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Light that Shines

Light that Shines

Words of Faith 9-20-17

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2017

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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2 Corinthians 4

[3] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. [4] The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

       Another criticism leveled at Paul was that His Gospel was designed only for a spiritually minded elite. They claimed that what he said was "obscure" in the same way that what he did was underhanded. For the sake of argument, Paul concedes his critics' point. Even if his gospel is veiled in the case of some people, it is not his doing, because he sets forth the truth plainly.

       Paul argues that the "veiling", where it exists, comes from the unbelief of "those who are perishing" whose minds have been blinded by the god of "the present evil age" who wishes to prevent them from seeing the gospel-light that focuses on Christ's glory as the image of God. "The god of this age" refers, of course, not to God the Father, but to Satan. Satan is regarded as "the prince of this world" or as the one whom this age has made its god.

         Paul carried the Gospel all across Asia minor and into Europe. Of course many people, particularly Jews, did not accept the Gospel. Paul explains that to them it was veiled. The important thing was that Paul would not change the Gospel to make it more palatable, as his opponents had done. The Gospel was rejected by people who were unwilling to accept it. They disbelieved and were encouraged in their unbelief by Satan, the god of this Age who, though defeated by Christ, continues his hold over the present world.

     When Paul calls Christ "the image of God," he is asserting that Christ is the visible and perfect representation of the invisible God, the precise expression of the unseen God. When used of the relation of Christ to God-- the eikon or image implies both personality and distinctiveness.

         Christ was the Focus of Paul's message and the Object of his concern. Contrary to what Paul's accusers suggested, he labored to advance the cause of Christ for Jesus' sake and not his own interests. Jesus was the crucified Christ and the resurrected Lord. Since Paul served Christ, he also served the church, Christ's body. While serving the Corinthians, however unworthy they were, Paul was serving his Lord.

         The reason Paul served the church and openly proclaimed the Gospel was because of God's work in his life. Much as in creating the world God acted to bring light-- out of darkness, so in spiritual creation He brings light to the hearts of those in darkness. This was Paul's experience on the Damascus Road when "a light from heaven flashed around him".

         Confronted with the risen Lord, Paul became a new creation. The light in believers' lives is the knowledge of God's salvation, a glory issuing from and seen in the face of Christ and reflected by Paul. When people were in the darkness of sin, they had no knowledge of God, no experience of His life and salvation. But in Christ they are the New Creation; the old has passed away and the new has come.

         Do you have the light? Are you part of the New Creation? He has made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.   Have you received that gift? If not, why not? If so, O how we rejoice in it today. Is there anything more worth sharing?

 

       Father God, thank You for the light! Shine in my life! Thank You for shining into the darkness and overcoming the darkness of sin. Thank You for making me into the New Creation. Halleluiah. May Your light and Life shine in me and through me into the lives of others. In Jesus' Name.