“The Veil Is Removed In Christ”

II Corinthians 3:9-16

9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

12) Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

13) And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

O

ur scripture text is telling us, today, that the “blindness” from which we suffer is our inability to see that which is spiritual. This is difficult for many to understand because human beings can receive much information and retain it, but this simply serves to confuse us. You see, once we get saved, we mistakenly believe that this will be able to help us spiritually.

The truth is that our “intellect” is not, necessarily, of benefit to us. In fact, our “much learning” has “handicapped” the Church, for we have come to believe that human understanding is enough.

As part of the Church of Christ, we have entered a spiritual relationship as the Bride of Christ. Because God is a Spirit, this makes us “one” in Spirit with Him! The “type” of bride He “takes on” is important, for the scripture does speak of the fact that if one is “...joined to an harlot” the two become one flesh, sharing the spirit of the harlot. But we,. being joined to Him, become “one Spirit.”

While it is true that all that is God becomes available to us upon our union with Him, no matter what it is, if we want what He has, we must access it through the Spirit! What we want to know of God, what we want to be in Him is available to us in the Spirit, only!

The “separation” made between the “unclean” and the “clean,” existing from the time of the Old Testament, was enforced in the tabernacle by the existence of the “veil” that hung between the Holy of holies and the holy place. This veil was simply a representation of the “separation” existing between the spiritual and the fleshly. You see, every Man born into the World is born into sin. Being a sinner, he is “blind” to all that is spiritual and only his birth into the kingdom of God removes his “blindness” (or, “veil”).

In his “natural” state, Man attempts to “make sense” of everything, particularly that that is spiritual. The fact that this is impossible explains why Man must be “reborn” into another life.

Now, it would seem that the fact that the Lord goes to such “trouble” to “make us new” would impress us with its evident importance. He goes to great lengths to teach us that what He says is “sure,” meaning that as long as our direction comes from Him, we need worry for nothing. Not only this, but we needn't even worry about what “might” be—whether that be what someone might have said or what one might feel about us or another.

This would seem to be logical, but what happens to us is that we “forget” what we are shown of God (by Him) when we are initially “saved,” revert to our fleshly way of thinking and become “Caught up” in our personal lives once again. Whenever we become concerned with ourselves, all thoughts of. the souls of others are eclipsed—and our lives become “meaningless” once again.

When we assess “the greatness of the glory of God,” we must immediately consult the spiritual. You see, His “greatness” is not determined by what He does for Man; what Man does for or says about Him; what “theories” Our theologians, prophets, apostles or evangelists “develop” concerning Him. His greatness is determined simply by Who He is—and that is spiritual!

Now, we want the benefits of all that is spiritual; we want to “see” the manifestation of a God that is spiritual. But, unless we are spiritual, we are making an “impossible request.” Could it be that we are “cowed” by the fact that it takes adversity to “spiritualize” us?

The fact is that trials and tests are necessary in order to rid us of what impedes us; keeps us from advancing in the Lord. However, in that the Lord is always “moving forward,” we cannot afford to “stand still.” Throughout the Old Testament and in any Church or ministry that is “about His business,” you will find forward movement. All of this is confirmation that God never intends us to “settle” in one place.

One “measure” of our progress in the Lord should be that we find ourselves drawing closer to Him on a daily basis. Remaining “sensitive” to Him is the only way to “keep up with” the “changes” in the spiritual “climate.” Only by knowing His mind do we also remain aware of the devices of the devil. You see, he preys on those who are ignorant of the truth. For those who “teeter the fence,” he always has a substitute for what is true.

It should come as no surprise to us that all of the “substitutes” the devil presents to us are understandable by us. In this way, we can always recognize his “hand.” You see, he works through the flesh and “understanding” is a function of the flesh.

Verse 13 of our text, today, speaks to the fact that what Moses brought down from the mountain would be abolished. The Law was not given to govern the saved. It was given to prove the need of salvation.

Salvation is given to Man that he might adopt a different way of thinking that is motivated by the Spirit, rather than the flesh. He is to accept the provision of God, recognize His sovereignty and accept His omniscience concerning us.

As human beings, we want our lives to be as “non-threatening” as possible. But, have we really ever stopped to examine what life would really be if we could have things “in our favor?” It might please us as “fallible” beings, but what would it do for our spiritual lives?

You see, we never know what God is trying to work out of, or “into” us, All that He does is for the purpose of making the vessel more “usable” in the life of another. Even if that were not His intention, it is ludicrous for us to believe that He allows “things” just to keep us upset or unhappy. This would only serve to work “against” Him and us, and then, we would simply “blame” Him.

Upon salvation, it should be true for us that “the veil is removed in Christ.” Only if we yield our minds to Him will we begin to see things as they are, really, and only if we are able to see the truth can we trust Him.