Face to Face

Meditations on Second Corinthians

April 20, 2023

Face to Face

Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.

2 Corinthians 3:12

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

The only model for leadership the people in Corinth knew was that of the pomp and circumstance of the Roman’s. Think about our President. The President never travels alone; he is surrounded by helpers, and everything around him is first class quality, the best. Consider Paul. He often traveled alone. He bought his clothes at Good Will, did not stay in the best hotels, and worked at manual labor to provide for his needs. The people of the Corinthian church wanted their leaders to be more like the leaders in their cultural world.

Paul points out to the church that if they want to see glory, they are looking in the wrong place. He uses the example of Moses, and the people of Israel from Exodus 34 to make his point. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments (Old Testament; Old Covenant; law), the people turned from God to idolatry, and made for themselves a golden calf to worship.

When Moses came down from the mountain he was outraged, but not nearly as much as God. God insisted that there must be accountability for their sin against Him. Moses returned up the mountain, and in prayer interceded for the people. God revealed His mercy to Moses and sent Moses back to the people. After being in the very presence of the glory of God, Moses’ face shined like the sun. When the people saw Moses, they were afraid. Just as when you turn on a light and the roaches run for cover, so the sinfulness of the people was revealed by the glory of God in Moses’ face. Moses put a veil over his face so the people would not turn away from him.

Paul is showing the church that if we try to earn our salvation, if we operate by performance-based acceptance, it is as though we are covered by a veil preventing us from seeing the glory of God. The glory of God is Christ in us. Paul wants the church to know that living in the new way of the Holy Spirit, we have God’s glory within us, and God’s glory outshines anything the world has ever known. Why would we want the pomp and circumstance of the world when the truth of God in Christ is so much more?

My Takeaway: “Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 The Message)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.