Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

We move on to chapter five and Paul is going to teach us about our physical body, resurrection life, and some of the blessings we have in Christ. Our physical body is a temporary home for our eternal soul. 2 Corinthians 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  Paul teaches us that our physical body is a temporary home for our soul, that new man in Christ. The apostle refers to our physical body as an earthly house.  He also teaches us that we have another building or house made by God that is fitted for eternal life.  Finally, Paul makes a comparison with the tabernacle God had Moses build as their meeting place for sacrifice and worship. A home is a complex integration of many individual parts like our body. Psalm 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well....

2 Corinthians 4:7-10  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  8)  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  9)  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  10)  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.  God's Spirit guided the apostle Paul to teach us a lot about suffering for Christ. He helps us remember that we carry the gospel like treasure placed in a clay pot. God knows our strengths, our tendencies and our weaknesses. We must learn this lesson because our flesh will battle against our new man in Christ. We must endure and be persistent in choosing to live according to the gospel of Christ, and tell others about Jesus when we have opportunities. Suffering goes along with service for Christ. Hardship accompanies pursuit of holi...

Gospel light in clay vessels, yet we are used by God to advance His kingdom. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  We must remember that we still retain our old man, the sin nature we inherited from Adam.  Our fleshly lusts do not want to submit to God's authority over us and the corrupt culture offers a Christian no encouragement to glorify God instead of self. Therefore, we carry the treasure of the gospel within our hearts and we experience the struggle between our new man in Christ and our old man ways.  We carry evidence of the gospel's saving power in bodies of clay that are sometimes prone to wander, prone to follow self instead of God. Our Father in heaven knows about our struggles and ...