, you will remain in him, and he in you (John 6:56).

Finally, he concludes by saying that physical food in the end counts for nothing because it can’t give eternal life. His words, on the other hand, will impart eternal life if you’ll only believe them. (John 6:63)

What can we get from all this? If you want true satisfaction in life, it only comes in a relationship with God.

And the only way you’re going to have a relationship with God is by coming to Jesus and putting your faith in him and his work on the cross.

Have you done so?

Categories
Jeremiah

Seeking what’s temporary. Seeking what’s eternal

Jeremiah

Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, was throwing a pity party for himself.

He had delivered Jeremiah’s words to King Jehoiakim, but Jehoiakim merely took the scroll, cut it into pieces, and burned it.

As a result, Baruch was totally discouraged, saying,

Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest. (Jeremiah 45:3)

In short, “Why am I doing this? What profit am I getting from serving Jeremiah and the Lord? I do what they say, and all that ever happens is that I get into trouble.

“I could be doing other things. I could be out there in the world earning money, and becoming rich. I could be doing something that actually amounts to something. Why do I have to subject myself to all this?”

But God responded to him, saying,

This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land.

Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not.

For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life. (4–5)

What was God saying? Basically he was telling him that this world is temporary. All that we see will ultimately be destroyed.

So don’t seek the things of this world which are here today and gone tomorrow. But seek God and his kingdom.

And while all those who serve themselves will ultimately perish, you will find true life.

Do you get discouraged sometimes about doing what’s right? Do you ever feel like you’re wasting your time serving God? Do you think you’d be better off seeking the things of the world?

Don’t waste your time seeking what’s temporary. Seek what’s eternal. For only in doing so will you ever find true life and true reward.

As Paul wrote,

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)