2 Corinthians 3:14 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.
Ephesians 4:20-24 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
We will be forever changed in Holy Spirit. No longer in the lusts of the flesh but in the newness that only Christ can give.
1 Timothy 1:15-17 this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Body of Christ is made of all who, by faith, believe in Jesus alone for salvation. It was the message hidden and first delivered to Paul by Jesus Himself and it makes perfectly clear that faith in Jesus alone is salvation. Paul is the pattern that we, as non Jews, use and through it God completes His promise to Abraham that in him the world would be blessed.
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The god of this world tries to keep the veil, removed through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, intact. in believing his lies it stops God’s creation from seeing Him in His fullness.
1 Timothy 2:3-7 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
By faith and not by works we are saved. (John 3:16-18)
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Jesus, in offering His life in exchange for ours, has reconciled us to God. Through Him we are sealed by Holy Spirit who dwells in us. We can live in perfect peace in Him who loves us most. In creating the world God saw that it was good. In Christ we are restored to His original plan for mankind. We make our needs known to Him in prayer and then rest in His peace. I am forever grateful for all that God has put in my life. Everything is in His hands. Go out and be His hands and feet to the world. Carla
Paul acknowledges that some did not accept the gospel message—not because he obscured or hid anything from them (3:12–14), but because they were blinded by the work of evil forces and false teachers. The god of this age refers to Satan. Satan further blinds those who refuse to obey the gospel.
Jesus is described as the image of God here and in Colossians 1:15.
Elsewhere, Paul teaches that believers are to conform to the image of Christ just as Christ bears the image of God (Romans 8:29). The Image of God describes Jesus as the Image of God. Paul and his companions focused their message on Christ’s divine nature as Lord. Paul’s remark suggests that some “false apostles” were presenting themselves as important rather than as servants (2 Corinthians 11:13). Light will shine out of the darkness alludes to the creation account (Genesis 1:3). Just as God created the world, He now makes believers a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Faithlife Study Bible
Unbelievers have a barrier to overcome: the god of this age has blinded their minds. Because of Satan’s deception, sometimes what the world thinks is obviously true is painfully wrong (Proverbs 14:12). Jesus Christ is God’s Son, and He perfectly reveals God the Father to us. Although human beings have been created in the image of God, through sin they have fallen from a perfect relationship with God. Jesus Christ is restoring believers to what they were originally created to be (3:18; Genesis 1:26).
Paul’s message is that Jesus is divine. The NKJV Study Bible
Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
Here’s what I want to bring to any moment, or any encounter (in the “time that is given us”).
--Showing up.
--Being present, wrapped in empathy.
--Enabling the power of connection and healing, fueled by kindness.
On the days when public opinion pesters, I keep this Parker Palmer quote close by. “It is a strange gift, this birthright gift of self. Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God.”
And in my heart I know that vocation is not just my job or calling, but the mark I leave and the place I take in this world. True, living into this authentic (embodied) self is neither easy nor managed by a checklist. But this much is certain: living into our authentic self begins with a whole heart. Sabbath Moments
I often look to Bible verses that speak of this, like “for by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8) and “there is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12). And Romans 10:9 says if we confess with our mouths and believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
All people have the opportunity to know Jesus and to experience salvation because of God's amazing grace. It was God's plan from the beginning to bring His Son to earth through the Jewish people; however, it was also God's plan to offer salvation through His Son to everyone. God told Abraham, the father of Israel, "In your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 26:4).
Jesus confirmed God's faithful plan for all of humankind in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (emphases added). In other words, salvation from spiritual death is a gift that no one could ever earn but that everyone can receive by faith in Jesus. Praise God for the simplicity of the gospel and His amazing grace! First5
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