Daily Bread 2010 - 2 Corinthians 3
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Moses was the only one who could enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle that God dwelt in the desert when the Jews wandered in the wilderness. And even then he needed to wear a veil, so he wouldn’t be blinded by Yahweh’s holiness. As the high priest or mediator between God and the people, he had limited access to God’s throne.
When Jesus came and gave his life on the cross, at the moment of his death, the veil of temple leading into the holy of holies was torn in two. This represented the fact that Jesus became our superior high priest and became the way into God’s presence. This was signified when Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
After Jesus death, God moved out of the temple never to dwell in a place made by human hands again.
In this sense, Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians that our bodies are now temples of God as he literally dwells in us by His Spirit. That is why Paul says, “Where the Spirit is there is freedom.” This means as we possess the Spirit, we live in the new covenant that Jesus established. And we are not condemned by not living up to the Law as summarized by the Ten Commandments. As God’s Spirit dwells in us and we allow the Spirit more and more control to run our lives, Paul says that we are transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory. The theological term for this is “sanctification”, or the process by which God’s makes us holy.
We cannot take credit for this process, just as we are made right with God by His grace, the Holy Spirit too is a gift of grace. God’s work of sanctification in our lives is His work, not ours. And yet we participate by allowing the Spirit to lead our lives, and by not quenching His work. We might say we cooperate with the Spirit. For instance, you might be tempted to do something that is wrong and the Spirit will set off some warning signals in your heart and mind. At that point you have a choice. You can ignore the Spirit’s voice and do what you want. Or cooperate and stay out of trouble. As we continue to discern the Spirit’s promptings, we participate more in the life God wants for us and become more like His Son. This in a nutshell is what the life of discipleship is all about. It is following Jesus in the power of His Spirit that dwells in us and listening to and obeying His Voice.
Jesus thank you for tearing down the veil so we could come in God’s presence in the power of Your Spirit. Help us increasingly hear your voice and obey so we might be transformed into ever increasing glory until you choose to return to take us home, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Moses was the only one who could enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle that God dwelt in the desert when the Jews wandered in the wilderness. And even then he needed to wear a veil, so he wouldn’t be blinded by Yahweh’s holiness. As the high priest or mediator between God and the people, he had limited access to God’s throne.
When Jesus came and gave his life on the cross, at the moment of his death, the veil of temple leading into the holy of holies was torn in two. This represented the fact that Jesus became our superior high priest and became the way into God’s presence. This was signified when Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
After Jesus death, God moved out of the temple never to dwell in a place made by human hands again.
In this sense, Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians that our bodies are now temples of God as he literally dwells in us by His Spirit. That is why Paul says, “Where the Spirit is there is freedom.” This means as we possess the Spirit, we live in the new covenant that Jesus established. And we are not condemned by not living up to the Law as summarized by the Ten Commandments. As God’s Spirit dwells in us and we allow the Spirit more and more control to run our lives, Paul says that we are transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory. The theological term for this is “sanctification”, or the process by which God’s makes us holy.
We cannot take credit for this process, just as we are made right with God by His grace, the Holy Spirit too is a gift of grace. God’s work of sanctification in our lives is His work, not ours. And yet we participate by allowing the Spirit to lead our lives, and by not quenching His work. We might say we cooperate with the Spirit. For instance, you might be tempted to do something that is wrong and the Spirit will set off some warning signals in your heart and mind. At that point you have a choice. You can ignore the Spirit’s voice and do what you want. Or cooperate and stay out of trouble. As we continue to discern the Spirit’s promptings, we participate more in the life God wants for us and become more like His Son. This in a nutshell is what the life of discipleship is all about. It is following Jesus in the power of His Spirit that dwells in us and listening to and obeying His Voice.
Jesus thank you for tearing down the veil so we could come in God’s presence in the power of Your Spirit. Help us increasingly hear your voice and obey so we might be transformed into ever increasing glory until you choose to return to take us home, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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