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In a forthcoming sermon I am preaching on the below passage. With this OP I hope to get a feel for the passage and its themes.
2 Corinthians 3:12–13; 4:1–6
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Since Moses was one who stood in the very presence of God and conversed with Him as believers do today it has often puzzled me why Moses chose to veil Gods glory shining on him.
Elsewhere the scriptures say that Moses was scary to the people when he shone like this. Going back to mount Sinai with shaking and awesome presence of God this is somewhat understandable. But it seems in the light of Jesus they really needed that presence in their lives and that it was veiled to them was a problem. To some extent indeed this may explain the stupid things they did and said and their often rebellious hearts. They simply did not know God like Moses did. But today the ministry we have in Christ is of a different and more penetrating quality. Basically the light that shines in our hearts can penetrate through the veil to give people the knowledge of God. It is only those who are perishing whose hearts are completely blinded to the face of Christ shining in his church. The god of this world has done a thorough job blinding them to the gospel.
We are called not to lose heart though it often seems the gospel we present is being ignored. We are called to behave like children of God and not be guilty to disgraceful or underhanded ways. We are called not to practice cunning or to tamper with Gods word but to present it as it is.
My questions are these:
1) What clues does this passage give as to how we are to shine for Christ? How can we present the gospel in a way that gets through that veil of blindness and tears that covers the hearts and minds of unbelievers to bring them Gods light?
2) How is the devil blinding people to Gods truth and how can we counter His strategies.
3) This verse puzzles me: "by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God" - are we presenting ourselves or Jesus. Or is it the case that Jesus can only be seen through someone truly committed to Him and shining with His glory.
2 Corinthians 3:12–13; 4:1–6
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Since Moses was one who stood in the very presence of God and conversed with Him as believers do today it has often puzzled me why Moses chose to veil Gods glory shining on him.
Elsewhere the scriptures say that Moses was scary to the people when he shone like this. Going back to mount Sinai with shaking and awesome presence of God this is somewhat understandable. But it seems in the light of Jesus they really needed that presence in their lives and that it was veiled to them was a problem. To some extent indeed this may explain the stupid things they did and said and their often rebellious hearts. They simply did not know God like Moses did. But today the ministry we have in Christ is of a different and more penetrating quality. Basically the light that shines in our hearts can penetrate through the veil to give people the knowledge of God. It is only those who are perishing whose hearts are completely blinded to the face of Christ shining in his church. The god of this world has done a thorough job blinding them to the gospel.
We are called not to lose heart though it often seems the gospel we present is being ignored. We are called to behave like children of God and not be guilty to disgraceful or underhanded ways. We are called not to practice cunning or to tamper with Gods word but to present it as it is.
My questions are these:
1) What clues does this passage give as to how we are to shine for Christ? How can we present the gospel in a way that gets through that veil of blindness and tears that covers the hearts and minds of unbelievers to bring them Gods light?
2) How is the devil blinding people to Gods truth and how can we counter His strategies.
3) This verse puzzles me: "by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God" - are we presenting ourselves or Jesus. Or is it the case that Jesus can only be seen through someone truly committed to Him and shining with His glory.
