It Is Impossible to Unearth Every Bit of Gold That Is to Be Had within a Lifetime of Studying the Gospel
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important topic within Christianity. This should not be debated nor refuted among Christians. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not simply the most important topic for the unbeliever to touch upon either. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important topic for both the believer and the unbeliever.
The Gospel is life-changing. It is transformative and full of conviction and encouragement. The Gospel is full of God’s love, mercy, and grace. It is also full of God’s justice, righteousness, and holiness. There is no greater place to witness the manifestation of God than in the Gospel message.
While it is important to touch upon the other topics that are presented in the Scriptures, there must be a hearty welcoming of the Gospel in the heart of the believer whenever it is being presented. The Gospel’s message has an element of simplicity, while also being a gold mine in which it is impossible to unearth every bit of gold that there is to be had within a lifetime of study.
Paul loved to share the Gospel. Let’s see what he had to say about it in 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.
The veiled Gospel
Prior to 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Paul spoke on the differences between the Old and the New Covenants. In doing so, he touched upon a familiar Bible character, Moses. When Moses was alive and leading the Israelites, there was a time in which he climbed a mountain and met with God. When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone. The glory of God was so powerful that it had a miraculous effect on the face of Moses. It is also said that Moses put a veil over his face. The veil was used to cover up the glory of God. This last point will be important to remember.
Another point to consider is that there was also a veil that was used in the temple and the tabernacle. Both the tabernacle and the temple were set up in such a way that there was a division between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place were divided by a veil. Thus, the people could not see into the Most Holy Place.
But what was inside the Most Holy Place? Within the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was God’s earthly throne. The ark was formed with an area for the Ten Commandments, which were situated in the bottom of the ark. Above this was a seat of mercy, called the mercy seat. Thus, God would sit upon a seat of mercy, and this seat of mercy separated, or came between, God and His commands. Upon the mercy seat, there were two cherubim with their wings spread out. The wings formed the throne, and God would reside in-between their wings.
In other words, God’s glory was revealed between the wings of the cherubim. However, there were many who could not see the glory of God due to the veil that separated them from God. Once again, it will be important to remember the veil, and the way that it separated the people from seeing the glory of God.
Scripture says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (KJV, 2 Cor. 4:3). The word that is translated “hid” in the KJV is translated “veiled” in modern translations and thus corresponds well with the surrounding text. Therefore, it should be noted that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is veiled to them that are lost.
The need for the Gospel
This brings us to the great need for the Gospel. There is a group of people who are alive today that are biblically deemed lost. To be lost is to be without God. It is to be unforgiven, unredeemed, dead in sins and trespasses, and the like.
Many people are going throughout life in a state of unbelief. They are deceived in their thinking and do not know that there is a God Who has made a way so that the lost may be found. Jesus came for the lost. Paul says, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15). Paul was a lost man. He was a persecutor of the church and far from the heart of God. He was deceived in his thinking and thought that he was on the right path, but nevertheless he was on the wrong one, and therefore he was ultimately lost.
However, Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Jesus came into the world, met Paul, and changed Paul’s life. There is a great need for the Gospel. The lost need to hear that Jesus came that they might have life and be forgiven of their sin.
The need for God
While there is a great need for the Gospel, there is also a great need for God. While this may be obvious at the first, take heed of what the Scriptures say. Paul tells us concerning the veiled Gospel, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:4). Paul is expressing to his readers a dynamic of spiritual warfare that is present among the lost. Paul makes it clear that for those who do not know God, Satan is blinding their minds from receiving the Gospel.
But what can be done about such a tragic reality? This situation should cause us to see a great need for God to act. Scripture tells us in John 6:44, 65 that it is God Who initiates a saving relationship. These verses tell us that it is God Who draws sinners to Himself and takes away the veil.
Scripture says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing…” (John 6:63). The flesh is no help at all for gaining eternal life. Prior to salvation, the lost sinner is entirely flesh. Therefore, he can do nothing to save himself. However, there is a moment in which God, by His Spirit, quickens a believer to be able to turn to Him in true saving faith and repentance.
There must be a desperation among God’s people for God to move. There must be much prayer that is devoted to calling upon God to move His mighty hand and save the lost. The spreading of the Gospel must be saturated in prayer, as must be the sermons that are preached from pulpits. Jesus tells us in John 15 that apart from Him, man can do nothing. We need God’s help, as does the lost sinner.
The need for light
Finally, there is a need for light. Throughout Scripture, light is contrasted with darkness. So often, light is equated with good, while darkness is equated with evil. Scripture says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Earlier, it was mentioned that the veil that was wrapped around Moses’ face hid the glory of God. It was also said that the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place kept the people from seeing the glory of God, which was revealed between the wings of the cherubim.
Now, we find our way back to this crucial piece of information. A veil currently hides the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God’s glory is on display in the Gospel like no other place in all of creation. God, the Creator of life, is the One Who sheds His light in the hearts of the unbeliever to remove the darkness, and hence the veil. God opens blind eyes, makes dark rooms appear bright, and allows the lost to gain their footing and advance toward the Celestial City.
Final prayer
Father, I pray for Your light to shine. You are good and deserving of praise, and Your name is to be hallowed. Open the eyes of the blind and remove the veil. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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