Lesson 8 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 4:10-18
When we last left Paul he was hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; he was perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
Through the expressive words he’s using, Paul is giving us a bird’s eye view as to just what it means to be a bond-servant of Christ. There’s an old saying, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” In Paul’s ministry it definitely got hot, but no matter what happened, he always hung in there.
The heat I’m talking about had to do with prison cells, angry mobs, shipwrecks, hunger, betrayal, and relentless opposition to what he was preaching. Yet, in every crushing moment for Paul, there was a deeper sustaining power at work in him… the Holy Spirit.
It’s as if Paul is saying, “Yes, the kitchen is hot, but I’m not leaving, because the One who called me is in here with me.” Just like with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, there was another in the fire with Paul. We can be assured that whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, no matter how hot or intense it is, God is with us!
Paul embodied courage, endurance, and had an unwavering devotion to Christ. He went from being a fierce persecutor of the Christians to one of the faith’s most passionate defenders, earning the title “Apostle to the Gentiles.”
2 Cor. 4:10:
“Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
In verse 10, Paul summarizes and interprets the paradoxes he spoke of in verses 8 and 9. He starts out by using the word “always.” The word always isn’t just a casual time reference, it’s an all-encompassing, continual reality. In married life, couples can get into heated arguments by using the word always in the wrong way, “you always do this,” or “you always do that.”
For Paul, he is using the word correctly. He is saying that his constant exposure to danger, weakness, and even the shadow of death is not a sign of failure, but the very means by which the life of Christ is revealed. Paul’s hardships are like a living reenactment of Jesus’ own suffering, and through them, God’s resurrection power becomes visible.
1 Cor. 15:30-31:
“And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
For most people, repeated confrontations, hostility, and hardship would be enough to sap their strength and send them looking for an easier path, but Paul was willing to take up his cross daily.
Luke 9:23:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
For Paul, “taking up his cross daily” wasn’t about him carrying a literal wooden beam, it was about a daily choice to die to self-interest, comfort, and safety so that Christ’s mission could advance through him.
Phil. 3:10:
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”
The truth that Paul was continually carrying about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, spoke powerfully against all the accusations the false teaches were making. They questioned his authority, his motives, and even his legitimacy as an apostle, but Paul’s life itself was the rebuttal to all their accusations.
Paul was showing that his ministry wasn’t in any way about self-promotion, comfort, or worldly gain, it was about his daily identification with Christ’s suffering for the sake of others. Can we make the same claim?
Dying… (neck’-ro-sis) is just what it sounds like, it describes the process of dying.
Paul’s steadfast courage, unwavering faith, and patient endurance in suffering revealed the power of the risen Christ at work within him. The extraordinary impact of his ministry could only be explained by the reality of God’s power flowing through his life.
When we choose to remain faithful in our hardships, we become a living display of Christ’s power, proving that what holds us up is not our strength, but His life in us.
Here are five Paul-Inspired Endurance Statements that we can use in times of our own testing:
“My weakness is the stage for His strength.”
“Faithfulness in the fire reveals who fuels me.”
“Obedience matters more than comfort.”
“Every trial is a platform for God’s power.”
“I carry the cross so His life can be seen.”
What we do as believers matters for all eternity!
2 Cor. 4:11:
“For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
(NLT) “Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.”
For we who live… Paul is directing this to the body of Christ, to all who are willing to take up the cross.
Eph. 3:17:
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”
Are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake…
If you are a baptized believer, one willing to take up your cross, conflict is sure to cross your path. That kind of allegiance to Christ will inevitably put you at odds with the values, priorities, and even the spiritual forces of this world.
As I’m writing this, I have just learned that Charlie Kirk died! He was a true defender of the faith!
Matthew 24:9:
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
That was Charlie, the world hated everything he represented.
For the follower of Christ, suffering is a meaningful act of surrender that allows God’s strength to be revealed in powerful ways.
That the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh…
When we choose to endure hardship for Christ, our suffering becomes more than possible pain at times, it becomes a holy offering to God. In those moments, God’s power is not just present, it is unleashed, shaping us, sustaining us, and speaking to others through us. Like Paul, we can trust that no trial is wasted when it is placed in God’s hands.
2 Cor. 4:12:
“So then death is working in us, but life in you.”
When you read this verse, you might be thinking that “death is working in us” is such an odd statement, and you would be right. What Paul is referring to goes back to verses 10 and 11. It is the reality that Paul and those who traveled with him faced death every day doing ministry.
The sad reality for us is this is what Charlie Kirk faced every time he went out in public. Over the years, Charlie and his staff would receive death threats all the time. As we and the world have seen, it finally happened.
When Jesus asks us to take up our cross daily and follow Him, all bets are off, meaning we accept whatever comes our way… persecutions, harassments, accusations, insults, and yes even death. Charlie Kirk lived his life well.
Luke 9:23-24:
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.’”
In the ancient world, the cross was not a symbol of beauty or a casual expression for inconvenience, it was a state-sanctioned instrument of public humiliation, excruciating pain, and execution.
As we consider the cross, let it hit you in the heart as it should, and let it motivate you to a life of total surrender, even to the point of death… This was the attitude of Paul.
Paul repeatedly stared death in the face, risking his life again and again to deliver the message of eternal life to the Corinthians. He was prepared to lay down his physical life so they might gain spiritual life.
But life in you…
Dare I say, Paul’s tireless efforts were woven into God’s plan for our salvation, not because of his own brilliance, but because the Holy Spirit breathed life into his words. As Romans 10:17 reminds us, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Also, as 2 Timothy 3:16 declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Through Paul’s Spirit-inspired letters, the message of eternal life has crossed centuries and cultures to reach us today.
Phil. 2:17:
“Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.”
Col. 1:24:
“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,”
These two verses capture the heart filled devotion that Paul had for the church. Little did he know that his life’s witness would filter down through the centuries. His life reminds us that the gospel advances not only through preaching, but through the costly, consistent laying down of self for the good of others.
2 Cor. 4:13-14:
“And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
Paul is quoting Psalm 116:10:
“I believed, therefore I spoke, I am greatly afflicted.”
The message we’re getting from Paul is one of confidence and a genuine conviction of the heart. Paul turns to the Old Testament with a statement of trust in God that compels an open testimony, even if it means afflictions take place because of his faith.
Do we believe? Do we really believe in what the Holy Scriptures say to us? Do we believe that Jesus is the Lord of Lord and King of Kings? If we do, we should be acting on it. This is what Paul was doing, he was acting on what he believed in his heart to be true. Thus this defines all of Paul’s ministry, he had to keep teaching and spreading the gospel… he could do nothing less.
Paul’s ministry was the living proof to us that belief is not just an inner conviction, it’s a driving force that demands action. From the moment of his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, he understood his calling as divinely appointed, and not optional. As he later reflected, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). His faith compelled him to speak, even when it meant enduring beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and constant danger.
James 2:17 (NLT):
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”
James 1:2-4 (NLT):
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
Faith and endurance is being expressed by both James and Paul.
Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus…
There’s power in the blood, and there’s power in the Word of God. Knowing that the gospel holds the most glorious and eternal hope, the resurrection for all who trust in Christ, Paul could not help but declare it boldly, without fear or hesitation.
We should look in the mirror and ask ourselves, do we really believe that the gospel is the most glorious thing ever, and if we do feel that way, are we afraid to tell someone else about it? Hopefully our hearts side with Paul…
Romans 1:16:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Our adversary the devil will try to stop us at every turn, that’s his job and he does it very well.
2 Tim. 1:7-8:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (self-control). Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,”
I am convinced that the more we saturate ourselves with God’s Word, our courage to spread the good news with others will continue to build up and become stronger.
Romans 8:18:
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”
When we truly believe this, fear loses its grip. Any kind of hardship becomes a temporary bump in the road against the blazing light of God’s promises. That confidence fuels courage… courage to speak, to share, to live out the gospel openly with those the Lord puts in front of us. Knowing that “He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.”
How will we be presented? We will be presented holy and blameless, and it’s all because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Col. 1:21:
“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”
On that day when we stand before the Father, we will not be trembling in fear of condemnation, but clothed in Christ’s righteousness… faultless, beyond reproach, and welcomed as His beloved children. It’s the ultimate picture of God’s grace: what He finished on the cross is what will present us in glory.
Paul risked his life willingly, not only because of his own confident hope of heaven, but also for the sake of those who would hear the gospel and come to believe in Christ.
2 Cor. 4:15:
“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”
(NLT) “All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”
Paul invited the Corinthians to join him in serving God. His mission was not only to proclaim the good news himself, but to see those in Corinth convicted of their past sins and transformed by grace to rise up, ready to give themselves fully to the work of the Lord.
Having spread through the many…
We, too, are called into this shared mission. The gospel is not just something we receive, it’s something we carry. Like the Corinthians, we are invited to give ourselves fully, knowing that every act of service, every word of witness, and every sacrifice made for Christ will echo into eternity. You’ll be glad you did it!
May cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God…
Standing, sitting, or kneeling, I’m sure all of you have given thanks to God for His free gift of salvation. Each time we do this it brings glory to God.
Psalm 50:23 (NLT):
“But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me. If you keep to My path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”
Whenever we give thanks, we are not only acknowledging what God has done for us, we are proclaiming His worth to ourselves and to the world. Our thanksgiving becomes a testimony, a light that points others to the Giver of all good things.
When I think about us being in heaven, and I envision all of God’s children, along with myriads of angels praising, worshipping, and thanking God and glorifying Him… oh, what sound that will be.
Rev. 5:11-14:
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”
What a vision that will be!
2 Cor. 4:16:
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”
When we take in passages like the one we just read and set our hearts on God’s glory, discouragement loses its grip on us.
God is so big, so beautiful, so powerful, so glorious… and we belong to Him. Sure we’re going to have pains and struggles in this life, but God’s Word reminds us how short life really is, but there is no reason to lose heart!
We serve a loving holy God who keeps His promises to us, and His Word tells us we are in the center of His hand, and nothing, not even satan can take us away from Him… so don’t lose heart!
This means we are secure, not because of our strength, but because of His. So, no matter what we’re facing today, we need to lift our heads up. We are loved. We are held. We are safe, and the glory ahead will make every trial worth it.
Even though our outward man is perishing…
Yep, our outward man is perishing; these temporary tents as Paul likes to call the human body are wearing out, and there’s no stopping it. We see all these insane commercials on TV that promise to make you feel better… stop all your pain, they promise to take away your wrinkles, make you look years younger… fool me once, shame on you. The world just wants to take your money.
Our outward man is perishing… it’s a reality that has been proven true through the centuries. The good news is, the inward man is being renewed day by day!
This renewal that we go through is not a one-time event; it’s a daily work of the Holy Spirit in us. Every moment we spend in God’s presence, every prayer that’s whispered, every Scripture meditated upon, every act of obedience… these are the things that are being renewed day by day. While our outer shell weakens, the inner life grows stronger, richer, and more vibrant because we are moving toward Christlikeness!
We might look like we’re falling apart on the outside, but inside, we have streams of living water coursing through our hearts and souls.
John 4:14:
“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Renewed… means to cause to grow up, to make new, new strength and vigor is given to one… to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state.
All of these are true, and the renewing happens by sanctifying grace. It is grace that not only saves us but also changes us, day by day, into the image of Christ.
If you are in Christ, you are not who you once were. Every day, God is giving you new strength, new desires, and a new heart that beats for Him. The work may be slow and often unseen, but it is certain because it is His work in you.
Titus 3:5:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”
What does it truly matter if the outer self is wasting away, as long as the inner self is being renewed day by day? Paul was not dismissing the value of the body, nor suggesting we neglect its needs or ignore its warnings. Our bodies are the temple of God, and we are called to care for them. Yet, no matter how well we tend to them, we cannot stop the natural process of aging and decline. Considering the many physical hardships Paul endured, it’s no surprise that he spoke with such perspective and conviction.
Eph. 3:16-17:
“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”
2 Cor. 4:17:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”
Paul speaks of his trials as a light affliction… I imagine if any of us went through the things he did, we would not refer to them as light afflictions.
It’s almost shocking when you remember what he actually endured: beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, hunger, betrayal, and constant danger. For most of us, those experiences would feel crushing to us, and not “light.”
In 1st Peter chapter 1, he describes for us the wonders of heaven and our glorious inheritance, and then he writes…
1 Peter 1:6-7:
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”
Both Peter and Paul realized the true cost of being a follower of Jesus Christ, they knew that pain and suffering could be part of it… and perhaps even death.
The prosperity gospel (false) teachers would have you believe that being a Christian is a great big bowl of cherries. As long as you have enough faith, you’re going to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.
This “name it and claim it” gospel cherry-picks verses out of context to promise a life of ease, while downplaying or outright ignoring the Bible’s clear teaching on suffering, perseverance, and eternal priorities.
When Paul describes possible trials and sufferings as light afflictions, he’s looking at it from an eternal perspective. There’s a price to be paid when it comes to making sure the gospel continues to be spread.
It’s much like a general, deep in the throes of a fierce battle, who knows that ordering a battalion to charge up the hill, will inevitably cost lives.
As Christians, we are in a battle every single day, and Paul knows this. As we charge up the hill per say, we’re going to take hits. We took a big hit with the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Rest assured, you probably won’t be flogged or stoned to death, but even if we were, it is a light affliction in view of an eternity with Christ.
Eph. 6:10-12:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
The afflictions we go through… Is working for us, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…
When weighed against the sufferings of this life, that glory presses down on the scales with such magnitude that every trial is rendered light in view of the eternal reward awaiting us in Christ. The reward far outweighs the cost… and in Christ, the victory is already ours.
And Jesus is our perfect example…
Phil. 2:8-11:
“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
2 Cor. 4:18:
“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
A.W. Tozer would remind us that the invisible realm described in the Bible is the only reality that truly endures. Were we to see the visible world as God sees it, then its glitter would lose its pull on our hearts. We have to live in the physical world for a season, but the unseen world will last for all eternity… it is our true home, the one that will last forever.
We’ll close with this…
Paul showed us how to keep going no matter how hard life might get. When we build up our faith on the inside, keep our eyes on eternity instead of just what’s happening now, and trust God’s bigger plan, we can stand strong like Paul and say, “We’re pressed on every side, but not crushed; confused, but not without hope; attacked, but never abandoned; knocked down, but not destroyed.”
The reward of an eternity with Christ far outweighs the cost of our present trials, and the scales of eternity tip heavily toward our perseverance, our faithfulness, and our victory in Him.
Remember, when we go through the intense heat of our trials… there’s another in the fire with us.