How are you feeling these days? Losing sleep? Maybe a little anxious or on edge? Perhaps fearful of the future, if not for you, then your kids or grandkids? Do things agitate you easier than they used to?
All are symptoms of the massive change we are experiencing at all levels of society. The digital revolution has impacted our lives in personal/intimate ways that no one saw coming. Post-modern activism is challenging even basic truths of human physiology. Society is breaking down as people isolate themselves behind social media walls and lob word grenades at anyone that disagrees. Rioting, looting, and arson are considered healthy forms of protest. The cost of everything is skyrocketing and incomes are lagging. Culture in general is toxic and we are entering an election year when the rhetoric will only get amplified.
Make no mistake, even if you’re a well read, grounded, and otherwise laid-back Christian you’re likely feeling the effects. You don’t have to be an addicted scroller of social media, or an avid watcher of your favorite 24/7 news network, to see that most of the news is bad. And what isn’t bad is raunchy, distasteful, and vulgar. Finding a decent show to watch is akin to finding a needle in a haystack these days. Driving on the roads offers no respite as distracted drivers, juggling 3 conversations and a couple messages, can barely find the time to look at the road while they navigate increasingly congested streets.
So, “are we rollin’ downhill like a snowball headed for hell?” It certainly appears that way. By today’s barometer, Merle Haggard’s complaints seem petty in 1981…and things have only gotten worse. There is no longer even a grudgingly accepted notion of right and wrong. Morality itself is being challenged as a by-gone idea of a near extinct, self-righteous bunch of hypocrites. Standards are another casualty of a new, sophisticated, technologically superior to all other generations who have ever lived modernism in which the individual person is not beholden to anyone but themselves, and anyone who doesn’t like it be damned. We’ve seen this type of “free” thinking and living before, it didn’t work then, and it won’t work now.
Society itself wasn’t built for this. A functioning society needs stability. A well-functioning society needs a Rock. Groups, especially large ones, don’t do well on sand. Beaches are good for holidays, not to build houses on. For that we need bedrock, something that doesn’t move and isn’t subject to changing tides or time. A rock that is immovable. A morality that is beyond question. A standard that never compromises. A heart for the people, as a person and a group.
Into the chaos of today’s Cat 5 storm of change and degradation I propose ‘the Way’ forward.
2nd Corinthians 3.1-3
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (NKJV)
The culture in Corinth was in a downward spiral when Paul arrived and the list of offenses was appalling: Spiritual authoritarianism, ethnic superiority, preferential treatment of the wealthy, sexual deviancy, court overuse, religiosity, spiritual gift shaming, bad teaching, and gospel twisting to name a few
Teachers were arriving with letters of commendation from prominent leaders/teachers of the time- some legit and others not- so the people would listen to them. Did these “teachers” have anything to offer besides their letters?
By the time of Paul’s 2nd letter to Corinth things had changed for the better, while clearly there was room to grow, the lifestyle had improved to the point others noticed, and Paul was claiming their improvement for Jesus Christ. They had become “an epistle of Christ!”
“not on tablets of stone,” the first of many Mosaic references in the chapter as it relates to the Old Covenant coronation at Mt. Sinai
The old covenant focused on outward obedience and was written on stone tablets, the new covenant focused on inward transformation and is written on the heart
2nd Corinthians 3.4-6
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (NKJV)
Paul was confident in Christ to perform such things, not of himself or his colleagues
Paul’s trust in Jesus Christ gave him confidence and peace, not in his work or ability, but in the ability of Christ to finish what he had begun. Phil 1.6- being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ
Paul clearly aligns and identifies himself as a minister of the new covenant
The letter (law; 10 Commandments) reveals sin, the Spirit overcomes sin. John 1.5- the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome) it.
“for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 3,000 were killed at the commencement of the old covenant at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 32.28), 3,000 were saved (given life) at the commencement of the new covenant at Pentecost (Acts 2.41)
2 Corinthians 3.7-11
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. (NKJV)
To Paul the Old Covenant = Ministry of Death; Romans 7.5- For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death
the New Covenant = Ministry of Spirit; Romans 7.6- But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter
Old Covenant Signs of Glory- Mt. Sinai surrounded by smoke, earthquakes, thunder, lightning, trumpet blast from heaven, voice of God, Moses countenance
New Covenant Signs of Glory- Angelic announcement, signs in the sky, virgin birth, voice from heaven, “lowly” surroundings
The old covenant shone for a while as the shine on Moses countenance, but just as Moses no longer needed the veil, the new covenant has replaced the glory of the old
Righteousness excels over condemnation- the old law condemned, the new Spirit brings Godly righteousness
F. W. Grant has beautifully stated, “The glory on the face of Moses must give way to the glory in Another Face.”
2 Corinthians 3.12-18
Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)
Moses wore a veil in his glory, Jesus takes away the veil
Moses hearers were blinded, Jesus returns sight
“The Lord is the Spirit:” a trinitarian reference
The Spirit of the Lord brings liberty out of bondage- think do instead of do not
What exactly is “such hope”- that we are being transformed (metamorphosis- from the inside out), into the image and likeness of Christ- not by our own work- but by His work in us
As we are occupied with the glory of the risen, ascended, exalted Lord Jesus Christ, we are being transformed into the same image. Here, in a word, is the secret of Christian holiness—occupation with Christ. Not by occupation with self; that brings only defeat. Not by occupation with others; that brings disappointment. But by occupation with the glory of the Lord, we become more and more like Him. This marvelous, transforming process takes place from glory to glory, that is, from one degree of glory to another. It is not a matter of instant change. There is no experience in the Christian life that will reproduce His image in a moment. It is a process, not a crisis. It is not like the fading glory of the law, but an ever-increasing glory. The power for this wonderful process is the Holy Spirit of God—just as by the Spirit of the Lord. As we behold the Lord of glory, study Him, contemplate Him, gaze on Him adoringly, the Spirit of the Lord works in our life the marvelous miracle of increasing conformity to Christ. (Believers Bible Commentary)
Therefore…
2nd Corinthians 4.1
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. (NKJV)
- Because we have received such a marvelous ministry, such an audacious gift, we hope, we do not give up, we never shrink back, "we do not lose heart"- we persevere!
If you were to continue reading chapter 4 you'd see the refrain, "do not lose heart," three times. Stressful times are not a new problem. False teachers have been with us a long time. Fake news is not a novel idea. When we focus too long on our troubles and spend too much time stressing about our circumstances, we create distance between ourselves and the solution. The alternative is to seek out Jesus Christ, meditate on His word, sing His praise, reflect on His person, follow His teaching, and dwell in His presence.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4.17-18 (ESV)
O Soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion,
For more than conquerors we are!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Written by Helen Lemmel
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