Paul
wrote this letter to remind the Corinthians that he had planted this church and
still cared for it. Paul also defends his ministry.
Paul mentions that a power can cover the
Gospel. God allows us to see and hear the Gospel.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to those who are perishing.
2 Corinthians 4:3 ESV
We must work with God if people are to hear
the Gospel because there are principalities we have to fight.
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.
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV
Paul also tells us that we cannot give glory
to Christ without giving glory to God.
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.
2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV
Light is the unveiling of the Life of God within You which becomes your direction and guide in your journey in this world.
1. Motivation of unveiling of light.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy
of God, we do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 4:1 ESV
To understand this verse we need to go back a
few verses.
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is
removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there
is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV
Whenever we turn to God, the veil is removed.
The mercy that Paul received removed the veil. When we remember that God
removed the veil and we now can see the light.
2. Method of unveiling the Light.
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
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.
2 Corinthians 4:2-4 ESV
The method we handle the word of God must be
right and truthful. We cannot trick or deceive others. We must be Christians
whose conduct is right.
Even if we use the right method, the Gospel
can still be veiled.
3. Message for unveiling the light.
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Corinthians 4:5 ESV
As we were going to the place of prayer, we
were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners
much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men
are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
Acts 16:16-17 ESV
Here is an example of someone who preaches a
message that is not Christ. She is preaching Paul and Silas. Eventually Paul sees
the difference of what the slave girl was preaching, and he stops her. If he
had let her continue, it could of have been disastrous for Paul and Silas.
Jesus only is the message. We don't always do
this. Our wisdom, skills and advice cannot change any man. It is only Jesus
that can change a man.
We must preach Jesus not just with words but
also with our actions.
4. Mark of the unveiling light
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.
2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV
The glory of God becomes your
personality. The glory of God will become a part of you.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.