Saturday, June 26
Read II Corinthians 3
Think About It:
Paul compares how the 10 commandments (Law) written on stone for those following Moses is now replaced with God’s truth etched in the hearts of Paul’s converts, “living epistles”, by grace. The Law brought death, but the Spirit brings life and releases us from condemnation (Romans 8:1). God’s Holy Spirit will convict us, but we know when we repent, we are forgiven. There is no need to feel condemned for past sins once we turn from those ways. The closer we get to the LORD, the more obedient we want to be and the more glory we experience. Just like the tabernacle had an outer court, an inner court, and the Holy of Holies, we can move forward and grow closer to God: In the “outer court”, we see by the sunlight, or natural light. As we draw closer, we have to pass through the veil into the inner court. There is a mental veil (our flesh) that blocks the way. Inside the inner court is the Menorah that gives light, representing us walking by faith, living the spirit-led life. The next veil we pass through gets us into the Holy of Holies, where the light is produced by the glory of the LORD manifest!
Paul understood these mental veils when he wrote that the Jews in his day would hear the Scriptures and still not receive the revelation of Christ the Messiah: “And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their minds were blinded; for until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” (II Corinthians 3:13-15)
Paul revealed what would happen the moment this mental veil was removed: “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the LORD, the veil shall be taken away. Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty.” (II Corinthians 3:16-17)
Spiritual liberty comes to a person’s life when the light of the Holy Spirit removes mental and spiritual veils. We must learn to move from the comfort zone of what we can see, to a walk of faith so we can experience the intimate place with Christ.
Spend some time meditating on the words in II Corinthians 3:18: “But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.” Another translation says, “We can all draw close to Him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the LORD Jesus. We are being transfigured into His very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit.” Wow! Hallelujah!
Family Time:
- Where did Paul’s sufficiency come from? (verse 5)
- What condition exists when the Spirit of the Lord is present? (verse 17)
