Death Resulting in Life

2 Corinthians 4:1,7-12 ESV

“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart… But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.”

“The ministry” Paul was addressing here was the ministry of delivering the message of the gospel to the people. But the gospel that he taught is not what many people are teaching today. He taught what Jesus taught which is that we must, by faith in Jesus Christ, die with Christ to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, in obedience to our Lord, by the grace of God and in his power and strength. The old self must be crucified with Christ so that we can be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer living as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness.

And that is why he and the other apostles were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ and for sharing the truth of the gospel, because they didn’t teach what many people are teaching today. For they renounced disgraceful and underhanded ways, and they refused to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word. But they taught Christ crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. And they taught us being crucified with him in death to sin and us being raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, not like our old lives, but now as servants of righteousness and holiness.

For we don’t just “get saved” and now all our sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die regardless of how we live. And obedience to our Lord and death to sin and living to God and to his righteousness are not optional, and they are not mere suggestions. But many people these days aren’t even suggesting that we live holy lives, but they are teaching that we do not have to repent of our sins, and that we do not have to obey the Lord, and that no works are required of us at all, because they are appeasing the flesh and they are ignoring so much of what the Scriptures teach.

So, when this says that we have this treasure in jars of clay, this is not suggesting that the Lord will use us despite our lifestyles, and regardless of how often we deliberately sin against him. For, as jars of clay in the hands of the Master Potter, we are being molded into the likeness of Jesus Christ, as we yield control of our lives over to our Lord. And what this means for us is that we are always carrying in our bodies the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. So, we are to be those who are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Therefore, we are those who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and who have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer living as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Daily we are to be putting self and sin to death, by the Spirit, and walking in holiness and righteousness, in obedience to our Lord, in the power and strength of God. And this means surrendering our lives to the Lord and to his service, being willing to be hated and persecuted for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the salvation of human lives.

Death Resulting in Life

Video Talk

June 3, 2023

https://youtu.be/_TtQEt76ah0

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All The Way My Savior Leads Me

Lyrics by Frances J Crosby, pub. 1875

Music by Robert Lowry, pub. 1875

All the way my Savior leads me,

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,

Cheers each winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living Bread.

Though my weary steps may falter

And my soul athirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me,

Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me,

Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father’s house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWdmZGik1Jw

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