2 Corinthians 4:1-6--The Light of the Gospel

2 Corinthians 4:1-6
English Standard Version

The Light of the Gospel
4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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The "ministry" referred to here is the priesthood that we just mentioned in chapter 3 as we are ministers of the New Covenant.  Even though we are persecuted, we do not loose heart because we have a sure hope of the fulfillment of all that God has promised to us through Christ Jesus our Lord.  One of the ways we are sure is that we see the work of the gospel in our own lives and the lives of other Christians as God transforms us as described in verse 2.  We not only stand as living testimonies of the change that God has made, but we are able to tell others to "Follow me as I follow Christ" as we lead them in discipleship.

Even if the world does not fully understand the gospel it is because God has allowed their eyes are blinded to the truth by "the god of this world," that is the devil.  He is at work in the lives of all those who don't believe to keep them from seeing the truth.  Where God is truth, the devil is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44).  So those who are blinded walk and stumble in spiritual darkness not seeing the light of God or the light of the gospel until God causes them to see it.  If you feel like you're in this state of blindness, pray for God to open your eyes to the truth.  He is the only one that can open your eyes, heart and mind.

We don't preach a gospel of good works that is based on ourselves.  That is what many religions around the world do, but we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to be the Second and Last Adam to under the curse of sin by living the perfect life that only God in the Flesh could and being completely innocent died the death penalty that we deserved--for "the wags of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  So then Jesus who is called The Light of the World shines His light and truth into our darkness and the lies of Satan.  For God is a God of light--remember the first day of creation where He spoke into the darkness and created the light before there was any sun or other stars since He Himself illuminated the entire universe with His glory which He now veils for our sake so that it does not overwhelm us.  Looking upon the glory of God would be dangerous like looking directly into the sun--the sun will blind you and burn you if you stay out in it.  It's good under certain conditions, but it's not something to approach the wrong way or be careless about.  No one tried to have direct contact with the Sun and survive in the same way that no one tries to come in direct contact with God and expect to live.  Yet we are reflections of His Light in the same way that the moon shines in the darkness and is a softer and in some ways a more beautiful light--this is what Jesus meant when He told us that "You are the light of the world."  We have a different type of light and a different kind of glory, but our job is to shine in the darkness so that people know that Light of God is there--just like the moon does not create its own light, but reflects the light of the sun so that when we see the moon, we know the Sun is still shining.

One day though we will be able to be glorified and purified and fit for heaven so that we can come into direct contact with God and live.  Like we studied in chapter 3, we who are saved will no longer be like Moses only reflecting part of God's glory (that was scary enough for the people), but we will fully reflect the glory of God so that we will be perfect image bearers and made in the very likeness of the Son.  This is not to say that we by any means become gods, but that our nature has been changed by God as part of His New Creation so that only what is good and perfect and holy remains and we are the exact imprint of His nature.  We will still be ourselves, but we will also be changed in a way that is a mystery to us now.  It is one of the things that I very much look forward to as we once again live in perfect communion with God and get to walk and talk with Him just like Adam and Eve used to do in the Garden, only this time without the possibility of any sin.  There will no longer be a Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, only the Tree of Life will be there.  Satan and all of his rebellious angels and all those of the world who followed in his rebellion will be forever dealt with and we will be safe from their lies, rebellion and murderous schemes. and we will sing praises to the Lord for eternity because of who He is and the great works He has done--namely the greatest miracle of salvation and redemption that is the gospel.