Lost and Hid
2 Kings 2:1-12, Mark 9:2-9, 2 Cor. 4:3-6--- Sunday before Lent or Last Sunday after the Epiphany
“Lost and Hid” 2 Cor. 4:3-6
Last week we looked at the way we should present ourselves and saw the example of the Apostle Paul for us, who said he became all things to all so that some might respond to the good news of the gospel. “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak” I Cor 9:22 He said we should so run the race that we may obtain the prize, the incorruptible crown and to keep our bodies under subjection . This was all about our demeanor and conduct . This week we are going to look at what Paul talks about in his second letter when he lays out the condition of those to whom he was trying to speak to in 2 Cor. 4:3-4 “ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world has 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.”
This may seem as though we are getting simple , but this is what the Apostle tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians. Corinth was a place of much challenge . It had its emphasis on sports , the games but it also had a very open culture that was practiced by many. Even the Christians there were prone to follow the culture and as he says in his letter 12:21, “ many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”
There are those who are lost. That is the simple truth . They are perishing, and are even now living in a way that does not bring glory to God . This verb is in the present tense so it has a sense of the present reality of their condition before God and in a spiritual sense. Ephesians 2 a passage with which some of us are familiar reflects this as well, “ and you has he quickened , who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air….in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” I was listening to a radio program while driving this week and the caller was blind. But he understood the recent news that the Church should not be told how to manage their health plan so that women would receive care that the Church would not give or approve of, or drugs that would lead to abortions. The host said you may be blind, but you are not as blind as those who are trying to force their will in violation of the 1st amendment to the Constitution and violate their religious liberty.
To be lost and perishing is the reality of those who do not believe the good news of the gospel of Christ. Vs. 4 says , “ the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not.” In chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians we hear of blinded minds in speaking of the people of the Old Covenant. Moses put a vail over his face when talking with the people because the light was so bright that they could not see him any longer. So it is when people turn to the LORD. The vail is taken away and they can know Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:16 , “ Nevertheless when it shall turn to the LORD, the vail shall be taken away.” Matthew Henry in his little commentary says , “ the apostle tells us there is a time when this veil also shall be taken away …and when any particular person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance is taken away; the blindness of the mind and the hardness of the heart are cured. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is much more happy.” I would add for now and for the life to come which is eternal!
P. 2. “ Lost and Hid”- 2 Cor 4:3-6
So if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost or perishing presently. Now I see hope in this word because it does not mean they are lost eternally but they are now in the condition of perishing. How is that hopeful? It is hopeful because there is hope that they will believe “the glorious gospel of Christ” and their minds will have the light of God in “ the face of Jesus Christ.” But if our gospel be hid then we are not in a position to see them see the light of the gospel at least in our lives and manner. As I was preparing this I thought, how do we hide or veil the gospel? Is that possible? The Apostle seems to think so when he says in vs. 3, “ but if our gospel be hid….” We talked some of this last week when we saw that the Apostle thought this message so important that he said, “ I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” I Cor. 9:22 How do we veil the gospel? What are the ways in which we may do that consciously or unconsciously? People are looking at our conduct and speech. In some ways we are not always showing God’s light to others certainly as we are not perfect in this life. We look forward to the life to come when we will be made like Him and enjoy His presence forever. But here we struggle. Just as unbelievers we struggle too with God’s will, His plans for our lives and a multitude of other things which I am sure we could list. But the one thing we must not do is hide the gospel. Now I know some people that have a good way of presenting themselves and they are those who others look up to and say, “ I wish I knew how to be that holy and happy here.”
It would be good for us to take some time during Lent which begins this week on WED to ask, “ in what ways am I hiding the gospel by my words or conduct to others?” A good time of self examination would be a very worthwhile exercise. We remember that if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and perishing right now. What I do and say right now is important. How I listen to other’s concerns , how I put others before myself in taking my cross in discipleship ( which we will learn more about in Bonhoeffer’s book on The Cost of Discipleship in our Sunday pm studies ) and how I live today and how I lived in the past are some of these concerns.
Today we have taken the Apostle’s words about the state of the people we come into contact with on a daily basis. They are not just wandering or seeking but presently without believing the good news of the gospel of Christ are perishing and lost. There is no easy way to get around that. But if we realize it we will be careful that we do not hide the gospel. Why? We do not hide the gospel because we want others to have the gospel shining in their hearts as well as ours so that they have “ the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:6
“Lost and Hid” 2 Cor. 4:3-6
Last week we looked at the way we should present ourselves and saw the example of the Apostle Paul for us, who said he became all things to all so that some might respond to the good news of the gospel. “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak” I Cor 9:22 He said we should so run the race that we may obtain the prize, the incorruptible crown and to keep our bodies under subjection . This was all about our demeanor and conduct . This week we are going to look at what Paul talks about in his second letter when he lays out the condition of those to whom he was trying to speak to in 2 Cor. 4:3-4 “ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world has 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.”
This may seem as though we are getting simple , but this is what the Apostle tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians. Corinth was a place of much challenge . It had its emphasis on sports , the games but it also had a very open culture that was practiced by many. Even the Christians there were prone to follow the culture and as he says in his letter 12:21, “ many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”
There are those who are lost. That is the simple truth . They are perishing, and are even now living in a way that does not bring glory to God . This verb is in the present tense so it has a sense of the present reality of their condition before God and in a spiritual sense. Ephesians 2 a passage with which some of us are familiar reflects this as well, “ and you has he quickened , who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air….in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” I was listening to a radio program while driving this week and the caller was blind. But he understood the recent news that the Church should not be told how to manage their health plan so that women would receive care that the Church would not give or approve of, or drugs that would lead to abortions. The host said you may be blind, but you are not as blind as those who are trying to force their will in violation of the 1st amendment to the Constitution and violate their religious liberty.
To be lost and perishing is the reality of those who do not believe the good news of the gospel of Christ. Vs. 4 says , “ the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not.” In chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians we hear of blinded minds in speaking of the people of the Old Covenant. Moses put a vail over his face when talking with the people because the light was so bright that they could not see him any longer. So it is when people turn to the LORD. The vail is taken away and they can know Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:16 , “ Nevertheless when it shall turn to the LORD, the vail shall be taken away.” Matthew Henry in his little commentary says , “ the apostle tells us there is a time when this veil also shall be taken away …and when any particular person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance is taken away; the blindness of the mind and the hardness of the heart are cured. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is much more happy.” I would add for now and for the life to come which is eternal!
P. 2. “ Lost and Hid”- 2 Cor 4:3-6
So if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost or perishing presently. Now I see hope in this word because it does not mean they are lost eternally but they are now in the condition of perishing. How is that hopeful? It is hopeful because there is hope that they will believe “the glorious gospel of Christ” and their minds will have the light of God in “ the face of Jesus Christ.” But if our gospel be hid then we are not in a position to see them see the light of the gospel at least in our lives and manner. As I was preparing this I thought, how do we hide or veil the gospel? Is that possible? The Apostle seems to think so when he says in vs. 3, “ but if our gospel be hid….” We talked some of this last week when we saw that the Apostle thought this message so important that he said, “ I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” I Cor. 9:22 How do we veil the gospel? What are the ways in which we may do that consciously or unconsciously? People are looking at our conduct and speech. In some ways we are not always showing God’s light to others certainly as we are not perfect in this life. We look forward to the life to come when we will be made like Him and enjoy His presence forever. But here we struggle. Just as unbelievers we struggle too with God’s will, His plans for our lives and a multitude of other things which I am sure we could list. But the one thing we must not do is hide the gospel. Now I know some people that have a good way of presenting themselves and they are those who others look up to and say, “ I wish I knew how to be that holy and happy here.”
It would be good for us to take some time during Lent which begins this week on WED to ask, “ in what ways am I hiding the gospel by my words or conduct to others?” A good time of self examination would be a very worthwhile exercise. We remember that if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and perishing right now. What I do and say right now is important. How I listen to other’s concerns , how I put others before myself in taking my cross in discipleship ( which we will learn more about in Bonhoeffer’s book on The Cost of Discipleship in our Sunday pm studies ) and how I live today and how I lived in the past are some of these concerns.
Today we have taken the Apostle’s words about the state of the people we come into contact with on a daily basis. They are not just wandering or seeking but presently without believing the good news of the gospel of Christ are perishing and lost. There is no easy way to get around that. But if we realize it we will be careful that we do not hide the gospel. Why? We do not hide the gospel because we want others to have the gospel shining in their hearts as well as ours so that they have “ the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:6
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