568
THE KING’S BUSINESS
heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up o f life.” The apos tle says that if this tent of our human body be folded up and taken down, we are not left without a house. W e have a home better built and more permanent, “a house not. made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable. I f things are to be measured by what can be seen and handled, then the Christian is silent; he has nothing to say. He has then chosen a life o f self-denial that shall end in his obliteration. “ I f our lives are to be measured by the pendulum o f the clock, or by the sun-dial that may be mute at any moment, and we are destined never to cross and encircle the disk o f eternity, then we may point to the eagle which lives 500 years, to the sea-monster, which lives 1,000 years, and to the grain o f wheat which is said to live from four to five thousand years, and ask, ‘Is it fair for God to give these things such a long tenure o f life and to cut us off with but a handbreadth o f time?’ ” How dark indeed would life be if there were no future! A picture with no sky has no glory. The supremest moment in any human life is that which is likened to the angel in Revelation, who, standing with one foot on the sea and the other on land, had his eyes lifted up to heaven. Third. That which we already possess is an earnest o f what is to follow. This is indicated in v. 5: “ Now h e . that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest o f the Spirit.” An earnest is a sample, a pledge, an assurance, a deposit or part o f a thing, the whole o f which will some time be delivered. The believer in Christ has heaven in miniature in his heart. The indwelling Spirit and heavenly joy is an earnest until the redemption o f the pur chased possession. God has not implanted
these longings for the future in our hearts to disappoint us. Fourth. There will be a final reward for all the good we have done. This is indi cated in v. 10: “ For we must all appear before the judgment seat o f Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” “ Hope is sown for the righteous.” W e do not always receive reward for good done in this world. On the contrary we are often misjudged, misunderstood, unappreciated, and it is for this reason that many a man has given up his service for Christ. W e are assured here, however, -that at the judgment seat of Christ every man will be manifested or appear in his true light. Then it will be actually displayed what a man really is, and every bit o f good that he has done will receive its full reward. 5. The Apostle’s Vindication (v. 11 -vi. 10 ). The thought o f every believer appearing in his true light and character at the judg ment seat o f Christ affords Paul the oppor tunity o f again vindicating his severity (v. 11) and unselfishness (v. 13, 14). His appeal is not only to the conscience but also to'the God before whom they all are to give an account. This is not self praise on the part o f the apostle (as some opponents would assert), but an opportunity for the Corinthians to defend him whenever occa sion should arise (v. 12). The various atti tudes o f mind, thought and action ascribed to the apostle were all proofs o f his devo tion to God, His gospel, and the welfare of o f the Corinthians (v. 13, 14). Just as Christ died and rose again for the sake of all that they might die to sin and live to God, the apostle claims that his motive is similar to that o f Christ. No apostle or worker for God is to be valued because o f position, standing, or prestige among men. No man must be known thus after the flesh (cf. Galatians ii. 6). Only those who have died, and risen with Christ to newness o f life have any right to proclaim Him as Sovereign Lord. When such faith is repos.ed in
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