Unveiled

II Corinthians 3:5-16

Many freeways have posted maximum and minimum speeds. These laws are designed to prevent accidents by keeping people from driving either so slowly or so fast as to cause accidents. A severe snowfall or rain may make it unsafe to drive even as fast as the minimum speed. An emergency vehicle may need to exceed the speed limit to save lives. While the goal of the law is to save lives, there are times when too strict adherence to the law may endanger them instead. Recognizing that the intent of the law, the spirit of the law is saving lives, provisions are made for when the law would endanger lives if enforced exactly as written, the letter of the law.

Despite their best intentions. people break the law from time to time, and if caught, must pay the penalty. The Old Testament law required a blood sacrifice for sin, and the blood of animals could only postpone judgment, never pay the penalty. There was no such thing as not getting caught. Christ paid the penalty in full, then substituted his righteousness for ours. The spirit of the law has been met, even though the letter has not. No further penalty is required.

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who 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.” (II Corinthians 3:5-6)

Exodus 34:29-35 describes the return of Moses from receiving the ten commandments and his time receiving God’s directions.

“And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.”

Man’s nature is described in Romans 3:10-12. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Man naturally goes against God and what is right. Even when they try to do right, humans do things that are wrong, and some don‘t try.

The ten commandments were given so people could know what was right. Like the speed limit sign, it reminded us what was required, making us aware of our guilt, and reminding us of the penalty. Romans 3:19-20 describes the effect. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The penalty for sin is death according to Romans 6:23, and bringing the law only emphasized the fact, yet it produced such glory.

“But 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: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” (II Corinthians 3:7-11)

If the message that everyone deserved to die produced such great glory, think how much greater the glory is for the message found in I Corinthians 15:22. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” We ought to want everyone to get the entire picture as clearly as possible.

“Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” (II Corinthians 3:12-16)

Unfortunately, some do not want to see the glory of God revealed, choosing to ignore the message. That is their choice, but as John 3:18 says, “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.”