02-27-12 "What it means to represent/reflect Christ" 2 Corinthians 3:4-18

The passage I read was 2 Corinthians 3:4-18

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+3%3A4-18&version=NIV

The verse that most stood out to me:

 ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate^[a]the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

As I reflect:

This week we are looking at what it means to reflect and represent Christ.  I think this is the perfect passage to start at because it is about salvation. 

First and far most, Paul clarifies that all he has spoken to this point and all that he will speak is not from him, but from God.  He is clarifying that in and of himself just as us in and of ourselves are capable of nothing.  We are not the ones that are competent to minister, but it is Christ in us through His holy Spirit that makes us (and also Paul) competent as ministers.  I think this is a very important point to begin with so that as we look at new covenant salvation vs old covenant law we see that it is not of our own works, but that it is by accepting, believing, and living through the work of our Savior and abiding by the guidance of His Holy Spirit with us.  Without this understanding, one may easily find themselves attempting to obtain entry into Heaven by their own works.  

Paul then goes on to explain the greater glory of the new covenant.  He isn’t saying that the old covenant was not glorious or is no longer true, but rather he is saying the new covenant is the fulfillment of the old covenant and gives us the power as well as grace to obey the old covenant.  You see many in history were given a law to abide by and daily failed to abide by the law.  They thusly had to make animal sacrifices for their failures; their sins.  We also fail and sin daily against God.  We are no better than them.  However, we do not live under the law, but under the Spirit, which means that we don’t have to make animal sacrifices for our sins.  We can instead be forgiven by the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us and we can walk in the righteous covering of His blood.  This is the greater glory of the new covenant. 

Paul goes on to explain that there are many that still don’t get the greater glory and that it is because they are veiled like Moses’ face was.   He is likely speaking of orthodox Jews who still look to the law for their passage to Yahweh instead of looking to Yahweh for their forgiveness and grace.  The Orthodox Jews still perform by their works under the law and are thus only able to see God through a veil, just as the Israelites were only able to see the glory of God on Moses’ face through a veil.  We believers who know Jesus as the Messiah have had that veil lifted and can now appreciate and bask in and walk in the full glory of the new covenant knowing that it is by His wounds that we are healed and forgiven.  We, like the Orthodox Jews do have many good works to perform.  However, we perform them out of a desire that is bred from salvation, whereas the orthodox Jews perform out of a desire to earn that same salvation. 

This is the perfect starting point for this week as we examine what it means to represent Christ.  We must first realize that in representing Him, we are also relying on Him and in no way capable of a saving performance without His grace and the good guidance of the Holy Spirit here with us.  This is the starting point for salvation.  That directly following our realization of our need for forgiveness and our need to be reconciled to a just God, we immediately have to realize that there is no way to be reconciled without the saving grace that has been poured out through His Son.  Likewise, there is no way for us to earn salvation by our works and we must daily rely on and respond to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to represent Christ.     

My response to the Lord:

Thank you my Father in Heaven.  Thank you for the grace you have shown.  Thank you that there is no veil for those who have fallen at the feet of your Son.  Thank you for this greater glory and complete fulfillment of the law through your Son in our place.  I rely on and trust in You.  I look to you and turn my ear to your Holy Spirit here with us, that we may walk in a way that reflects your great work and competence and not our own so that we may not boast in anything other than you.  Lord, you be glorified in and through our lives.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.