Session #2- Fred Zaspel

Laurelville Family Conference
Fred Zaspel
Session #2: 2 Corinthians 4-5, “ Paul’s Motivations in Ministry”

Fred began by expressing thanks for being invited back to the conference to speak. He then gave an update regarding his family (particularly his daughter Gina who has Lime Disease). He expresses his thanks for our prayers, and added his father to the list who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He also gave an update regarding his school in Texas that he is teaching at.

Fred read chapters four and five from 2 Corinthians 4, and then prayed.
Fred says that one of the great themes of Scripture is the free offer of the Gospel by grace. Paul stresses that salvation is a work of God done through Christ to reconcile the world to Himself. And then comes this unfettered offer- be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

On one level we must say that salvation costs us absolutely nothing. On the other hand, salvation costs you everything (Luke 14:33). You put your hand to the plow and you don’t look back. We are saved to serve. That is part of His reason for bringing us to Him. We are willing bondslaves of Christ. This is to define us.
Paul tells us what His service to Christ is like, and what it costs him on many occasions in his epistles (I Corinthians 4)- and then he says “be imitators of me”. He is communicating that his level of commitment to Christ is a model for us in our following of Christ. Paul was able to say “follow me” in the way I have followed Christ. Service to Christ is not exceptional. We are to model Paul’s service to Christ- its not reserved for special saints.

2 Corinthians 4 is another example. Notice the contrasts in these verses (“struck down, but not destroyed”, etc.) In broad description is what Paul has done in his service for the Lord Jesus. Verse 17 describes this as “light and momentary afflictions”. “Paul had weighed and measured his difficulties and then said, ‘It is just a little thing’”.

The question becomes, “How can Paul say that?” In these two chapters Paul answers this question.

4:8 -10, Supernaturally the Spirit of God gives Paul the energy to continue in the Gospel ministry. Through all of this there is a “mysterious renewal” that keeps Paul from wearing out.

4:13-18, Paul’s thoughts are a matter of perspective as he looks to things that are not seen (eternal). A perspective from this life to another. Why? Verse 14- we will be raised from the dead. Verse 17- our momentary afflictions do not compare to what glory awaits us in the future. “Death will not have the final word, we will be raised.”

Paul’s first perspective is “this life is not all there is”. Paul views the sacrifices he has made for Christ as “a kind of investment for heaven” (vs. 17). These afflictions achieve something for us. He is not saying that he can achieve his salvation. He is speaking about “reward theology”. Paul is not saying this is his only motivation for ministry, but it is a motivation. Jesus did the same thing through parables and speaking about rewards. Whatever these rewards are, we will not be disappointed with them. Afflictions achieve an “eternal glory”. “Paul says, ‘I am simply doing the math’.” “You get more back in return than you ever put into it.” It is a sort of spiritual investments. “Every time I endure one of those cainings and slandering, I put a penny in the bank.”
Our faithfulness is not what it should be, it was our duty to be faithful, and it was because of God’s grace- yet Scripture teaches that God views it as a matter of justice to repay us.

We will stand before God’s judgement seat to “receive praise from God” (5:9-10). This was Paul’s perspective “that drives him”. We fix our eyes on what is unseen (4:18). “Striving for eternity” is a true Christian slogan. Every abuse, slander, and cup of cold water given to one of His little ones for the sake of Christ achieves a weighty glory for us to come”.

Christians throughout history have had this perspective- “kissing the stake that they would be burned on”. We must be reminded of this lesson over and over again. “We are so earthly minded….that we think this life is all there is”.
It is this thinking that brought Jim Elliot to write, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

4:15 speaks of a coming glory (not just for us), but of Christ specifically- “a cumulative, climactic type of praise service at the end of history”. This collective praise will give glory to Christ. It is not simply one’s own glory, “but a greater consideration of Christ’s glory” to sing His praises. This consideration drives us even greater- “climactic, cumulative, corporate glory to Christ”.
This is the kind of perspective that must shape our perspective in our service for Christ. This is what Christ prays in John 17- that His people will be with Him in glory.

A second motivation….5:14- the love of Christ compels us. Christ’s love for us is in view here. “Not some vague notion of good will. Paul means the cross. He says that (5:14-15). At the cross a “great exchange” occurred at the cross between our sin and Christ’s righteousness. God, through Christ, has done all for us. This also compels us in our service to Christ.

Several affects of Christ’s love for us:
5:14-17, A Great Change. Those for whom Christ died for also died, and these now live for Him. We have been brought into the new creation.
5:18 ff., Reconciliation. Our relation to God Himself has been changed-“every obstacle removed because of Christ”.

Fred concludes with a practical exhortation-The man or woman who has truly been gripped by Christ’s love does not need to be cajoled to serve Him- “it is reflective”. We do not get people to serve Christ by “beating them over the head with the law. We show them the Gospel!”
This is why we have a retreat like this- to re-focus our hearts to the Gospel.