Daily Bread 2011 - 2 Corinthians 3
Daily Bread 2011 – 2 Corinthians 3
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And 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.
What Does This Mean?
Clearly this is a reference to an earlier dispensation when Moses received the glory of the Lord and the stone tables containing the Old Covenant, as summarized by the Ten Commandments. When Moses met with the Lord on Mt. Sinai, he reflected the Lord’s glory and had to wear a veil to shield the Israelites from the transcendent glory and power of the Lord.
Metaphorically, the veil not only shielded their eyes from seeing God’s glory, but there was also a veil over their hearts which kept them from understanding the Spirit of the Law. Therefore there was no inherent power for them to keep God’s commandments. That is why Paul concludes that this ministry only brought death. But through the ministry of the new covenant, the veil has been removed, and we have received the Holy Spirit which removes the veil of unbelief so that we too with unveiled faces reflect God’s glory.
This final verse gives the basis for the fact that once we come to faith in Christ, we are being transformed (notice the Spirit transforms us) into ever-increasing glory. While we may not see this day to day, if we look back on our lives we can see how God is molding and sculpting us into His image through the power of the Spirit.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means that we can utter, “Be patient with me, God is not finished yet!” The key verse here is where the Spirit of the Lord there is freedom. God’s Spirit has come to restore us and help us become what we were created to be all along, children of God. Our true identity is being made in God’s image, and yet sin and the Fall has married that image and corrupted our nature.
Yet, God fulfilled the Old Covenant with a New Covenant that was much better than the previous one. Though there was power in the Old Covenant it was limited. And it was severely limited in the fact that it could not change a human heart. Though it revealed God’s will and His ultimate plan which would come through the Promised Messiah, it only brought death.
The new covenant frees us up from our old, sinful nature so that we can participate in God’s kingdom, which is a foretaste of what is to come.
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you always keep Your promises. Just as you made a promise that one day Your purposes would be fulfilled through a new covenant that was written on our heart’s, one day you will bring us home to be with You and the Son in the glory that has been purposed since Creation. In Your Son Jesus’ name we pray and participate in this New Covenant, Amen.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And 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.
What Does This Mean?
Clearly this is a reference to an earlier dispensation when Moses received the glory of the Lord and the stone tables containing the Old Covenant, as summarized by the Ten Commandments. When Moses met with the Lord on Mt. Sinai, he reflected the Lord’s glory and had to wear a veil to shield the Israelites from the transcendent glory and power of the Lord.
Metaphorically, the veil not only shielded their eyes from seeing God’s glory, but there was also a veil over their hearts which kept them from understanding the Spirit of the Law. Therefore there was no inherent power for them to keep God’s commandments. That is why Paul concludes that this ministry only brought death. But through the ministry of the new covenant, the veil has been removed, and we have received the Holy Spirit which removes the veil of unbelief so that we too with unveiled faces reflect God’s glory.
This final verse gives the basis for the fact that once we come to faith in Christ, we are being transformed (notice the Spirit transforms us) into ever-increasing glory. While we may not see this day to day, if we look back on our lives we can see how God is molding and sculpting us into His image through the power of the Spirit.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means that we can utter, “Be patient with me, God is not finished yet!” The key verse here is where the Spirit of the Lord there is freedom. God’s Spirit has come to restore us and help us become what we were created to be all along, children of God. Our true identity is being made in God’s image, and yet sin and the Fall has married that image and corrupted our nature.
Yet, God fulfilled the Old Covenant with a New Covenant that was much better than the previous one. Though there was power in the Old Covenant it was limited. And it was severely limited in the fact that it could not change a human heart. Though it revealed God’s will and His ultimate plan which would come through the Promised Messiah, it only brought death.
The new covenant frees us up from our old, sinful nature so that we can participate in God’s kingdom, which is a foretaste of what is to come.
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you always keep Your promises. Just as you made a promise that one day Your purposes would be fulfilled through a new covenant that was written on our heart’s, one day you will bring us home to be with You and the Son in the glory that has been purposed since Creation. In Your Son Jesus’ name we pray and participate in this New Covenant, Amen.
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