Building On the Eternity Plan

2 Corinthians 4:16–5:1  “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.  For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Take out a dollar bill.  Above the word “ONE” on the backside of the bill, what does it say?  (In God We Trust.)  The currency of the United States makes a strong theological statement, but do we in the Christian church live into that belief?  Are we fixing our eyes on what is not seen, or on what is just before our eyes?  Every time we pull out a dollar bill, we are reminded of Paul’s words to the church in Corinth – focus on what is not seen and eternal (the kingdom of God), not on the temporary things right before our eyes (money and property).  While knowing our currency states ‘In God We Trust’, we most often elect to ignore these words in our daily lives.  Adam Hamilton, an ordained United Methodist elder and prolific Christian writer, calls this disease ‘affluenza’ – our compulsion to focus myopically on the means of power and control in this life – money and property. 

We can learn from the people of Corinth in Paul’s time. Corinth was one of the most cosmopolitan, pluralistic, and wealthiest societies in the world during the 1^st Century. It was a trading hub on the Mediterranean with a thriving population of Greeks, Romans, and Jews.  As in all wealthy societies, Corinth had a large gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’.  The Christian community in Corinth was not immune to this socioeconomic divide. 

The Christians in the ‘haves’ category opened their homes (churches) to the other ‘haves’ and held sumptuous (and closed) feasts before permitting some of the ‘have-not’ Christians to come in for a simple bread/wine communion before quickly ushering them out.  To promote their business networks in the broader Corinthian community, Corinthian Christians participated in pagan rituals, attended pagan animal sacrifices, comingled Christian and secular beliefs, and discriminated against fellow Corinthian Christians in lower socioeconomic classes – all to keep up social appearances and to not be viewed as odd by their peers and customer base.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul condemned these self-serving practices.  In doing so, Paul jeopardized his standing with the Corinthians as a Christian leader.  Paul told them to turn away from negative friends, pseudo-Christian practices, and a culture that viewed Christian discipleship (and disciples) as odd.  Instead, Paul encourages the Corinthian church to revere the values of God’s kingdom more than the values of society.  He is encouraging Corinthian disciples to focus on Christ’s light more than the harbor lights. 

After living in Corinth for 18 months, Paul recognized that Corinthian Christians wanted it both ways; they craved the wealth, acceptance, and power of this world while concurrently wanting the best in the world to come.  As those with ears to hear in Corinth began to realize they were not living into Christ’s Great Commandment and Great Commission, they began to feel guilty and hopeless.  Into this realization, Paul encourages the faithful not to lose heart.  Paul reminds the church that, despite Christ’s call to give up the temporary trappings of this world, by the power of the Holy Spirit disciples are being renewed inwardly day by day. 

Paul’s message is clear -- focusing on money and property doesn’t bear the fruit offered to us by Christ.  In a 2010 study, the United States ranked #1 in income, but ranked 16th in life satisfaction, and 26th on positive feelings.  Numerous academic studies found that happier people generally: express gratitude on a regular basis; practice being optimistic; engage in frequent acts of generosity and kindness; savor joyful events; and practice forgiveness.  A recent survey of more than 340,000 people showed overall feelings of wellbeing improve as people pass age 50.  Researchers report negative emotions such as stress and anger decline after the early 20s, and people over 50 worry less. The authors say it may be as simple as this: with age comes increased wisdom and emotional intelligence.  So, if you’re over 50 and cranky, you’re in a small minority.  The most hopeful information to come from these studies is the assurance that we do not have to be shackled to affluenza; we can be free from being hooked on the temporal lures of money and material property.

Paul challenges us to ask if we are putting our time, energy, and treasure toward the things that are temporal or toward the things that are eternal.  We are reminded that eternal living starts today – not when we die.  Christ, Paul, and modern experts on positive living all agree – focusing less on money and marerial property and more on God’s kingdom (joy, emotional peace and positivity, and gratitude) will result in a radically happier, more optimistic life. 

Whether from the gospels or from modern studies, the pathway to living a more joyful, emotionally positive and stable life seems universal:

-- Collect genuine friends (in Christ)

-- Enjoy solitude (spend time alone with God each day)

-- Get fit (work each day on your mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing)

-- Find your passion (explore your spiritual gifts and use them to God’s glory)

-- Take healthy risks (quit playing it safe and begin trusting in God)

-- Protect yourself from ‘emotional vampires’ who traffic in fear and negativism (open yourself to the joy, optimism, and eternal wellbeing of God’s eternal kingdom).

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  This is the real promise; the true comfort that Paul says should guide our thoughts and actions each day.  So, this week, let’s trust in God a bit more, focus on living with an eternal perspective now, and walk the pathway that leads to joy, optimism, and emotional stability.