Perspective on Life and Death from Scripture

 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:9 (NASB)

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 

so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God 

and not from ourselves; 

we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not despairing; 

persecuted, but not forsaken; 

struck down, but not destroyed; 

always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, 

so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 

For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, 

so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 

So death works in us, but life in you.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 

“I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” 

we also believe, therefore we also speak, 

knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus 

will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 

For all things are for your sakes, 

so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people 

may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, 

but though our outer man is decaying, 

yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us 

an eternal weight of glory 

far beyond all comparison, 

while we look not 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.

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, 

we have a building from God, 

a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

For indeed in this house we groan, 

longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 

inasmuch as we, having put it on, 

will not be found naked. 

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, 

because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, 

so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 

Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, 

who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Therefore, being always of good courage, 

and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord

— for we walk by faith, not by sight— 

we are of good courage, I say, 

and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 

Therefore we also have as our ambition, 

whether at home or absent, 

to be pleasing to Him."

To hear audio go to this post.

The Bible is our book of answers. 

What answers do you find to the following questions?

Study questions - 

What do the phrases; "earthen vessels," "in the body, "in our body," "mortal flesh," "outer man," inner man," "earthly tent," "our house," "clothed with our dwelling from heaven," describe? 

What do we expect to experience in our earthly bodies?

What contrast do you see between temporary and eternal?

What does the perspective of the goal and ambition "be pleasing to Him," give to the prior paragraphs?