It's Time to Remove The Mask

Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:1–18 (KJV 1900)

1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

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

3Forasmuch 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.

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

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

6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18But 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.

Intro

There's been a lot talk in recent months about wearing masks. ''Masking Up'' has been encouraged in some places while being required in other places. Then there are those who have found a way to make a profit during this pandemic by creating ''specialty masks.'' Time doesn't allow me to describe all the specialty masks now available, but in addition to your favorite sports team mask for adults, children and babies, here are a few more: Rhinestone masks, Sequins mask, Mustache mask, Cappuccino 3D mask, the Old Glory mask, Tie Dye mask, Going to Church mask with pearls. The company's motto is, ''If you have to wear a mask, then wear a pretty one.'' Here's a few more you may find interesting: First communion mask with a filter, Baptism mask, wedding mask and a funeral mask. The only person at the funeral not required to wear a mask is laying in the coffin! Pre-Covid, if you walked into a bank wearing a mask you'd get arrested. If you walk into a bank today not wearing a mask you get accosted. My, have things have changed. But what if I told you that wearing mask isn't anything new? How many of you grew up watching that masked man: The Lone Ranger and his companion Tonto? Every episode began with the Lone Ranger on his horse Silver, rearing up on his hind legs with the Lone Ranger saying, ''Hi-yo Silver.'' And off they would ride to rescue someone in trouble! And then there were the cape-crusaders: Batman and Robin. They too wore masks. Batgirl wore a mask. Captain Marvel wore a mask. Iron Man wore a mask. Wolverine wore a mask. Zoro wore a mask. Spiderman wore a mask! Darth Vader wore a mask! Even Hannibal Lecter wore a mask, kind of. There was even a movie entitled ''The Mask'' with Jim Carrey. Now let me ask you a question: why all the masks? Why do you suppose they wore masks? What's the purpose in wearing a mask? To cover something up! Right?

Main Points

Ministration of death

Refers to the old covenant made at Mount Sinia. Its effect was condemnation and death, not justification and life. This was not the fault of the old covenant but of sinners who were unable to meet its demands (Romans 7:13). The Ten Commandments were written on stones (Exodus 31:18). With God as the source of the law, it was right for its human mediator to have something of God’s glory about him.

Romans 7:13 KJV 1900

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Exodus 31:18 KJV 1900

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Paul concluded that the main purpose of Moses’ vail was to prevent the Israelites from observing the fading of the old-covenant glory. The law was designed by God with a built-in obsolescence (Gal. 3:24-25; Heb. 8:13)

Galatians 3:24–25 KJV 1900

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Hebrews 8:13 KJV 1900

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Another purpose of the vail is to keep the veiled person from seeing outside. Paul implies that the first-century Jews who had not believed the gospel were unable to recognize the fading, temporary nature of the old testament, even when their Scriptures were read.

There is not a literal vail but a spiritual impairment. One of the great difficulties Jews have had historically in coming to Jesus as Messiah is to acknowledge that He has surpassed the fading old covenant. The sovereign work of God takes the impairment away.

Paul included all believers among the unveiled, whose glory, having begun in the new covenant, can never fade. It moves from glory [on earth, in regeneration, justification, and sanctification] to glory [in heaven, in glorification].

Exodus 34:34 (KJV 1900)

34But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

Exodus 24:12 (KJV 1900)

12And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Romans 7:6 (KJV 1900)

6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Jeremiah 31:31 (KJV 1900)

31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,

That I will make a new covenant

With the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Closing

Romans 8:29–39 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.