2 Corinthians

Overview – March 2018 – Grace & Truth Magazine

2 Corinthians

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” —2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV

Instead of focusing on the order of the assembly, 2 Corinthians deals with ministry in connection with the church, the manifestation in practical life and service of the Spirit’s presence. Paul is himself the example of this self-denying labor, spending and being spent for the sake of the saints of God. His sufferings because of his devotion to the ministry of Christ, his persecution from the world, the cruel attacks by false brethren, the resentment even of saints for whose blessing he longed, his deep anguish of soul, his sorrows, his distresses, his tender affections, his sympathies and his compassions all stand out in this touching letter.

But Paul’s sufficiency was of God, the great God, whose light had shone in his heart, manifesting the transcendent glory of His Being in the face of Jesus Christ. Though in an earthen vessel, it is a treasure to be displayed in ministry to all who will hear. This ministry of the glory of Christ is to Paul of such surpassing blessedness that he is borne on wings of infinite grace through all the trials of the way. Consequently, he was filled with encouragement. For Paul and us, our “light affliction ... is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (4:17).

Marvelous then is this book’s encouragement toward unwavering consistency in ministering to others in spite of whatever the effort of Satan may be to discourage the heart and weaken the hands.

By Leslie M. Grant

This column is taken from the book: “The Bible, Its 66 Books In Brief.”
It is available for purchase from Believers Bookshelf USA and Believers Bookshelf Canada.