as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; (2 corinthians 6:9)
who are we? God encourages us that:
we are unknown by the world…
see what kind of love the father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. the reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. [1 john 3:1]
but we are well known by God:
for you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. i praise you, for i am fearfully and wonderfully made. wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. my frame was not hidden from you, when i was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. [psalm 139:13-16]
my sheep hear my voice, and i know them, and they follow me. [john 10:27]
we are dead to the world…
i have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, [galatians 2:20a]
i protest by your rejoicing which i have in Christ Jesus our Lord, i die daily. [1 corinthians 15:31]
those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [gal 5:24-25]
but (behold!) we are alive in christ:
but Christ lives in me. the life i now live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me [galations 2:20b]
yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. because i live, you also will live. [john 14:19]
we are punished by the world, yet not killed.
but we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. for we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. so death is at work in us, but life in you. [2 corinthians 4:9-12]
what then shall we say to these things? if God is for us, who can be against us? he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? it is God who justifies. who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of god, who indeed is interceding for us. who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? as it is written,
“for your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
no, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. for i am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [romans 8:31-39]
Father,
today, let me live in the truth of who i really am. although i live in this broken world that has been set against me, because of your word and your Spirit, i can celebrate the victory of your coming kingdom. let your kingdom come.
amen.
~ conor eastman