Page 16 - Florida Sentinel 4-29-22

Gloty To The New Covenant II Corinthians 3:7-18 (KJV)
SCRIPTURES
7 But if the ministra- tion of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly be- hold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glori- ous?
9 For if the ministra- tion of condemnation be glory, much more
doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glori- ous had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glori- ous, much more that which remaineth is glo- rious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the chil-
dren 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.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of
the Lord.
The Glory Of The Old Covenant (II Corinthians 3:7-10)
Although the Law of Moses was “glorious” it has been “done away” with or abolished. The Law was only to continue for a time, and then vanish away. Whereas the gospel (the new covenant), will re- main “much more glori- ous,” to the end of the world.
Paul himself admitted that he would not have known sin if it wasn’t for the Law (see Romans 7:7). Once the Savior came into the world, keeping the Law was no longer necessary be- cause it could not save any- one. The commandments are “holy and righteous and good” (see Romans 7:12), yet they can only reveal sin; they cannot solve the prob- lem of sin. The Law can
only condemn a person of sin because no one can keep the Law perfectly for “the wages of sin is death” (see Romans 6:23). So God replaced the Law with something far greater, more magnificent and more glori- ous—the new covenant, the gospel.
The Glory Of The New Covenant
(II Corinthians 3:11-18)
This “liberty” does not mean that we have the free- dom to do whatever we want to do. According to the Scriptures, the spiritual “liberty” or freedom that we have through the new covenant means at least four things.
First, we are free from abiding by the laws of the old covenant like circumci- sion, offering sacrifices and laws that govern what we can eat.
Second, we are free from the power of sin, for accord- ing to Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Third, we are free from the fear of death. Romans 8:1-2 says “There is there- fore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
And finally, we are free to serve God and one an- other with joy.
In his letter to the believ- ers in Galatia, Paul wrote “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Conclusion. In this week’s lesson, the Apostle Paul contrasted the two covenants, the old one and the new one. The old one which was the Law of Moses was focused only on Is- rael. It was temporary, caused fear and condemned God’s people.
But the new covenant which is the gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal, it is gra- cious, forgiving and calls on the whole world to repent and believe in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.
PAGE 4-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022