In The Blood Is Freedom
Notes
Transcript
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be 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, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Ministers of the new covenant (1-6)
Ministers of the new covenant (1-6)
Chapter starts with people questioning Paul’s ministry. There were Jewish missionaries that visited the Corinth church and were claiming that Moses was equal, or superior, to Christ. They want some proof that Paul was legitimate and they might think that he is proud and does not need recommendation like anybody else. The transformed people of Corinth are proof that he is legit. They are a letter of Christ, not written with ink (recommendation letters), not written on tablets (old covenant) but on human hearts through the Spirit (new covenant). Our hearts were as the tablets of stone, but are replaced with a heart of flesh. The new covenant does not abolish the law, it established it in the only place it will be effective, in the heart.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Our lives are not glued together, but renewed by the Spirit of God. Your life is a testimony to others around you and will lead others to Christ. As Paul, our credentials as followers of Jesus are not on paper, but in persons.
Our confidence and sufficiency is from God through Christ validated by the Spirit to be ministers of the new covenant. We look to Him for help and strength.
What does it mean to be a minister of the new covenant? God dealt with people through the law, but now He does through the Spirit, which gives live instead of death. To be a minister of the new covenant, you need to be in a deeply personal relationship with the Spirit of God. The Spirit will make us able to share His presence and Spirit with others around us. A minister uses the law to show people their inability to reach God on their own, preparing their hearts to receive the good news that brings righteousness and life. The gospel brings light to those trapped in darkness, preaching Christ as Lord. We no longer look at the letter of the law, but at the spiritual holiness which lay under the law (Matt 5:17-48) that the new covenant brings to light.
6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
The Spirit gives life through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Both righteousness and the Spirit are received when we exercise faith in Christ. If the Spirit is in you, your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Glory (7-11)
Glory (7-11)
The result of the Spirit giving life is glory and freedom.
Moses received the ten commandments, the people down build the golden calf and God does not want to go with the Israelites anymore. Moses intercedes for the Israelites and asks to see the glory of God.
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Moses saw the glory of God and was transformed by it. Now this same God is living inside of you. Should that not produce more glory?
Condemnation to righteousness. Because nobody could fully obey the law, it led to condemnation, curses and death. We see this in the history of Israel, where the ministry of condemnation produces judgement and curses during exiles. The ministry of the Spirit bring righteousness that leads to life, converting heart to receive God’s righteousness. The ministry of righteousness justifies us before the Father through faith in the work of the cross, and brings freedom and life through the Spirit in our lives. It liberates us from condemnation and death. The gospel brings relief, comfort, life, grace, mercy and remission of sins. It is the gospel that communicates the glory of God.
Freedom (12-18)
Freedom (12-18)
What is this hope? The hope of glory. The new covenant is glorious, it impacts glory to those who receive the gospel. What is the glory? The indwelling of the Spirit. God is invisible, but his glory is visible. When we come into His presence we will participate in His glory, and we too will be glorified. That is the hope that we can enter in.
Boldness in this hope; what does this look like? Speaking (Acts 4:13, 29, 31, 13:46, 14:3, 18:26, 19:8, Eph 6:19-20, Philemon 8, 1 Thess 2:2), identity (Heb 3:16, 1 John 3:21, 4:17, 5:14, Phil 1:20), access (Eph 3:12, Heb 4:16, 10:19, 1 John 2:28)
Because Moses looked at God, his face was all shiny and people could not look at him. He would veil his face and only unveil his face when talking to God. The people could not see the glory in the old covenant which pointed to Christ.
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
In Christ, the veil is taken away. When we turn to Him. When ONE turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. The veil is nowadays on your heart. Only the Spirit can remove the veil if you turn to Him. It’s acceptance and surrender to the Spirit. Only then can you behold the glory of God, experience the freedom through the Spirit. Everything you are looking for; love, acceptance, belonging, rest, comfort can be found behind the veil.
It is not the old covenant that is done away with in Christ, but the concealing veil, so that it may be understood through Christ.
Freedom comes from the presence of the Lord. Looking at His perfect face removes everything that is between Him and me. I need to look at the glorified Christ instead of my sin and shame. What is freedom?
Freedom is experienced in a state of faith. It is through faith, we do what God wants, characterized by knowledge of the truth, the desire to follow this truth, and the ability to do the truth. The process of sanctification is gaining more and more freedom. Where the Spirit is Lord, everything can change and happen. Every box that we put around God, expectations and manmade traditions can be faded by the Spirit. He is able to do anything. (Gal 3)
7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
The new covenant brings confidence and freedom, instead of shame, hesitation and death, allowing us to be open, confident and transparent with God. Through the Spirit we receive access to God, like Moses speaking to God as a friend, with his face unveiled. As Moses’ face caught a reflection of God’s glory from being in His presence, so believers are changes into His image by beholding Him.
The changing into the image of Christ is not limited to this world or to this body. We will change into His image, sharing His divine nature in the future (1 John 3:2). When John saw Jesus in Revelation, he looked in his own future eyes.
Do you have friendship with the Spirit? Did you accepted and surrendered to the Spirit? What veil is between you and looking at Jesus?
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
