Are you aware that a miracle’s been worked in us who believe? Paul will picture it, but in the context of commending his ministry to the doubting Corinthians . . .
“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart” (4:1).
What’s “therefore” there for? It explains Paul’s attitude based on what he’s just written—“And we all (all who have “turned to the Lord”—3:16) with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
For that reason, writes Paul, and “since through God’s mercy we have this ministry” (of this Spirit-transforming, glory-of-the-Lord-beholding) we do not lose heart.”
Did Paul have reason to lose heart? Listen to 4:16a—“ . . . outwardly we are wasting away”. Persecution from unbelievers, travel-dangers, even aging all took its toll on Paul’s body. Outwardly he was “wasting away”. But perhaps the most formidable cause of losing heart is unbelievers who hear his gospel, then reject it. That, however, doesn’t change his teaching or tactics . . .
“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 every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing” (4:2,3).
An apostle discouraged by poor ministry results might resort to shady techniques. Not Paul.
“ . . . secret and shameful ways . . . deception . . . distort God’s word”—those are the ways of the “false apostles” troubling the church and belittling Paul. (“Deception” here–Greek, panourgia–means “ready to do anything” or “will stop at nothing.” “Distort”–Greek, dolo-o–means to change something to cause it to be false, “adulterate, falsify”). Paul refuses to go there. Instead, he is “setting forth the truth plainly”. Thereby, “we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” And he will free every person to judge “the truth” according to his own conscience.
Paul appeals to a person’s capacity to judge between right and wrong. ” . . . in the sight of God” tells us Paul knows God is always watching and weighing how he delivers the gospel.
But not all believe. Paul admits that. Still, he’ll not use any deceptive method that distorts God’s word, even to gain “believers.” The gospel-veiled ones are “ . . .those who are perishing” have minds “veiled” to the gospel. Therefore, on their way to the darkness of hell’s death, they don’t perceive the light of truth as truth.
Does unbelievers’ gospel-rejection invalidate its truth claim? Does it dull some of the gospel “shine”? John Calvin answered: “The blindness of unbelievers in no way detracts from the clearness of the gospel, for the sun is no less resplendent because the blind do not perceive its light.” Unbelievers are victims of evil spiritual powers . . .
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (4:4-6).
“The god of this age”–Satan. Jesus calls him “the prince of this world” (John 12:31). The apostle John calls him “the evil one” under whose power the whole world lies (1 John 5:19). Because he has blinded unbelievers’ minds “they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 4:4).
The Corinthian “super-apostles” might but Paul declares, ” . . . we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord . . . ”
To the Jewish believer, “Lord” recalls “Yahweh” of the Old Testament. Jesus is Yahweh—“I Am That I Am”, the covenant-keeping Sovereign. To the Gentile believer, “Lord” is Caesar’s self-proclaimed title–“Lord” of the Roman Empire, man to be honored above all, the one who embodies deity, the absolute ruler to be humbly obeyed and served. To claim “Jesus is Lord” is political treason, and invites retribution.
Since Paul preaches “Jesus Christ as Lord”, he preaches “ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” The great apostle sees himself as a servant of the Corinthians, many of whom disdain him. And his servanthood has a holy purpose: “for Jesus’ sake”. He serves them on behalf of Jesus. He lives among them as Jesus would. So Jesus might be trusted and praised.
What transformed that proud Pharisee Paul, the once-rising-star rabbi, into a servant of coarse Gentiles? Paul takes us back to the beginning. There, in pre-creation darkness, God said, “Let light shine out of darkness.”
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light” (Genesis 1:2,3).
The photo doesn’t do justice to God’s creative act. How can we even imagine God-spoken light suddenly penetrating absolute darkness? How breathtaking, then, Paul’s statement! That Creator-God who said, “‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” To our mind and heart blinded by the god of this age, God said, “Let there be light.” In that instant “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” burst forth. And, captured by God’s glory in Christ, we believed.
This is why Paul doesn’t use deception, but sets forth the truth plainly. This is why he proclaims, “Jesus is Lord”. This is why he doesn’t lose heart despite suffering. He’s seen the glory.
* * *
This is the miracle that’s been worked in us.
We were born blind to “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Whatever our pre-Christ life, however long it was, we could hear a sermon or read a Bible verse, and we didn’t see it. But, then, the same God who, in the beginning, caused light to shine out of darkness shined his light in our heart. He opened our “eyes” to catch glimpses of his glory in Christ.
As Paul writes later, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (5:17). Something to be grateful for when we’re about to lose heart.
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