So I thought this evening, as
God may help us, just draw your attention to the last two verses
in this fourth chapter, in the second epistle of Paul to the
Corinthians. And these last two verses really
direct us to the balances of temporal and eternal things. It's good really if we always
have a balance in our mind to recognize the vast difference
between those two positions. So the Apostle tells the Corinthians
for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things
which are not seen are eternal. We live in an age and a time
when there is much unrest in the world and we know not really
what a day or an hour may bring forth. One thing is important
for us to realise, the Lord Jesus tells us, be also ready, for
you and I know not what a day or an hour may bring forth. So what a good thing it is when
the Holy Spirit directs us to eternal realities. Although we
live on the earth and we have to earn our bread day by day,
yet to set our hearts and our affections upon things above. And so the apostle gives us a
comparison really with time things and eternal things. And he tells
us for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, And
that, of course, has a double meaning. It can mean physical
affliction. It can mean spiritual affliction. But as we just think about it,
whatever it is, in the light of eternity, it is but for a
moment. It's really whatever it is, however
long it lasts, it cannot last for long, because our life is
not long. and therefore to realise here
what the Apostle tells us for our light affliction in comparison
with eternity and the terrible state of those who are lost it
is a very light affliction and therefore which is but for a
moment And what a wonderful blessing, as the Apostle says, if it works
for us a far more and exceeding and eternal weight of glory. So he uses the analogy really
of something which is light and something which is heavy. Well,
our afflictions we can recognise as light and we can recognise
as glory has a tremendous weight and really to try and evaluate
the difference is very difficult, virtually impossible for us as
we are time creatures. but what a mercy to take on board
the truth of this great statement. Worketh for us the effect of
this affliction, is to work for our good, is to set our hearts
and our affections upon things above and not on things on the
earth, is to warn us that our life is short, and eternity is
long. And so to be prepared for that
great change which all of us will enter into, young and old
and everyone in between, there will be no escape. All of us
will pass out of time into eternity. And so the apostle then comes
and confirms this really when he says, while we look not at
the things which are seen, They're obvious, aren't they? We know
what they are. But, and the things which are
not seen, the things that you and I don't see with our mortal
eyes, but by faith can anticipate the glory of Emmanuel's land. And what a vast difference there
is. There's no comparison, really.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but and the things
which are not seen. And then he clearly tells us,
for the things which are seen are temporal. You and I see things
naturally on this earth, we're on the earth, we're in time,
we see these things, and well, what are they? They're just temporal. They won't last forever. They
won't last for very long. And when we compare it with eternity,
it'll be infinitely small and how important therefore it is
to set our hearts and affections upon things above. It tells us
therefore with clarity for the things which are seen are temporal
but the things which are not seen are eternal. Now the Apostle knew what it
was to endure afflictions That's why he can give us this comparison. You can read the afflictions
that he had to pass through. We won't go through them all
there. In the 11th chapter of the 2nd Epistle of Corinthians,
the Apostle tells us what he had to pass through. But he tells
us what things were lost for me, those I counted gain for
Christ. He had a blessed realization
of the vast difference. And although he had to endure
much, it's good sometimes to just read those verses in the
11th chapter and we'll see what he had to pass through. And we
can compare our lives today we realise really by comparison
how little we have to face, how little we have to endure. Well what a great blessing it
is then if we are favoured to walk in the way that the Apostle
walked and be encouraged by the words that he wrote when he wrote
the epistles. And you remember, he wrote that
eighth chapter to the Romans, which is a wonderful chapter.
It gives us wonderful instruction. And he tells us in the 16th verse,
the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the
children of God. And we shouldn't pass that over.
We should recognize that here we have a wonderful evidence,
a positive evidence between our souls and God that we are born
again of the Spirit of God. And what a blessing to have that
wonderful evidence. And then he tells us, And if
children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together. And of course, the Church of
God does suffer. And in that suffering, there
is that union with the Lord Jesus Christ in some small measure. And that's why he's able to go
on and make this statement. He says, for I reckon, and reckoning
is really a mathematical term. What he's done, he's added up
the positives and the negatives. And he says, for I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time however bad they may be,
and he was well qualified to make this comparison, are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. How often indeed does the Apostle
direct our thoughts to eternal realities, and you and I need
that as we pass on through our little life here below, to realise
that here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come,
and indeed to realise that we are, by the grace of God, desiring
a better country, that is, and heavenly. our time on this earth. It does have happy occasions,
but there's much to mourn over. We find the devil assailing us,
causing sin in our thoughts, if not in our actions and not
in our words. And therefore, we find these
afflictions. And the apostle, when he spoke
to his son in the faith, Timothy, he again directs our attention
to suffering, and this is what he says, if we suffer, we shall
also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth
faithful, he cannot deny himself. We have the glorious evidence
in the word of God of the truth of scripture, and to realise
that we do not follow vain things, we do not follow fables, we follow
the great and glorious truth of God. And the Apostle Peter
draws the same analogy really and directs our attention in
his epistle, in the fourth chapter and the thirteenth verse he tells
us, but rejoice, rejoice in these great truths, rejoice inasmuch
as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory
shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Well, what a wonderful prospect
that is for the Church of God, to look forward then to that
day when we shall be in glory with the Saviour, and not just
for a short time, but for eternity. It's a good meditation and it's
good for us to take on board these important considerations. The apostles clearly thought
they were very worthy of our consideration and necessary that
we should think upon them so that our hearts and souls may
be directed to heavenly realities. We live in the world, we're often
taken up with the things of time. Things of time pass away. It's a blessing if we're taken
up with the things of glory. We meditate upon them and it
brings into our heart the peace of God which passes all understanding
with that wonderful realisation that through God's grace it is
well with our soul when you and I pass out of time into that
eternity to realise that we shall be, as the Apostle tells us,
with Christ, which is far better. Well, may God help us to think
on these things which are so important and relevant to us
day by day in our little lives.