Week 58: Beholding His Glory

Hallelujah! Praise be the name of Jesus! The King of kings and the Lord of lords.Today, He is alive and He still is! Amen!

1 Cor 15:21-22

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 

This verse says that Jesus is resurrected from the dead and because we, believers, are in Christ, we are made alive together with Him! Amen!

Today, under the New covenant, God is gracious, but God did not gone "soft" to grant us His grace (His unmerited favor)! Our sins were punished and judged on the body of Christ. And because God is just, He cannot punish our sins twice. If He does that, He is no longer just! Amen! Therefore, it is important that every time when we look at the cross, we have the confident that we are righteous in our standing with God in Christ, even though we may not feel like it. Never allow feelingWe must never confuse our state with our standing. Amen! Thank you, Jesus!

Last week we talked about Abraham, Sarah & Hagar. Apostle Paul, an apostle for the gospel of Grace , relate Hagar as a type which belong to Mount Sinai (where Ten Commandments was given). Whereas, Sarah belong to Mount Zion where the Spirit of God dwells. The very fact that Sarah at her old age, could given birth to Isaac speak of God's grace. All things is possible with God and all things are possible through us whom believe in Him! Amen!

Apostle Paul, who was not part of the original twelve disciples, was called out by God to preach the gospel of grace to the Gentiles. What is Gentiles? Today, God does not see the people as Chinese, Indian or Eurasia. God only see three group of people, namely Jews, Gentiles ( Non-Jews) & Church. We, Christian were once a non-believer or simply Gentiles, now we belong to the Church, the bride of Christ, Amen!

And if you look at the New Testaments, two third of it consist of Paul's epistles (or letters to the church). That goes to show the importance of this gospel of grace.Paul pronounced a curse if anyone preach any other gospel. He is serious about this. Go to Galatians 1 (AMP)

7 Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you [[f]with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervertand distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

9 As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

If God allow His book to have two third of the New Testament comprised of Paul's revelation on grace, we can see from here God really want us to catch hold of this grace message through Paul. Amen!

With that, let's dive in and expand further on our discussion on Law & Grace.

2 Corinthians 3

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 

<<The Bible says we are saved by Grace through faith. The problem with believers (speaking of myself) are, after acknowledging being saved by Grace, they return to "work" or " law". What must I do to keep the right standing with God? Read the verse again. It says nothing is from ourselves but everything through God. Amen!>>

6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

<<Note the "letter'" refer to "Law"; New covenant is of the Spirit, not Law. In other words, Ten commandments is not part of New covenant!>>

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 

<<What was written and engraved on stones? Ten commandments. God call it ministry of death. Interestingly, such ministry had glory. Yet, such glory was passing away>>

9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 

<<Ministry of condemnation = ministry of death = Law; 
Ministry of righteousness = Spirit of the Lord = Grace>>

10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

<<If we have two church, one focus on Law or Ten Commandments; the other on grace of God, Which church has more glory?>>

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

<<Why did Moses put a veil over his face? Think of it this way.. a police man (law enforcer) , did not wear his uniform, stand in front of the criminal. The criminal does not feel the threat nor sin-conscious. But, the moment when the policeman put on his uniform, the criminal will run away. Why? The criminal see the glory of the law-enforcer and became sin-conscious.>>

 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. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

<<Clearly it says when we read Moses (represent Law), a veil lies on our hearts (ie blinded). As long as we cling on to the Law, we are sin-conscious. 1 Cor 56 "Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law." Note when we turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. That's why it is so important that we continue to keep our eyes on Jesus  every day, less we fall from grace and Christ has no effect on our lives, Amen!>>

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

<<Only when we are in Christ, we have liberty, freedom, peace which surpasses all understanding. And here it says when we have an unveiled face , we are beholding the glory of the Lord. Have you ever see someone whose face shines? That's beholding His glory. Can we behold that glory? Of course, why not? We are in the New Covenant,; God's grace is upon us. Today, God see us perfect, righteous and blameless! And this is what Jesus went to the cross to give us! Hallelujah!>>

In summary, Apostle Paul has clearly stated that under Law is the ministry of death and such glory is passing away. Let's not cling on to Law, let's not focus on what we should do to earn our right standing with God. Let's cling on to the New Covenant where the Spirit of our Lord dwells. Be led by His Spirit. Because in it with unveiled face, there is liberty and freedom. And in it, we behold His glory! Amen! Hallelujah!

How then do we know if we are under Law or under Grace? How do we live out our lives and tap on the grace (favor) and blessing of God upon us? We will discuss that in another session.

For now, I leave you with this verses to meditate:

Acts 13:38-39 (AMP)

38 So let it be clearly known and understood by you, brethren, that through this Man forgiveness and removal of sins is now proclaimed to you;

39 And that through Him everyone who believes [who acknowledges Jesus as his Savior and devotes himself to Him] is absolved (cleared and freed) from every charge from which he could not be justified and freed by the Law of Moses and given right standing with God.

Grace and peace be with you, always.