The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light

2 Corinthians 4:1-12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, ² but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants on account of Jesus. ⁶ For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; ⁸ we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death works in us, but life in you.

One of the things that I find hard to believe is how many people are unable to discern and accept what is obvious truth. Today’s text says: If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants on account of Jesus. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. It is neither God, nor the god of this world who is ultimately responsible for the deception, but rather it is the choice of those who do not see. It is their choice of darkness over light. John 3:17-21 says: “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.” Those who love and choose darkness over light cannot see, and so they believe a lie rather than the truth.

One of the lies that the world has believed is that truth is relative, that each person can have their own truth, that evil can be good, and darkness can be light. The lie and the deception is that all that matters is how a person thinks, feels and identifies. In John 17:17 Jesus says: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. God’s word is not only true, it is truth.” God’s word is the plumbline by which everything else is measured. In Isaiah 5:20 God’s word says: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  The Genesis creation account establishes many foundational truths. Genesis 1:1 says: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. If we start out building on and believing a lie rather than the truth, everything else that is built will be built upon that lie. Whatever something is built upon, that foundation must be reenforced by more of the same in order that what is built can be maintained. What is built on a lie, requires more lies for it to be maintained.  Genesis 1:26-28 says: Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  All that our society and culture has embraced that does not line up with truth is a lie.

Today’s text says: We have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. The treasure that we have is not gold or silver. It is the light and glory of God that we hold. In John 10:10 Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” The truth is, the abundant life that Jesus came to give us is not necessarily a life free from difficulty. It is a life of peace and victory in and over difficulty. In Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus says: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  In John 16:33 Jesus says: “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  Our peace comes from the truth that we are with the one who has already overcome all of our difficulties.

In John 14:27 Jesus says: “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.” The truth is, the world cannot give us peace. In Genesis 1:2-4 it says: The earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. The word that is translated as formless, desolate and emptiness, could also be translated as chaos. God spoke to the chaos and created order. When the world speaks its lies, it only leads to more chaos. Only God’s truth can speak to the chaos and desolate emptiness in our lives and bring order and peace and life.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit, for Your truth, Your peace, Your light and the abundant life You give us in Christ. Amen.