Preaching the Gospel to Yourself

Why did Paul say he and his companions did not lose heart, when they were constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake?

Paul's outer man was decaying and death was at work in him, yet he called it a momentary light affliction. The difference was not in the circumstances but in what the inner man had been told.

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we don’t look 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.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18

For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you.

2 Corinthians 4:11–12

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

Romans 8:18

What kept Paul from losing heart after years of blessing, persecution, and men like Alexander the coppersmith who did him great harm?

Paul had planted churches and seen God work, but he also had the metalworker harming him and people trying to ruin his ministry. What steadied him was the mercy shown to him.

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

2 Corinthians 4:1

Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words. At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:14–18

How does the glory of the new covenant ministry explain why Paul kept serving?

Paul traces his confidence back to the ministry of the Spirit, who convicts, draws, and keeps working to the day of Christ. The ministry itself is what energizes him.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:4–6

But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away, won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

2 Corinthians 3:7–8

Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4