Paul is setting up to explain who are in Christ. Paul explains the transition from bondage to sin to freedom in Christ is a totally new way to live & mindset never before available to us. Paul wants us to understand God desires a relationship w/us on the same level as father/child but He also desires us to be glorified w/Him. *Prioritize God over Persecution, Prison, & Death for the sake of His name. (This is point 3 from earlier the morning sermon. Points 1&2 were prioritizing God 1st w/our possessions & our time). Paul can back up his statements & this point because he endured many physical abuses for Christ's name sake. But Paul points out the list of sufferings here on earth are not worthy to be compared to the glory that's coming (heaven, rewards, BEING W/CHRIST, etc.) yet we compare them all the time. When put Christ as our top priority we have a future w/Him @ the front of our mind all the time. Because Paul's focus was on eternal life he describes all the physical torture he went through as momentary & light. Our pains & discomforts are so big to us because we have our focus in the wrong place. God's work in the past give us the faith to trust Him to work in the future. Phil 1:20-21 Paul says he wants Christ to be exulted in his life regardless of circumstances or if his life is taken from him. Even though these lessons were learned very well by Paul, they weren't just for him. He wrote them down for a church that would also go through suffering and for us to learn the same lessons today w/o going through the exact same circumstances.
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