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Today's reading is 2 Corinthians
chapter 3. Are we beginning to commend ourselves
again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation
to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter
inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone. It is clear
that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written
not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets
of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence before
God is ours through Christ. Not that we are competent in
ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence
comes from God. And he has qualified us as ministers
of a new covenant. Not of the letter, but of the
Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now
if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone,
came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at
the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, will not
the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? For if the
ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious
is the ministry of righteousness? Indeed, what was once glorious
has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater
is the glory of that which endures? Therefore, since we have such
hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would
put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at
the end of what was fading away. But their minds were closed.
For to this day, the same veil remains at the reading of the
Old Covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ
can it be removed. And even to this day, when Moses
is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns
to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we,
who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into His image, with intensifying glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit. This is God's word. Why is it
that when people hear the gospel or read the Bible, some people
believe, but others are unmoved, unchanged? How can someone study
the Bible for years without coming to believe that Jesus is the
Christ, and that He died on behalf of sinners? How can a devout
Jewish person read Isaiah 53 without falling to his knees
to confess Christ, calling on God to save him? The answer to
these questions is here in 2 Corinthians 3 verses 14-16. The NIV says, But 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. Even to this day, when Moses
is read, a veil covers their hearts. Whenever anyone turns
to the Lord, the veil is taken away. And that's the end of the
quote. Anyone who knows how to read can read and interpret the
Bible properly. But not everyone can believe
what the Bible says. Here in 2 Corinthians 3, Paul
tells us that this is because we are blind by nature to God's
truth in Christ. Here in 2 Corinthians 3, Paul
tells us that this is because we are blind by nature to God's
truth in Christ. The reason why people don't see
Him in the Bible and come to trust Him is that a veil covers
their hearts, according to verse 15. Only the work of the Spirit
of God, according to verse 17, can cause a person to welcome
Jesus and believe the Bible when that person encounters His truth. Then, once we come to know Christ
by faith, we can study the Bible's depiction of Christ clearly without
the veil of unbelief over our eyes. That's described in verses
17 and 18. This is how we should pray for unbelievers that we're
witnessing to. That God's Spirit would open
their spiritual eyes to see the light of Christ in the gospel.
It is also why salvation does not depend on your good presentation
skills or how perfect your arguments for Christianity might be. Salvation
is a spiritual act. It requires the work of God's
Holy Spirit. So ask for the Spirit's help
when you witness, the Spirit's illumination, conviction of sin,
and regeneration in the hearts of those to whom you witness.
And I hope you'll have a chance to put this into practice today
by encountering someone who's not a Christian and having a
conversation with that person. Remember, as you do it then,
ask for God to work in that person's heart and then just share the
facts of the gospel. That's all that's required. because
it'll be successful if God is working. If you enjoyed this
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day. We'll see you next time.
2 Corinthians 3
Series DailyPBJ Devotionals
This is a daily devotional about 2 Corinthians 3 from dailypbj devotionals. For more information, visit https://dailypbj.com. To receive these devotionals every morning in your inbox, visit https://dailypbj.com/subscribe. To support my work, visit https://dailypbj.com/support/
| Sermon ID | 61423226108133 |
| Duration | 05:59 |
| Date | |
| Category | Devotional |
| Bible Text | 2 Corinthians 3 |
| Language | English |
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