“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we 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 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4.1-6
Truth and light. Darkness and deceit. The contrast of the two is evident in this passage.
Paul begins by saying we do not lose heart because of the ministry we have been given — it’s by God’s mercy. What have we done? “Renounced secret and shameful ways.” Some people use deception or “distort the word of God.” But not us. We “set forth the truth plainly,” and “we commend ourselves to everyones conscience in the sight of God.” In other words, Paul’s ministry is of the utmost integrity and so should ours be.
Now Paul refers to the veil that was mentioned in the previous chapter that covers the eyes of non believers (i.e. Jews during and after Moses’ time). He says even if the gospel is veiled, “it is veiled to those who are perishing.” Then he speaks to the “god of this age” which is the devil who “has blinded the mind of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
It makes we wonder how the devil blinds the eyes of the unbelievers? How he even infiltrates churches to make them look more like the world’s culture than the Bibles’ truth? The veil that blinds the eyes is very specific because it prevents people from seeing the “light of the gospel” which does something very important — it “displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Those who are veiled can not see Jesus as being God in the flesh.
Which brings us to v.5 which is key to who we are as believers….”we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord.” So many churches are preaching about “ourselves,” our needs, who we can love, who we can kill, who we can protect or not protect. The devil has gained more than a foothold as the sin in this world has snuck in to our churches and is having a heyday with believers and nonbelievers alike.
Yet we should not dwell upon the arguments or the fact that the veil exists, we must proclaim the truth of Christ as God said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
We are to be his light, to focus upon his love and to be clear in displaying his truth to the world. The spiritual battle is intense. Let us lean into the light of Christ’s love for all the world to see.
“O Lord God, you are good. Thank you for your word of grace. Thank you for allowing me to know the power of your word and the message of your cross. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with power and life. Help me know that you are true and just and that you are redeeming the world and me in it. I praise you Lord for this day and for the power of your love. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen