Bearing About in the Body 2 Corinthians 4:10

Paul the apostle shared with the church members in Corinth how he and his companions, “are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;”, and he added how they were “persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed”, in chapter four and verse nine of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members how they were, “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus”, where we read:

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,

that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

The verse begins, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,” Paul began with the word, “always” which means “at all times and ever” “bearing about” or “carrying round and transporting hither and thither” “in the body” which means “within the corpse” “the dying” or “the putting to death or killing” “of the Lord” or “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”. Paul and his companions were at all times “carrying” within their bodies “the putting to death” of Jesus.

The verse continues, “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” Paul added the words, “that the life” which means “so the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical which belongs to God” “also” or “even and indeed” “of Jesus” which means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior and God incarnate” “might be made manifest” or “could be visible or known what has been hidden or unknown whether by words, deeds or in any other way” “in our body” which means “our living corpse”. Paul and his companions “carried the dying of the Lord” in their bodies so the life of Jesus would be demonstrated to those with whom they shared the gospel.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how even “the dying of Jesus” within he and his companions was important to the sharing of the “gospel”. The “life” offered through Jesus Christ was shown because Paul and his companions willing to “suffer” and not be overwhelmed for the sake of the “gospel”. Jesus suffered and died upon the cross, and “life” or “salvation” was provided to all mankind through that act. Paul and his companions suffered within their bodies, and the plan of salvation was shown through them. Though we “bear the dying of the Lord Jesus” within us, our “afflictions and sufferings” for the gospel's sake become a witness to a relationship with Jesus, and may the Lord help us not to be discouraged when those afflictions come.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.