II Corinthians 4:6 declares that God “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Christ’s command of creation, “let there be light” became God’s light that shone in Christ’s life (face) throughout his ministry. That coincides with passages where Jesus is declared to be the light of the world, among them John 1:4-5, 9, 8:12, 9:5, 12:35-56, 14:7, 9. That mouthful of scripture follows Paul’s exposition of Christ’s light—glory as it differed from Moses’ own light—glory II Corinthians 3:7-18.
Wanting only to write a blog, not preach a sermon, please note 3:18. For, as Christ IS the Face of God, he insists that Christians ARE the face of Christ and must allow him to SHINE in and through us to influence the unsaved. If we claim the privileges of faith in Christ—note Part IV—we cannot escape the responsibility the privileges impose. (The following material appeared in earlier blogs, but since it applies here, I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel.) How do we relate the Glory of Jesus Christ, the Very Face of God, to our unsaved friends, associates and acquaintances? By being as Christ-like as possible in as many ways as possible. The only reason we would hide Christ’s Face from unbelievers is that he isn’t equal to the challenge of educating, convicting, converting and edifying them. But he is! The only reason to hide his message would be it’s just one of many such efforts to find our way to God. But he isn’t. By his own statement in John 14:6, he’s the only way to God. Therefore, let us with transparent lives express the illumination and beauty of Jesus. Let us be like Robert Schuller’s former Chrystal Cathedral...open to everyone’s sight, with an invitation to come in and see. Jesus is the only proof needed to motivate the lost to trust him, love him, obey him. If we peel away from Jesus his miracles, teachings, example, personality, death, resurrection...what’s left? The Person of God, the Image of God, the Fullness of God, the Glory of God, the FACE of God! A glory to be seen, not hidden; revealed, not covered; declared, not silenced. THAT’s the-still unmet challenge confronting Christians. While it’s easier to mask Christ’s Face from unbelievers than to reveal his FACE in our lives, we don’t have the alternative. Our worship services may be the public face of the church, but only Christians are the public FACE l Shine, Christians, shine. Glow, Christians, glow. Let Jesus illuminate us as the means of enlightening the unsaved. Amen. Fini. NOTE: No blogs for the next few days. Back Monday, November 30.
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