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Giovanni Bellini, “Transfiguration of Christ”, Naples, Italy, 1480 – 1485.
2 Cor. 3:12-4:2
For Sunday, February 7, 2016
Transfiguration Sunday
We ought to be exceedingly bold in living out the gospel. This is the only conclusion we can reach once fueled by the power of this passage.
To understand what the Apostle Paul is saying here we need to start back at v. 7. Paul is contrasting the ministry of the old covenant with the ministry of the new. If the ministry of the old covenant, which brought condemnation, set Moses’ face aglow, how much more should the ministry of the new covenant, the gospel, set our faces aglow? “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold” (v. 12).
Secular culture tells us that we are free to worship in any way we like, privately. But there’s the rub. As Chuck Colson, one of my mentors (and he can be yours too) liked to say our faith is to be personal but not private. One of Chuck’s favorite quotes was from Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper: “There’s not a single square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Jesus Christ who is Lord of all does not cry out, ‘Mine!’ “.
So what would a boldness reboot look like? “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 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” (ch. 4:1,2).
Father, may the Apostle Paul’s excitement and passion for the hope and freedom he found in you be so utterly contagious for us that we can’t stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. Let us be the church in the world. Amen.
Your turn
- Where do you most struggle to be bold with your faith?
- What encouragement do you find in this passage to be bolder?
- If you succeeded what would it look like?
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
