Fading glory - Pt. II
Discipleship Defense; 2nd Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 41:01
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Gospel of legalism vs. Gospel of Grace
Gospel of legalism vs. Gospel of Grace
Legalism a system of laws, works vs. the gospel of grace through faith. We started to compare the two recently and this morning we will review and press on.
In matter of review of what we have seen, covered before I need to go back in case anyone missed anything first so then we can all be on the same page.
Let’s review (2Cor3:1-11)
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.
11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
From the fading glory to the glory that remains or the greater glory.
The gospel of law of Moses (works)- that which was fading away; to the law of Grace through faith; a great glory an everlasting glory.
The Old Covenant - Law of Moses written on stones vs. the New Covenant written on hearts (Jer31:33)
33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
From the external to the internal, to the internal that will then become external.
Paul pointed out to the Corinthians that they were the epistle of Christ, written by the Spirit of God (2Cor3:2-3)
We read it with the word epistle a moment ago, but not look at this, when compared to those who were coming with letters from Jerusalem, letters of endorsement to the church, Paul says they are his endorsement. They are his letter.
2 You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. 3 Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.
We stopped to consider what kind of epistle are we? Are we an epistle leading to death or life?
One written in stone (legalism, works) or flesh (by the Spirit of God)
One under law (demanded 100% obedience) or grace (received through faith that relies 100% on God and not works)
Finally we closed out with Fading glory vs. Greater glory.
The fading glory under the Law of Moses and the increasing glory, greater glory under Christ.
(Transition) so that brings us to where we are at. The Judiazers had wanted to mix the Law of Moses (works; obedience) with grace, but the two are contrary to one another, One points to the need of the other. The glory of the Law was fading away in Paul’s day, the temple was about to be destroyed, no more temple, no more priest, no more sacrifices. It was a shadow that remains in the glory of the New Covenant.
I’m sorry I need to bring in one more reminder before moving on to the last contrast that Paul brings in here in chapter 3 and that is where we actually ended last week.
Gospel/ministry of grace is internal (vv.1-3)
Gospel/ministry of grace gives life (vv.4-6)
Gospel/ministry of grace has increasing glory (vv.7-11)
So this morning the things we are going to touch on are these:
The text and gleaning from it (2Cor3:12-18)
The Historical event (2Cor3:12-13)
The national application (2Cor3:14-17)
The personal application (2Cor3:18)
The Text
The Text
It is good to turn to the passage first and glean from the passage then look at how it works together in context and application.
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person 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 from the Lord, the Spirit.
Because of everything that came before (therefore) what is the result the proof offered (v.12)?
Having such a hope; use great boldness in speech
Moses knew something (v.13) about the glory that was on his face, what was it (pay attention to the end of verse)
It was fading away.
In (vv.14-16) you notice the word veil look how used in the verses.
The veil remains unlifted (v.14) at reading of the law.
When the law was read, the veil lies over the heart (v.15)
When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (v.16)
Wow, look at (v.17) what is there in the Spirit of the Lord?
There is liberty!
Finally, (v.18) There is a transformation noted, can you see it?
From glory to glory.
(Transition) in (v.18) you can also see that “we all” are with unveiled face. We are a part of the ministry of grace, of the increasing glory so let’s show that how this works out in our passage.
The Historical Event
The Historical Event
The purpose of the book is to defend the apostleship not just of Paul but of all the apostles and the superiority and sufficiency of the gospel of grace. Paul is overcoming the things the Judiazers are bringing to the Corinthians.
When you have, when you hold, when you hold and act on the gospel of grace, of the ministry of increasing glory you can be bold and with unveiled faces.
Moses used a veil over his face so the people would not see the glory he knew was going to fade.
Moses had something to hide, Paul had nothing to hide, everything was unveiled with Paul and he could be confident and bold.
The people could see the glory of God as it shone on Moses face, but Moses knew it would fade away. That the glory would fade, so he used a veil over his face so the people would not see it fading. Who would want to follow a leader who is losing his glory? (a paraphrase from Warren Wiersbe)
In (v.13) you can see the word “end” it had a couple of meanings - Purpose and Finish.
The veil prevented the people from seeing the “finish” of the glory of the Law as it faded away. And it also prevented them from seeing the “purpose” behind the fading glory which was the increasing glory of the gospel of grace. Which the fading glory pointed to the need of.
(Transition) When Moses came down the mountain ad gave the law to the people they were not ready to receive the information that it was only temporary and it was going to fade away, be replaced by a greater glory. That was concealed from them and revealed now. So from the giving of the Law to national application let’s look.
National application
National application
Paul loved the Jewish people, he wanted them saved too. Because religious people need saving too. He had a burden for them and in this section Paul speaks on why, or why could they be rejecting the greater glory of Christ.
Paul’s burden and desire for Israel (Rom9:1-5)
1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,
5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Great sorrow, unceasing grief for them
Willing to be accursed, separated from Christ for them to be saved.
it was only through the Jews that he had, we have what we have, the adoption as sons, the covenants, the examples, everything leading up to Christ.
With many Gentiles coming to faith, trust, belief in Christ, coming to salvation, there were the Jews, his own people who were rejecting the truth and persecuting Paul and the church.
Why was there rejection by the Jews? They had spiritual veil over minds and heart (v.14)
Spiritual eyes blinded that they did not see the truth when reading the O.T. scripture that pointed to the greater glory in their Messiah that they were looking for and missed.
They were blinded by their own religion.
There is hope for the Israelite, the Jew who turns to the Lord the veil is taken away (v.16)
No one, can have the freedom, the liberty, salvation without the Holy Spirit (v.17) for where the Spirit is there is liberty.
The law brings death, knowledge of sin with no power to save by works. (ref: Rom8:15; Jn4:22; Rom10:1)
It brings us into bondage that is coupled with fear, but we, believers in the law of grace have something better
15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
As a nation, Israel is lost spiritually they are blind, but to the individual who turns to Jesus there is liberty, there is freedom there is adoption, there is salvation!
We will forever be indebted to the Jewish people
22 “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
For our Savior, our Messiah came from the Jews and the best way to pay that debt off is to share the truth of the gospel with the people so they can have the veil lifted and spiritual eyes opened.
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
(Transition) Now we get to our final verse for today and the climax of this chapter where Paul presents a great and exciting truth.
Personal application
Personal application
From the reflected glory under Moses to the radiant glory under Jesus Christ we now look at the personal application of this great and exciting truth.
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are being changed, transformed into the same image from glory to glory! The ministry of the Spirit of God, changes everything.
Under the old covenant Moses ascended and had fellowship with God (Exo19:3-24)
Moses went, met with God, spent time getting instructions (the law) from God and direction on what to do with it.
Under the new covenant we all are invited to have fellowship with God (Heb10:19-20)
19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,
We, with unveiled faces (2Cor3:18) can come to the holy place with confidence coming through the veil, His flesh .
On a side note we don’t have to climb a mountain to have this fellowship, to get instructions and directions.
Beholding in the mirror the glory of the Lord (2Cor3:18; Jm1:22-25)
The mirror is a symbol of the Word of God, let me show you.
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
As we look at God’s Word we see revealed to us the glory of God’s Son and can know we are being transformed into the same image. We are being transformed from the inside out
Moses reflected the glory of God; you and I, with unveiled faces radiate the glory of God.
the glory of the law has faded away, has ended, it has accomplished it’s purpose, the ministry of Spirit, the ministry of grace.
The goal of the Old Covenant was to bring obedience to external standard.
An external standard cannot change human character, only a change of heart can do that internally. Not by our power but by His who does the will and work in us (see Php2:13) who is faithful to complete the work in us (see Php1:6)
The goal of the New Covenant ministry is to change us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. In which the Law can bring us to Christ (Gal3:14) but only grace can make us like Christ.
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(expand) the law is called a curse because it cannot change us, it cannot justify us, the law in and of itself is good. and we can still learn and apply much of the law today. But what the law cannot do, the ministry, the law of grace through faith can!
(Transition) In closing this message today just a couple quick things
God wants us as his adopted sons, daughters, his children to obey Him, not because of some external code (the Law) but because of the internal character (the Spirit and the likeness of Jesus within us)
So, in summing up 2Cor thus far Paul has brought to the Corinthians attention and to us today a couple of aspects of his own ministry.
It is triumphant (2Cor2:1-2)
It is glorious (2Cor3)
and that will set us up to where he goes next regarding His ministry, their ministry and in turn our ministry today
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
(prayer) (Close)