The Light of the Gospel

11.16.2009

2 Corinthians 4:4 4“…in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” New American Standard Bible

This issue here is not just light, but the right light. On a brilliant sunny day in summer there is plenty of light to play baseball but it makes it hard to catch a fly-ball when you have to look up toward the sun to do it. One light dominates the other.

Blindness to the Gospel certainly is rooted in the darkness of the soul but is masked by the brilliance of earthly things: possessions, position, and performance; what one has, who one is, and how one does. Blindness to the Gospel is the buying into the lie that says whatever is here and now is of greater worth and meaning that whatever might be there and then. And sometimes what is here and now looks and feels pretty good…

The temptation for me is to look at my circumstances and pine away that my life would be better if only __________. (Fill in the blank.) That temptation usually shows up most vivid when I bump into financial or relational difficulties and don’t turn to God for the resolution. The resolution is faith and proclaiming the promises of God to myself over and over; forcing my soul to give up the blinders promising that my help will come from some other source other than the Lord. The Corinthians battled this – I battle this; and I think a lot of others do as well. Faith sometimes has to tell reason, “Sit and be quiet! God has promised!”

Father in Heaven,

To see Your light I must immovably believe in Your truth and the promises You have made. The world cannot reason through that – it smacks against human pride. Help me this day to avoid the temptation to look elsewhere for some other help rather than to stand in faith and trust in You, and what You’ve said. May I make my way this day by the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. In His glorious Name I pray, amen.