2 Corinthians 4.
1871 286 Two things are remarkable in this chapter: first how entirely it is a new power by which we are enabled to glorify God, although we are so apt to mix up with it human energy and strength, and so bring in weakness: secondly, the deep consciousness the apostle had of the value of the saints to the Lord. Therefore he could say: "all things are for their sakes," and that is how he looks at himself, and offers himself a sacrifice — "ourselves you servants for Jesus' sake. He could say "troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken," etc. "Always bearing about in my body," etc. "For we which live are always delivered unto death." "So then death worketh in us, but life in you." He gives himself up to them and says, I am content to be all this and to suffer all this, yea, to lose my life for your sake. It is all right. I ought to be a sacrifice for you; it is God's object I should be for you, for He who was entitled to glory was content to lose the whole, and to give up Himself, even His Messiahship. Christ gives up Himself for us, and therefore Paul could say "All things are for your sakes." It is encouraging and cheering of heart to know that all things are for our sakes, that the abundant grace, etc. Then the vessels in which the Lord may choose His grace to work are counted as sheep for the slaughter; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. Death works in us, but life in you. Just so far as death works in ourselves, life can work by us in blessing to others. And I would just say here, it is a remarkable way in which the apostle took Christ's place: of course it was Christ's grace in him. By bearing about in the body the dying — not mine, but the death of Christ, that has put an end to him, that another power might work by him. The glory is not veiled as was Moses; it is with an opened face that we behold the unveiled glory of Christ when received. If our gospel be veiled, it is to them that are lost. The word of God has come out of us as bright as it came in — God has not put anything to dim it: the entire fault is in their eyes. If I light a candle, it is to shine. God lit up this in Paul to shine, and, if not seen then, it is their blindness. As far as my energy is concerned, it is death, always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Not Paul's life, but the life of Jesus; "knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also." He is counting on the same power that raised up Jesus raising him. Just as Christ took the resurrection, as the answer to natural death, so the apostle, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
What a comfort to be able to say everything is for yourselves! But how far can we say "death worketh in us," so that the life of Christ should shine — be made manifest in our mortal body? If it is to shine out of our hearts, it must be as bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, and then, come what will, we can say that the full portion of Christ is ours.