Five Reasons Why Some People Reject The Gospel

Five Reasons Why Some People Reject The Gospel (A two week study) II Corinthians 3: 7 -18

Review of II Corinthians 3: 1 -6… The false apostles had marched into town claiming to have more authority than Paul because they carried letters from Jewish leaders in Israel. Paul claims that the Corinthians spiritual lives trump the letters of the false apostles. From here Paul discusses the dead religion of the false apostles which they were blinded by.

By the way, my youngest son was in FCS with your daughter. While your daughter was (is? ) a pretty model student, my son did his best to create problems. . . so they weren't exactly in the same "social circle. " But, my son told me once that, unlike most of the "good kids, " your daughter was always nice to him and treated him with respect. As you might guess, he feels that many (most? ) Christians are hypocrites. . . saying one thing, but doing another. Your daughter was one of the few who showed him that, regardless of their differences of opinion, there are those whose behaviors match their words. I am hopeful that my youngest son will work himself back into Christian circles someday. If that happens, a part of the reason will be his memory of your daughter and her willingness to treat someone with very different views and a different "lifestyle" with the kind of respect that we are called to as Christians.

I. Outline A. God writes on the heart of believers 1 -4 B. God based adequacy 5 -6 C. The glory of the new covenant 711 D. The veiled heart 12 -16 E. Seeing Jesus in the mirror 17 -18

The Lesson of II Corinthians 3: 7 -18 In the Old Covenant God revealed His law to Israel. The law was intended to show man that he was a sinner and in need of a Savior. The new contract was given by Jesus and Paul was appointed the servant of it to the gentile world. The new covenant surpasses the old contract in glory. As a result of using the law as the basis of salvation instead of seeing the need of a Savior, the Jews were spiritually blinded. The law was meant to make humble not proud.

II. Commentary Notes C. The glory of the new covenant 7 -11 Paul compares the glory of the law to that of the new covenant. His point is that as the glory of Moses’ face which represented God’s glory was temporary, so was the old covenant. The temporal old covenant is replaced with the eternal new covenant.

To understand the significance of this passage, we need to bring into focus three issues: 1. The new covenant 2. The Shekinah glory 3. Moses’ glorious face

The new covenant… "Behold, days are coming, " declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, "declares the Lord. "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, " declares the Lord, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31: 31 -33

Ezekiel adds… "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36: 26 -27

The Shekinah glory is the physical manifestation of the invisible Jehovah’s awesome splendor and grandeur. Words fail and so light and brilliance must take over in a luminous cloud cover. Shekinah is the Hebrew Sc’cheenah and has to do with God’s presence. In the Jewish mind the Lord would “rest upon” or “dwell with” those whom He was pleased.

• Exodus 24: 16 – Was at Mount Sinai • Exodus 40: 34 -38 – Was in the tabernacle as a cloud and fire • Revelation 21: 22 -27 – In the millennium God’s glory will illuminate everything

From the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL

Moses’ fading glorious glowing face… Exodus 34: 29 -35 The fading glory of Moses’ face represented the fading glory of the old covenant

Old and New Covenant Glory Contrasted Old • • • Letter Death Ministry of death Engraved on stones Fading glory Ministry of condemnation • Timid (Moses 13) New • • • Spirit Life Ministry of the Spirit Engraved on hearts Permanent glory Ministry of righteousness (Isa. 61: 10, II Cor. 5: 21) • Bold (Paul 12)

D. The veiled heart 12 -16 12. The new covenant is bold unlike the old 13. See Exodus 34: 29 -35 for Moses’ veiled face 14. Condemnation of legalistic Judaism, both ancient and modern 15. See Romans 9 -11, especially 11: 25 -26

A synagogue in Capharnaum

D. The veiled heart 12 -16 12. The new covenant is bold unlike the old 13. See Exodus 34: 29 -35 for Moses’ veiled face 14. Condemnation of legalistic Judaism, both ancient and modern 15. See Romans 9 -11, especially 11: 25 -26 16. When the unbeliever turns to the Lord from his prior life the veil is removed.

E. Seeing Jesus in the mirror 17 -18 17. This verse affirms the deity of the Holy Spirit and His role in salvation which is characterized by “liberty. ” 18. Now for believers, in the sanctification process there is a spiritual mirror in which every day we see Jesus and look like Him more every day. Even though the outward is decaying, the inward is renewing (II Corinthians 4: 16).

III. Five Reasons Why Some People Reject The Gospel

1. Desire for a work based religion • Key passage: Romans 9: 30 -32 There is something attractive to the carnal mind in believing that a person is capable of earning God’s approval through human effort in spite of their sinful heart.

2. Refusal to trade the pleasures of this world • Key passage: Luke 8: 14 Some men and women refuse to give up the temporal pleasures of this world for eternal joy. What a horrifying trade.

3. Unwillingness to do the will of God • Key passage: John 7: 16 -17 God is not obliged to reveal the truth of the gospel unless an unbeliever is willing to do God’s will.

4. Pride • Key passage: Luke 18: 9 -14 Some individuals seek selfexaltation. This is enhanced by putting others done.

5. Satanic blinding • Key passage: II Corinthians 4: 4 and Luke 18: 12 When the unbeliever refuses to submit to God’s rightful rule in his or her life, he or she becomes vulnerable to Satanic blinding.

IV. The Believer’s To Do List 1. Develop a list of those to pray for who need the Savior and then pray hard. 2. Make sure that at least once you have presented the gospel to them. 3. Start building non-Christian friendships. 4. Ask God for something big in your life in being used for the gospel.