“…we have THIS TREASURE in jars of clay (that’s us)…” (2 Corin. 4:7a) What is this treasure? “God, said, “Let LIGHT (enlightenment) SHINE out of darkness,” He made His light SHINE IN OUR HEARTS to give us the LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S GLORY DISPLAYED in the FACE OF CHRIST.” (2 Corin. 4:6) JESUS CAME AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD TO DEMONSTRATE GOD’S GLORY TO US, because of that light we are BORN AGAIN…
“…to show that this ALL–SURPASSING (huperbolé: exceeding excellence) POWER is FROM GOD and NOT FROM US.” (2 Corin. 4:7b) When we think about it, we know this exceeding excellent power could not be from us but the devil CONVINCED Adam and Eve, “God knows that YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED as soon as you eat it, and you will be LIKE GOD…” (Gen. 3:5)
Because they (Adam & Eve) believed this lie the world was plunged into darkness and as a result, “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that THE LIFE OF JESUS MAY ALSO BE REVEALED IN OUR BODY…we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also RAISE US with Jesus and PRESENT US WITH YOU TO HIMSELF. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving TO OVERFLOW TO THE GLORY OF GOD. Therefore WE DO NOT LOSE HEART. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet INWARDLY WE ARE BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY.” (2 Corin. 4:8-16)
-Bill Stockham