Freedom

Introduction

A. I am not a trial lawyer and know very little about the intricacies of law and trying a case. Without a doubt there are some in this audience who know far more than I do in this area and willingly bow to their expertise. But I do know that in the Bible, God made it clear that it took the testimony of two or three witnesses to convict a person of breaking his law. Without witnesses there really was no case. In the story of Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21, two men are paid to be false witnesses in order to convict Naboth of treason which results in his death. The same thing happens in Jesus’s trial. Witnesses are paraded into the Roman court, but it is obvious that they are false witnesses. Yet, the law gives way to outside pressure and Jesus is murdered.

B. This court idea is present in 2 Corinthians. Paul has been and may still be under attack. Things are getting better, but he is still not fully accepted among the Corinthians. According to chapter 1 his motives, words, and actions have been called into question. In 1:23, he calls on God as his witness testifying to his sincerity. In 3:2, the Corinthian church serves as a witness testifying to the integrity of Paul’s motives. Now in our text this morning he calls upon Moses to serve as the third witness to his message. Moses serves as a negative witness. He testifies to the fading glory of the old message, which points to the surpassing glory of Paul’s message. Paul’s thinking is not as straightforward as we might like it to be, but his point is nevertheless real.

C. Paul ends this section with words of triumph and victory. The Corinthians have criticized Paul and in the process have discounted the message of the gospel. While Paul is certainly fighting to restore their confidence in his integrity, he is primarily fighting for them to accept the gospel in its fullest intent. The end of chapter three focuses upon the temporary nature of the old covenant and the permanent nature of the gospel. Paul’s basis for this argument is Moses and the veil he wore after being in God’s presence or glory. This is the primary contrast in this section. The ministry of the Spirit is far superior to the ministry of Moses. That’s the point and for Paul this point verifies his integrity as a preacher of the ministry of the Spirit; this point also verifies the transformation which is taking place among them. As we study today, Paul will remind us that God’s presence is always near and his presence makes a profound impact on us.

The Text

A. In verses 7–11, Paul continues his thought which he began in 3:4. Those who had been attacking Paul were probably of Jewish heritage. They claimed that the law was vital for all including the Gentiles. Paul, however, says in 3:6 that they are ministers of the new covenant. This new covenant is not the law which kills but the ministry of the Spirit which brings life. Already then in 3:6, we see the contrast being established between the law which came through Moses and the ministry of the Spirit which Paul preaches. Paul will reiterate the point in 3:9—the ministry of Moses brings condemnation, the ministry of the Spirit brings righteousness or right standing before God.

1. In verse 7, Paul says that what Moses gave came with glory, i.e, with the power and presence of God. This is reference to Exodus 34:29-35. Moses stood in the presence or glory of God. When he came out, his face was radiant. It actually shined. This scared the people. So Moses would wear a veil to hide the glory of his face. The ministry of Moses came with glory.

2. But this glory was fading. 3:13, Moses wore the veil to hide the fading glory. Paul’s point: Moses face shone temporarily because that was the nature of the ministry which he was a part of. His ministry was temporary. But the ministry of the Spirit is permanent. As glorious as Moses’ ministry was, the ministry of the Spirit is even more glorious.

3. Fading glory was wonderful how much better must be a glory which never fades? For the Gentiles, the ministry of Moses brought condemnation. Paul brought a message of hope and freedom. His ministry was of the Spirit and brought a greater and better message.

B. Thus, in 12–18, Paul continues this contrast by now looking at the implications of the veiling which took place with Moses. Notice in verse 12 that Paul mentions this hope which comes from the ministry of the Spirit. This hope produces boldness. Remember back in 1:17, Paul had already been accused of being wishy washy when it comes to his speech. Here in 3:12 he again defends his words as words of boldness which come because of the hope he has. The contrast now is the veiling and unveiling. Moses veiled his face. Paul didn’t veil his face. This is an image which is lost in our culture.

1. The idea of veiling in Paul’s day was a sign of shame and lack of freedom. We can still see this a bit in our day and time in the Islamic culture. Look at verse 15. “Even when Moses is read today, the veil exists.” What is Paul’s point? Some have interpreted this to mean that something is hidden, but I think Paul gives us the contrast in verse 16 and 17: “when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away and when the veil is taken away there is freedom.” The contrast is condemnation and freedom.

2. Moses’s ministry brings condemnation. The Spirit’s ministry of which Paul is a preacher brings freedom. Paul’s plea is for the Corinthians to remember the freedom that he proclaimed to them through the gospel and not to give that freedom up for the ministry of Moses. Thus, Paul calls on the testimony of Moses himself to speak of the temporary nature of his ministry and the permanency of the Spirit’s ministry.

Lessons

A. So what? Let’s first make obvious what Paul’s point is. When Moses went in to speak to God, he removed his veil. Moses only wore the veil when he came and reported to the people what God had said. Why did Moses remove the veil when he talked to God? I believe verse 16 is speaking of Moses as well as all who turn to the Lord. When one turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. Why? Because there is freedom in the presence of God.

1. Moses wore the veil with the people to hide the glory of God. But when Moses was with God nothing was hidden. Yet, Moses was in God’s presence temporarily. But in that temporary state, Moses knew what it was to be free. He knew what it was to be unveiled in God’s presence. He knew what it meant to be absolutely accepted in the presence of the one who loved him.

2. Notice verse 18. What does Paul say about those who have accepted the ministry of the Spirit? We have unveiled faces. Moses was in God’s presence temporarily. For a time his face shone and with the passing of time his face quit reflecting the glory of God. But we are continually in the presence of God and our faces unveiled as they are, continually reflect the glory of God.

3. The first point is this—we never leave the presence of God. Having accepted the ministry of the Spirit means never having to be away from the glory of God. You are never alone. The truth is God is always present even when our emotions tell us otherwise. We can then be very bold (v.12). The ministry of the Spirit brings us into God’s presence. He brings us life. There is no condemnation. There is righteousness and acceptance. No more shame and bondage, but complete freedom.

B. Second, being in God’s presence means there is a transformation taking place. When Moses went into the tent of God and spoke to God, his face was transformed. The people saw the transformation. Paul says in verse 18 that being in God’s presence continually means that a continual transformation is taking place. We are being changed into his likeness with every increasing glory. Spend time with your friend and he/she will rub off on you. Spend time with God and he will change you. A person comes to be like what he loves, and grows to be like what he worships.

1. Being in God’s presence means that we reflect his glory in our lives. He brings changes in our lives so that we look more and more like him. The ministry of the Spirit means that there is freedom. God doesn’t want to veil us. He doesn’t want to place us in bondage. He wants to give us complete freedom. Freedom to love him and to reflect him.

2. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is freedom for those who live in the presence of God. There is life in the Spirit. There is death in the law. The contrast is complete. Paul has his three witnesses: God, the church at Corinth, and Moses. And the point is the one which we offer today—only in the Spirit is there life. How does one receive the Spirit. In baptism. In Christ, the veil of sin, shame, and condemnation is removed. In Christ, we are given freedom. This freedom leads to a transformation. A person comes to be like what he loves, and grows to be like what he worships. Who do you love? Invitation.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.