Question: What does 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 mean?
Answer: The Apostle Paul applies the truth to himself to illustrate how God deals with us that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God which He has put in our (bodies as) earthen vessels might shine out.
In chapter 3:3, Christ is written in our hearts; and in verse 18 we have Christ as our object in glory, to transform us into His image.
In chapter 4:7-11, He deals with our wills, sending us circumstances that bring us, and that keep us, in dependence on God, so that His power might work in our weakness, so that in the trials sent, we realize the sustaining power of God, and are carried through all, in dependence on Him. And so the life of Jesus, who ever walked in dependence on God His Father, is manifested in the believer, always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be manifested in his mortal body. And it is “for Jesus’ sake,” “on account of Jesus.” It helps us, as we think of this as the reason for all the discipline of our Father’s hand, in what He puts us through, to patiently, and also with joy, submit to His will, knowing that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (Verse 17).
Question: What does one receive by the New Birth?
Answer: One receives a new life, an incorruptible nature, that hates sin (John 3:6; 1 Peter 1:23).
Question: When does one receive the Holy Ghost?
Answer: We receive the Holy Ghost when we believe the gospel of our salvation (John 7:29; Eph. 1:3).
Question: Do we receive power to live for Christ when we receive the Holy Ghost?
Answer: The Holy Spirit is the power of the divine life. He works in us by unfolding to us the truth, and helping us to have Christ before us (Rom. 8:2; John 16:13-14; 2 Cor. 3:17).
Question: Is being “born again” and having “eternal life,” the same thing in this present time?
Answer: Yes, at the first, feeling our own lost and sinful condition, and on receiving the truth of the death and resurrection and glory of Christ, growing to full knowledge of the Father. In 1 John’s Epistle, the youngest—the babes—know the Father (1 John 2:13; John 1:12-13;17:2-3; Col. 1:12).
Question: Is John 3:16 sufficient to believe in order to have eternal life?
Answer: John 3:14-16 are connected, and so it involves the whole gospel, and distinctly states that “whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”