Are you wearing a veil?

Paul writes to the Corinthian church to clear up some issues that were taking place. Here in verse three he discusses how they are verified, How the Old Testament was veiled and their vision.

They are Verified

vs 1-5

vs 1 speaks of their credentials. Paul asks if they need to verify themselves to the Corinthian church. There had been others who were sending the Corinthian church letters that discredited Paul. And some even within the church had questioned their authority.

Vs 2 Paul refers to them as his confirmation, their changed lives were his credentials. How their lives had changed was a testimony to all men that what Paul preached was evidenced in the lives of those in the Corinthian church.

Calvary is celebrating 65 years of being a lighthouse in this community. The testimony of those whose lives have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ is evidence to those whom they come into contact with.

vs 3. Their lives are a testimony, not written with ink that may fade away, but with the Spirit of the living God who isn’t writing on an inanimate object such as stone, but a living creature, our flesh.

vs 4-5. their trust is in Jesus Christ toward God the father, nothing that they could do in and of themselves, it is the sufficiency of God in their lives.

They are verified because of the work Christ has don in their lives. Paul says he is verified because of the change in the Corinthians lives from their conversion to follow Christ. He explains that because of the conversion of the Corinthian church to Christ, they are verified to those in the Corinthian community. It is evident of the change that has taken place, it is a testimony.

The Old Testament is Veiled

vs 6-17

Paul goes on to talk about the conversion in their lives and to remind them that it is through Jesus alone and not the law of the Old Testament.

vs 6 following up from verse 5 he continues with the thought about the sufficiency of Christ. Because of the sufficiency of Christ they are able to be ministers of the NEW Testament. The word new here doesn’t mean just something that is brand new, but rather a different version or a better version. the ability for them to be able to do this in not because of the letters that were written down, but because of the power of the spirit in them. the letter of the law is what condemns, but the spirit is what gives life. Many times we see our spiritual lives as our eternal benefit, but the Spirit gives us life in the here and now.

vs 7-8. If there is glory in the Old Testament law where Moses had to place a veil over his face, how much glory is there in the ministry of the spirit?

v 9 if the ministry of the Old Testament was glorious when it condemned, then how much more glory is there is the Spirit that doesn’t condemn, but gives righteousness?

John 3:17

King James Version Chapter 3

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be lreproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

vs 10-12 The Old Testament was glorious, but it is done away with and look at how much more glory the new Testament of the Spirit gives! This is the hope that we have, we are just speaking plainly.

vs 13-16 Moses wore a veil not just to protect the people because his face was so shiny, but also to protect them from seeing that the glory was fading from his face. The glory that the Old Testament law had was only short lived because there was an end coming one day. The minds of the Israelites were veiled, blinded until Jesus Christ came. Many still at that time were blinded by the Old Testaments to the truth of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. But there is hope, when they turn to the Lord, the veil will be torn away!

vs 17. The Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. The law made people realize they were criminals, the New Testament showed people that they were loved that Christ died for them. The Old Testament had people following a set of rules no matter their thoughts. the New Testament gives freedom to choose and those who choose to Christ as their savior want to follow Him, they don’t see it as a duty. It used to be a check list and now it is a freedom because those who place their lives in the protection of the Savior want to please Him with their lives.

They have a Vision

vs 18-4:2 Because of our liberty we look into the mirror to see the glory of the Lord in our lives because we are changed into the same image of Christ by the Spirit of the Lord. We don’t look at a mirror to see ourselves, but Christ through us. We are dead and want Him to live through us. Paul goes on after clarifying why they follow the New Testament and not the Law. Therefore we have this ministry because we have received mercy we faint not. Because of the mercy that Jesus Christ has allowed them to experience they want to minister for Him and they don’t want to grow weary or faint. they have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, hot handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

They desire to be true to God’s word and share it with others.

Calvary, you have been faithful for 65 years to the Gospel of Christ, will you commit to stay faithful to God’s word in reaching others with the Gospel. Will you look at the mirror to see God’s glory instead of the glory of the name Calvary Baptist Church?

The Letters to the Corinthians Each Individual a Letter of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:1–3)

The famous preacher and pacifist Dick Sheppard, after years of talking in the open air to people who were outside the Church, declared that he had discovered that ‘the greatest handicap the Church has is the unsatisfactory lives of professing Christians’.

King James Version Chapter 3

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

King James Version Chapter 3

2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

King James Version Chapter 3

3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

King James Version Chapter 3

4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

King James Version Chapter 3

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Do you profess to be a Christian today? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? If you have never done that I encourage you today to come down front and talk with one of the counselors who would love to share with you the Love Jesus Christ has for you.

Are you a professing Christian? Are you living like it or are you a handicap to the Church because you profess one thing, but your live isn’t an example of it like Paul's was. He didn’t need a letter of commendation, his life was proof enough. Are you serving in the church to use the gifts and talents God has given you? Calvary has had a tremendous legacy, but it can’t continue without godly people serving the Lord not for their own glory, but for the glory of God.