Title: The Gospel of Glory Testified Through Paul
People always pursue self-centered thinking and living. You judge and decide the standards of good and evil from your own point of view. Don't try to think of the other person. Everyone wants to move their decisions.
If they don't move according to their will, everyone becomes an enemy. I do not have faith to think from the perspective of someone other than myself, or to think first about what the church and faith are, and then handle matters according to the principles of that faith. This is the fallen sinful desire of man.
There was a man who lived for the kingdom of God and the glory of God, who was always thinking of the church and interested in serving the members of that church, not living according to his own position or his own desires. That person was the Apostle Paul. It was.
The Apostle Paul did not live like that because he was a special person that was more special than us. Only because God used him. Conversely, from Paul's point of view, he was used that way. Then, through the text, let's look at how Paul was used and what God used him for.
1. The context before and after the text
You need to check what context the text is speaking in before and after. Because in order to tell the verse 4:1-6, a certain story had already been started.
The Apostle Paul tells us that our hope of glory comes from God through Jesus Christ. But unless we return to Jesus Christ and believe, we cannot have the hope of that glory.
An example of this is explained in the Old Testament Exodus event. When God came down on Mt. Sinai, he called Moses up. The Israelites were not allowed to come near it. Because the people of Israel, who are sinners, will die if they draw near to the holy and glorious God.
So only Moses was specially called. Moses met God. After meeting God and returning to Israel, Moses' face was filled with the glory of God. However, Moses covered his face with a towel so that the people could not see the glory of God that was full on his face (Exodus 34:34).
Only Jesus Christ can remove the veil that blocks the glory of God. So, in 3:16 it says, “But whenever you return to the Lord, the veil will be removed.”
That's right. There are dark forces that stand in our way when we try to approach God. But what is clear is that when we believe in Jesus, that power can no longer hinder us. Only Jesus Christ has brought reconciliation between God and us.
Paul now tells us that we can see the glory of God with our naked faces, and that it is the Holy Spirit who led us to that glory. This is what we talked about at the end of Chapter 3.
2. Paul looking back on his apostleship (verses 1-2)
Now Paul comes to chapter 4 and says, “Therefore, we have received this office,” so that he received the office for that glorious work. If we look at the fact that that glorious work has already been made possible through Jesus Christ in Chapter 3, we will know that the office for that glorious work is only possible through Jesus Christ.
In the meantime, Paul looks back on his apostleship.
First, it is said that he did not lose heart as he had mercy.
Second, it is said that he forsook the works of hidden shame and did not act in deceit.
Third, it is said that they did not confuse the Word of God.
Fourth, it is said that he made every effort to reveal the truth.
Words like the above give us hints about how we will carry out our duties today.
3. The enemies of the gospel (verses 3-4)
Let's look at verses 3-4.
“If our gospel is obscured, it is hidden from those who are perishing, among whom the god of the world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ cannot shine through. Christ is the image of God.”
First, if our gospel is covered, it is hidden from those who perish.
Such people can be said to be Paul's enemies, and the gospel is hidden from them. To whom is the gospel hidden? It's those who perish.
Second, the god of the world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe.
Why is the gospel hidden from those who are perishing? Because they do not believe, the gods of the world have blinded their minds.
Third, the god of the world did not let the light of the glory of Christ shine.
In the end, it is said that they not only did not believe, but also perished because the god of the world, who had blinded them, prevented the light of the glory of Christ from shining.
Fourth, unless the light of Christ's glory shines through, God's salvation is impossible.
Because Christ is the image of God. Only through Jesus Christ can we be saved from God. Why do we need to be saved from God? It is because they have sinned and have been cursed and punished by God.
Who rules those who are being cursed and punished by God? He is a newcomer of the world. It is impossible to escape from that devil unless we receive salvation from God. In order to be saved from God, the splendor of the glory of Jesus Christ must shine upon us through the Holy Spirit.
4. Jesus testified by Paul (v. 5)
The figure of Paul witnessing the gospel of the glory of Christ is recorded in verse 5.
Verse 5 says, “We do not preach ourselves, but that Christ Jesus is Lord, and that for Jesus’ sake we are your servants.”
It spreads two things.
First, that Christ Jesus is Lord
Second, it is to serve the saints for the sake of Jesus.
Paul says here emphatically: “We do not preach ourselves.” This is a big mistake that evangelists can make. We do not preach us, we say that “Christ Jesus is Lord”.
And it is said that we preach “we are your servants” only for Jesus. This means that you are happy to serve for the members of the church, which you bought with the blood of the Lord.
Officials should not try to hurt the saints, claim, or be served. The meaning of office is to be a servant and to serve. It is not an honorary position or rank.
The eternity of the office, or perpetual office, does not mean that an individual will last forever. Permanent office is called perpetual office in the sense that it is an eternal office that is indispensable as long as the church continues.
Therefore, if elders, deacons, and kwons leave the church members who elected them and go to another church, their positions are not recognized and they are just ordinary members. If you go to another church and want to become an elder, deacon, or priest again, there is a procedure in which you have to vote again from the beginning and get more than ⅔ of the vote.