The Epistle of Second Corinthians
Lesson Number 17
TRANSLATION LEGEND: AMPLIFIED = Amplified Bible, ASV=American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA=Douay-Rheims (1899), ESV=English Stand Version (2001), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version, KJV=King James Version (1611), LIVING = Living Bible, MONTGOMERY =Montgomery’s New Testament, NKJV=New King James Version (1982), NAB=New American Bible, NASB=New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU=New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB=New International Bible, NIV=New International Version (1984), NJB=New Jerusalem Bible, NLT=New Living Translation, NRSV=New Revised Standard Version (1989), RSV=Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK=JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster=The Webster Bible 1833, YLT=Young’s Literal Translation (1862), WEYMOUTH=Weymouth’s New Testament, WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament, PHILLIPS = J B Phillips New Testament
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG=Friberg Lexicon, UBS=UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA=Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT=Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER=Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
THE BEGINNING AND NATURE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE
“ 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” KJV (2 Cor 4:6-7)
INTRODUCTION
It is imperative that we see that salvation, in its entirety, is of the Lord. Although men are involved in the process, their involvement is not the critical factor. The effectiveness of every aspect of salvation, from its initiation to its culmination, is not owing to men, but to God.
As simplistic as this may appear, it is not at all common for men to consider salvation as being wholly of the Lord. Man’s “fallenness” has constrained him to overestimate his own strength, and understate his need for the Lord. From the beginning, however, godly men have confessed their unquestionable need for the Lord and His intervention.
☛ “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).
☛ “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah” (Psa 3:8).
☛ “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble” (Psa 37:39).
☛ “He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death” (Psa 68:20).
☛ “But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end” (Isa 45:17).
☛ “And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Rev 7:10).
For those who live by faith and are acquainted with Scripture, all of this is evident – at least on an academic level. However, through the ages, the church has suffered much from the philosophizing of those who have managed to obscure this marvelous reality. It is for this very reason that Paul is opening this subject as he is.
The premier example of salvation is found in Israel – in particular, in their deliverance from Egypt. We are told that what occurred to them “happened unto them as examples, and they are written for our admonition” (1 Cor 10:11).
SEEN IN THE DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL
The deliverance of Israel from a four hundred and thirty year Egyptian bondage, is often referred to as them being “saved.”
☛ “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever” (Ex 14:13).
☛ “Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians” (Ex 14:30).
☛ ON THE BANKS OF THE RED SEA. “The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him” (Ex 15:2).
☛ “Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto Thee, O people saved of the Lord” (Deut 33:29).
☛ “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not” (Jude 1:5).
There is no way that Israel could have delivered itself from Egypt. In fact, it appears that such a notion never occurred to the people. No attempt was made to escape Egypt for over four centuries. When deliverance finally did come, it was quite evident that it was “of the Lord.”
☛ The ten plagues in Egypt (Ex 7:14-12:30).
☛ Exemption from the plagues in the land of Goshen (Ex 8:22; 9:26; 10:23).
☛ Spoiled the Egyptians when they left (Ex 3:22; 12:36; Psa 105:36).
☛ A dog did not bark against them (Ex 11:7).
☛ Not a hoof was left behind (Ex 10:26).
☛ Crossing through the Red Sea on dry land (Ex 14:16.21-22,29; 15:19; Psa 78:13).
☛ Drowning of Pharaoh and his armies (Ex 14:17-18, 24-28; Psa 78:53).
There is not a one of these things that could be wrought by human wisdom or strength. No supposed law of nature could have caused them to occur. If God had not done them, they never would have occurred, and that is very apparent. Israel’s salvation was wholly of the Lord.
Israel’s Involvement
It is quite true that Israel themselves were involved in this deliverance. From their viewpoint, considerable effort was involved.
☛ The women had to borrow jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment for their children (Ex 11:2-3).
☛ They had to kill the passover lamb (Ex 12:21).
☛ They had to smear the blood of the passover lamb over the doors and on the side posts of the dwellings (Ex 12:22).
☛ They were required to eat the lamb with haste, with their clothes on and their staffs in their hands (Ex 12:11).
☛ They had to bake unleavened cakes to take with them (Ex 39).
☛ All of the males had to be circumcised (Ex 12:48-50).
☛ The people had to take their unleavened dough, and carry their kneading troughs on their shoulders wrapped in clothing (Ex 12:34).
☛ They had come out of Egypt together at the midnight hour, with all of their children and livestock (Ex 12:29-36; 13:3-4).
☛ They had to walk through the Red Sea with towering walls of water all around them (Ex 14:22).
The Deliverance Explained
In all of the Scriptural references to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, God alone is credited with what happened. The cause is never traced to men.
☛ It was He who gave the women favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that their enemies gave them what they required (Ex 12:36).
☛ It was because of the Lord that “there was not a feeble person among their tribes” (Psa 105:37).
☛ It was God who “led the people” (Ex 13:18), and “went before them” (Ex 13:21-22).
☛ It was God who brought them out “with silver and gold” (Psa 105:37).
☛ It was God who parted the Red Sea (Psa 78:13).
☛ The Lord drowned Pharaoh and his armies (Deut 11:4).
☛ The Lord “dried up the water of the Red Sea” (Josh 2:10).
☛ God caused the people to pass through the Red Sea on dry land (Psa 78:13).
☛ God brought them forth out of Egypt, as out of “the iron furnace” (Deut 4:20).
☛ God brought them “forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm” (Deut 26:8).
☛ The Lord “saved the people out of the land of Egypt” (Jude 1:5).
Nowhere – absolutely nowhere – is Israel’s deliverance credited to their preparation. It is not said to have been the result of their wisdom, or any of their many activities. These things are obvious, and should require no further explanation.
The point I wish to make is that Israel provides us an example of how God accounts for the salvation of His people – whether it is Israel under the Old Covenant, or those in Christ Jesus under the New Covenant. Even though Israel was obedient, the cause of their deliverance is not traced to their obedience! Even though they responded, their salvation is not accounted for in their response. The cause is consistently traced back to God.
To be sure, there is no such thing as a salvation that does not involve the people – but their involvement is not the CAUSE of their salvation. The people participate, but not at the causal level. Human involvement is not the catalyst of the kingdom of God, nor can it ever be!
In the most precise way deliverance is “the salvation of the Lord” (Ex 14:13; 2 Chron 20:17; Lam 3:26), and “the salvation of God” (Psa 50:23; Luke 3:6; Acts 28:28). There is unwavering consistency in this matter.
All of this does have a bearing upon our text, for Paul will now account for the change that has taken place in those who are in Christ Jesus. He will identify the cause of their salvation.
FOR GOD
“ 4:6 For God . . . ” Other versions read, “For it is the God,” NKJV “Seeing it is God,” ASV “Seeing that it is God,” BBE “Because it is the God,” DARBY and “It is God,” NJB
This text is a further explanation for why Paul did not preach himself, but rather preached Christ Jesus the Lord. In the light of the subject he will now expound, it would have been absolute foolishness to promote himself, or seek to win men to a sectarian manner of thought. Paul himself had perceived the truth, and that circumstance caused the promotion of personal ambitions to become absurd and repulsive. If we can see what he is now saying, they will become unreasonable to us also.
In order to experience valid understanding, the heart and mind must come to a point where God is seen as overshadowing everything else. Until this takes place, all views of salvation are nothing more than human opinions, which have no weight at all in the matter of kingdom thought.
There is no purely human thought that can edify a believer, clarify Scripture, or bring greater lucidity to the salvation of God. No language expertise can accomplish such required understanding. No historical or cultural expertise can advance “wisdom and spiritual understanding.” The well of nature is not deep enough to supply the refreshing water that comes from “the wells of salvation” (Isa 12:3).
One of the reasons for this condition is that salvation is wholly of the Lord. He is its Architect, Builder, and Author of all of its increase. Therefore, when Paul begins to consider what marvelous things are accomplished in those who are in Christ Jesus, he takes us back to God. This is also a Divine manner. When Moses opened up the matter of creation, he took us back to God (Gen 1:1). When he accounted for Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, he started with God hearing their groanings (Ex 2:24), and ended with Him delivering them.
The same approach is taken when expounding God’s “great salvation.” Whether we are considering purposing salvation (Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 1:20), implementing it (Gal 1:4; 1 John 4:9-10), or bringing it to its completion (Phil 1:6; Rom 9:28), God is the fundamental consideration.
ACCOUNTING FOR SALVATION
Men are too prone to account for their salvation by pointing to what they have done. This by no means suggests that men are saved without them doing anything. However, when accounting for that salvation, it must be traced back to God. Men do not do well to account for their salvation by pointing to their obedience or responses – even though they were essential, and salvation could not be realized without them. Our necessary and valid responses are too close to the surface of life to be an adequate explanation of our salvation.
A few examples will suffice to confirm the manner in which we are to account for our salvation. These are the key activities that caused us to be removed from a state of condemnation, and come into a state of Divine acceptance.
☛ “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30).
☛ “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11).
☛ “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph 1:6).
☛ “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1).
☛ “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:4-6).
☛ “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6).
☛ “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col 1:13).
Until the people of God learn to think and speak in this manner – tracing their salvation back to the Lord alone – they will be confined to a state of spiritual juvenility. In my judgment, God will not allow a person to realize spiritual advancement as long as they are unable to see Him as the sole Cause of their salvation.
FURTHER ELABORATION
Apostolic doctrine confirms that Divine influence is found throughout every aspect of salvation. A few reminders of this will serve to further introduce the text we are going to consider.
☛ RESPONSIVENESS. “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (Acts 16:14).
☛ BELIEVING. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Phil 1:29).
☛ FAITH. “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 6:23). “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 1:14).
☛ REPENTANCE. “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).
☛ CONFESSION. “ . . . no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor 12:3). “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven” (Mat 16:16-17).
☛ BAPTISM. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Col 2:12). “. . . baptism doth also now save us . . . by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 3:21).
☛ WORKING OUT OUR OWN SALVATION. “ . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13).
☛ FRUITFULNESS. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Gal 5:22).
☛ STANDING. “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand” (Rom 14:4).
☛ LOVING THE BRETHREN. “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another” (1 Thess 4:9).
☛ ABIDING IN CHRIST. “But the Anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as It hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1 John 2:27).
This sampling confirms a pattern of thought that is found throughout Scripture – particularly in regards to the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. There is not a single aspect of salvation in which God is not prominent. That includes its planning, initiation, maintenance, completion, and human response as well. Further, the Lord Jesus is also prominent in every aspect. Also, from its initiation through its completion, the Holy Spirit also plays a significant role in all of its various facets.
This kind of thinking is very relevant to our text. Paul will provide us with an explanation of our salvation – an exposition of why we are what we are. He will account for the change that has taken place in “the elect” (Col 3:12).
Therefore he begins with “for God.” This is not an academic expression. The phraseology denotes something that is very apparent – i.e. “Seeing that it is God.” BBE Paul is not reciting a religious creed, but declaring what he has perceived – and there is a vast difference between the two. What follows is reason for the conditions Paul has cited.
☛ “We faint not” (4:1).
☛ The hidden things of dishonesty have been “renounced” (4:2a).
☛ Paul did not walk “in craftiness” (4:2b).
☛ He did not “handle the word of God deceitfully” (4:2c).
☛ He manifested “the truth” (4:3).
☛ He did not preach himself (4:5a).
☛ He was a servant of the saints for Jesus’ sake (4:5b).
WHO COMMANDED THE LIGHT TO SHINE
“ 6b . . . who commanded the light to shine out of darkness . . .”
The Spirit will not allow men to philosophize about God. He will be specific about how we are to think of Him. Since men are prone to be superficial when considering the God of heaven, the Spirit will move Paul to speak very precisely about Him – particularly when addressing the matter of salvation. Remember, Paul is dealing with the superiority of the New Covenant, and of the framework of illumination within which its benefits are realized. He is showing why a state of spiritual ignorance is wholly unjustified during this marvelous “day of salvation.” How sorely this message is needed in a day when spiritual retardation is at flood-tide, and a lack of acquaintance with New Covenant glory is so prominent.
WHO COMMANDED THE LIGHT
“ ...who commanded the light... ” Other versions read, “Who said,” NASB
“Who spoke,” DARBY and “has said.” IE
This is the God we are called to consider – the commanding God! Here, the Spirit does not point us to what God has commanded men to do, but to a higher order of Divine dictation.
A Higher Order of Commandment
There is an higher order of commandment – one that is more lofty than moral requirements. There are several references to such commandments. These commands are not intended to illicit human response. They can neither be initiated nor terminated by human wisdom of initiative.
☛ “Then I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.” (Lev 25:21).
☛ “The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” (Deu 28:8).
☛ “And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there” (1 Kgs 17:4).
☛ “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people” (2 Chr 7:13).
☛ “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa 33:8-9).
☛ “Yet the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psa 42:8).
☛ “Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob” (Psa 44:4).
☛ “Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us” (Psa 68:28).
☛ “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress” (Psa 71:3).
☛ “Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven” (Psa 78:24).
☛ “He sent redemption unto his people: He hath commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name” (Psa 111:9).
☛ “As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore” (Psa 133:3).
☛ “And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it” (Isa 5:6).
☛ “And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them” (Amos 9:3).
☛ “And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto He, so I speak” (John 12:50).
Once such commandments go forth, they cannot be countermanded by any created personality in heaven, earth, or under the earth. They are issued by the will of the Lord, not the will of man. This is the kind of word to which the Psalmist referred: “The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon . . . The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness . . . The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve” (Psa 29:3-9). This is a command, that can neither be activated nor neutralized by man. His word is with power, so that speaking is equated with commanding.
This is the kind of word to which our text refers. There is a level at which the mighty God of heaven speaks that has nothing whatsoever to do with the will or ability of men. In order to substantiate this, the Spirit takes us to the point where there was no man. He takes us to “the beginning,” when the Lord spoke the world’s into existence.
TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS
“ . . . to shine out of darkness . . .” Other versions read, “shall shine out of darkness,” NASB “Let light shine out of darkness,” NIV “that out of darkness light should shine,” DARBY “Let there be light in the darkness,” NLT “Out of darkness light is to shine,” YLT and “From darkness let the light shine.” IE
If the phraseology seems a bit strange, it is because there is nothing in all of time and space that can be compared with it. No one in the flesh has ever done such a thing – nor has any angelic spirit, be it wicked or holy. Scripture begins with this event – when God Almighty “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.” At that time “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2a). Like a brooding mother-hen, the Spirit of God “moved,” or was “hovering” NKJV “upon the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2b).
Some have speculated concerning this verse, saying there must have been a previous world that had been reduced to chaos. There is, however, nothing in Scripture to support such a notion. We know from other statements that “the worlds” in their entirety were “framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear” (Heb 1:3). The term “worlds” in no way suggests chaos or disorder, but rather convey the idea of symmetry, synchronization, and harmony. It is a term given to what God created – the finished product. Further, “things that do not appear” are not protons, neutrons, atoms, and the likes. Those are not things that “do not appear,” nor are they invisible. They are extremely small, but can readily be seen if duly magnified. Things that “do not appear” cannot, under any circumstances, be made visible.
“Let there be light!”
Now the Spirit focuses on the creation of “light,” which was the first recorded command of God: “Let there be light!” (Gen 1:3). Most all versions read the same: “Let there be light.” Some variant readings include, “Let light be,” YLT and “Be light made.” DOUAY In an instant, where only darkness existed (“darkness was upon the face of the deep,” Gen 1:2), light sprang forth, dissipating the darkness – “and there was light. “
Our text says of this occasion, God “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.” Elsewhere God said of Himself, “I form the light” (Isa 45:7). He formed the light with His Word, which is the ultimate display of power or authority. Men can cause things to happen by with their hands, but not with their word. A man can build a house, but he cannot call it into existence with a command.
God was not asked to produce light. No angel assisted Him in bringing it forth. The creation of light was not a project. It did not happen by some random occurrence. Light was caused to come into being by the commandment of God. It shined where it did not exist previously.
The God who did this is the Subject of our text. The event will be paralleled with regeneration. The creation of “the world,” then, is an example of how men are delivered from the power of darkness, and brought to a point where they are being changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord (3:18). God IS prominent in the totality of the matter of salvation!
HATH SHINED INTO OUR HEARTS
“ 6c . . . hath shined in our hearts . . . ”
In order to discern the truth about our salvation, we must trace its beginning to God Himself. If we choose to think of it in terms of men and their deeds, we will not obtain a clear view of the matter. Keep in mind that the Spirit is moving Paul to expound the glories of the New Covenant, and how that relates to the lives of “the elect.” He is showing the Corinthians the unreasonableness and total unacceptability of walking in ignorance. There is a purpose to redemption, and it is not merely the change of human conduct – even though that is the unwavering result of the work. Here we will be exposed to Divine intent – what the God of heaven, by purpose, is accomplishing in His great salvation.
Men must seek deliverance from the inveterate tendency to speculate about salvation. God has spoken extensively concerning what He is doing in Christ Jesus, and it is our business to hear what He has said.
It is not uncommon to hear men wrangle about whether or not man’s “free will” is involved in them being saved. Others are snared by extended considerations concerning a sequence of steps that are required to be saved. Some see the critical matter to be what group we join, and what theological system we embrace. Whatever place there may be for such things, it is not at the foundational level. It is imperative that our thoughts concerning the redemption that is in Christ Jesus be formed in the light, and not in the room of the philosophers, or the libraries of the theologians. We must know where to BEGIN our considerations. We must think within the context of primary things, not incidentals. The branch of religious thought must be directly connected to the trunk of Deity and Divine purpose. If this does not occur, we will flounder in the abyss of darkness rather than rejoice in the glory of light.
The Spirit has already affirmed that moral and spiritual “change” occurs when we behold “the glory of the Lord” as reflected in the Gospel of Christ. This initiates a transformation, or metamorphosis, “from glory to glory,” like the change of a larvae into a monarch butterfly. The change occurs in us, but is actually accomplished by the Spirit of God (3:18).
Now the Spirit will put this whole matter under the microscope of Divine explanation. He will show the details of how this whole process was initiated. Remember, this is the activity of the God who “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.”
HATH SHINED
“ . . . hath shined . . . ” Other versions read, “has shone” NKJV “made His light shine,” NIV “has put . . . the light,” BBE “has shone,” ESV and “He made light shine.” IE
Let it be clear, this is describing the activity of God, not man. At this point, the issue is not when this occurred, but who caused it to occur. We will not be able to discern any of the pertinent details until the Source of the accomplishment is perceived.
Just as surely as the natural light had a genesis, or beginning, so spiritual light has a commencement – a time when it begins to be. There is a time when the “things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14) begin to be seen – when the individual becomes acutely aware of another world, another domain, another kingdom, and another frame of reference. It is a time when this world is seen as it really is, and humanity as a whole, as well as on the individual level, is seen “in truth.” At this time moral and spiritual darkness is dissipated, and proper understanding, I an infant stage, comes into being.
Scripture refers to this as the time we “were illuminated” (Heb 10:32). It is also called the time when we “were once enlightened” (Heb 6:4). This is the time when you received “the eyes of your understanding” (Eph 1:18), and the capacity to see things formerly hidden was received.
The Personal Aspect of Salvation
The text before us describes the personal aspect of salvation. There was a sense when light entered into the world in the enfleshed Christ: “light is come into the world” (John 1:9; 3:19). Jesus Himself said, “I am come a light into the world” (John 12:46). It is then that “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Mat 4:16). However, that light was refused by many. As it is written, “men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). This is not, however, the focus of this text. It is not Jesus’ coming into this world that is intended, but the light of the glorified Christ, as declared in the Gospel.
The glorified Christ is in heaven, not upon the earth! He is “by the right hand of God exalted” (Acts 2:33). God has “set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:20). He is “above” the entire autonomic order – out of its reach, and inaccessible to flesh and blood (Col 3:1). The Savior is “the brightness of” God’s “glory” (Heb 1:3), “dwelling in the light which no man can approach to” (1 Tim 6:16).
The Challenge
As already declared, men are changed by “beholding the glory of the Lord” (3:18). However, this is a glory that cannot be accessed by natural abilities. Men cannot study their way into this essential glory. In fact, it is only through the Gospel that they are even aware that Jesus is, in fact, “glorified” (Acts 3:13), “crowned with glory and honor” (Heb 2:9). If this glory is the means used by the Holy Spirit to “change” us, how then can we gain access to it? There is no hope of change without it, and there is no hope of heaven without that change!
The answer to the dilemma is powerfully declared: “For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone.” RSV Our personal circumstance was as hopeless as “the face of the deep,” which was covered with darkness! There was no imagined law of nature that could have brought light into the dark abyss mentioned in the first chapter of Genesis. No created personality, whether angel, seraph, or cherub, could have changed that situation! If God did not MAKE something happened, the condition could not change. If God did not “command” the light to shine, it never would have shined. However, when He did command it to shine, there was neither a person nor power that could negate that command!
This is the God who commands, or “shines,” the light upon us. We see because of Him. We understand because of Him. We discern and comprehend because of Him! There is no school that can cause the light of the glorified Christ to shine upon us. But God can, and did!
Clarifying A Point
In this text, the Spirit is describing regeneration in its most foundational sense. At this point, He is not associating it with human response, obedience, or even faith. All of those are involved in regeneration – but not at the most foundational level. Here we are viewing the fountain from which the realization of every spiritual benefit springs. Without this, religion is only pretension.
In the beginning, creation was initiated by the command of God. Now we will see that re-creation is also initiated by His command. There was no autonomic process “in the beginning,” when “God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen1:1). There is also no reflexive process whereby the new creation comes into being. That is, re-creation, or regeneration is not something that is at the end of a series of perceived procedures. God does use means, to be sure. Here, however, the means is His “command.” This is not a command to be obeyed by men, but a sovereign command by which something is accomplished. It is a command issued to the light, not to the man! It is something that God does, not something man does.
Let it be clear, the “light” of reference does not turn on when men have done this or that. It is rather caused to shine by a Divine fiat, or decree. This does not negate any requirement for the preaching of the Gospel or for human obedience. Rather, here we are given to look behind the scenes to see how things are really working in the heavenly kingdom. It is much akin to beholding the inward workings of a complex clock. We might be able to move the hands here or there, wind the clock, set an alarm, etc. But when the back is removed, and the inward parts are revealed, we see the real power of the clock.
IN OUR HEARTS
“ . . . in our hearts . . . ” Other versions read, “into our hearts,” NJB and “has flooded our hearts with his light.” PHILLIPS
And, where is it that the light is “commanded to shine?” It has been caused by God to shine “in our hearts.” Just as the natural heart is the center of man’s physical constitution, so the word “heart” is used to describe the central part of man’s spiritual constitution – the “center of spiritual life.” STRONG’S
Various things are said about “the heart” in Scripture. A brief review of some of them will serve to clarify what is being affirmed in this text.
☛ By nature, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9).
☛ The heart can purpose: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor 4:5).
☛ The heart pursues what is treasured by the individual. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Mat 6:21).
☛ God promised He would circumcise the heart. “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (Deu 30:6).
☛ The issues of life proceed from the heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov 4:23).
☛ The corruption of sinners is found in their hearts. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23).
☛ Obedience is from the heart. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Rom 6:17).
☛ Men believe with heart. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom 10:10).
☛ The Word of God discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
☛ The heart can be established with grace. “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein” (Heb 13:9).
☛ Christ dwells in the heart by faith. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph 3:17).
☛ The aim is for our hearts to be unblameable in holiness. “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thess 3:13).
☛ The Lord God is sanctified in the heart. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet 3:15).
☛ This is where the Day Star arises – in our hearts. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Pet 1:19).
If Divine light can penetrate this part of men, it will impact his entire person. Such a person will think, reason, and purpose in a different way – a way that is harmonious with heaven. This is because illumination makes everything clearer, enabling the individual to see how things really are.
HEARTLESS RELIGION
The bane of modern religion is seen in its heartlessness. Men are often not really changed, but stumble through life in the dark, all the while wearing a religious tag about their necks. Such people do not think any differently than the unregenerate. They see things the same way as the lost, entertain the same values, and perceive issues as does the world. They must have some commandment to do something religious, else they will not do it. If there is some word from God demanding they go to church, they might consider doing so in times of convenience. If He does not say to go two times, once will suffice. They will not seek out opportunities to draw close to God, imbibe His Word, or be in fellowship with His people. They must be governed by Law, for the love of Christ does not constrain them (2 Cor 5:14).
Such people are not abandoning all competing interests, counting them but “dung.” They are not pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. They are not seeking to “win Christ,” realize “the power of His resurrection,” and experience “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:8-10). They care nothing for attaining to “the resurrection of the dead” (Phil 3:11). They do not “esteem” the words of God’s mouth more than their “necessary food” (Job 23:12). They are quite content to remain ignorant of the precious words of Scripture, choosing to read and consider other things.
And why do these conditions exist? Is there anything at all about salvation that contributes to such a posture? Indeed, there is not. These conditions exist because their heart is not in their religion. They actually do not care for the things of God – that is why they do not seek them. The truth of the matter is that God has not commanded the light to shine into their hearts. He has not issued that command because such people are not occupying the vicinity where light can fill their hearts. That is why they are walking in darkness. That is why they have little or no appetite for the Word of God, and are not involved in a fervent quest to obtain the prize!
Heartless religion is lethal. Unless a person is delivered from it, all hope of being saved is lost. Although I have already sited these Scriptures pertaining to the heart, bear with me while I once again underscore them. These things are pivotal to our understanding of life in Christ Jesus.
☛ True circumcision is “of the heart, in the spirit” (Rom 2:29).
☛ The love of God is “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5).
☛ When we are baptized, we are obeying “from the heart that form of doctrine delivered” to us (Rom 6:17).
☛ It is “with the heart” that we “believe unto righteousness” (Rom 10:10).
☛ God gives us “the earnest of the Spirit” in our hearts (2 Cor 1:22).
☛ The “light of the knowledge of the glory of God” is shined into “our hearts” (2 Cor 4:6).
☛ God has sent forth “the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying Abba, Father” (Gal 4:6).
☛ Christ dwells in our “hearts by faith” (Eph 3:17).
☛ God directs our “hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ” (2 Thess 3:5).
☛ In the New Covenant, God writes His laws into our hearts (Heb 8:10).
☛ The will of God can be thoroughly and acceptably done only “from the heart” (Eph 6:6).
☛ The objective of the commandment is “charity out of a pure heart, and of faith unfeigned” (1 Tim 1:5).
☛ We can only approach God with a “true heart” (Heb 10:22a).
☛ Our hearts are “sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Heb 10:22b).
☛ It is the heart that is “established by grace (Heb 13:9).
☛ We are to sanctify the Lord God in our “hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope” that is in us (1 Pet 3:15).
☛ As we give due heed to the Gospel, which is the fulfilled prophetic words, the day will “dawn, and the Day Star” rise in our hearts (2 Pet 1:19).
A religion that sidesteps the heart causes the individual to forfeit all of these benefits – all of which are required, and of which none is optional. The new covenant addresses man’s need for a new character, not a new procedure. That is precisely why God shines the light into our hearts. That is where character is established. We cannot afford to have darkened hearts!
TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE
“ 6d . . . to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God . . . ”
What kind of light is beamed into our hearts by God, who Himself “is light” (1 John 1:5)? What is it that illuminates everything else, enabling us to see all things plainly?
It should be evident that this is a light only God can give. That eliminates anything and everything originating with man. Further, the illuminating factor cannot be centered in man – like clarifying men and their circumstances. If man is the one requiring enlightenment, then the enlightenment itself must be higher than man. Man cannot be the pivot upon which this light revolves, or the focus upon which it centers. That ought to be evident enough to require no further explanation.
TO GIVE THE LIGHT
“ . . . to give the light . . . ” Other versions read, “to give us the light,” NIV “has put . . . the light,” BBE “This brings the light,” IE “that the sunrise of,” MONTGOMERY “so as [to beam forth] the light for illumination.” AMPLIFIED and “has flooded our hearts with His light.” PHILLIPS
This refers to the means employed by God to get the light into our hearts. It is “given” to us – “put” BBE into us, “brought” IE to us, or “beamed forth” AMPLIFIED into us. This “light” is not an achievement of man in any sense. This “light” is resident in God alone, and cannot be found in anything of this world. Only God can handle and dispense this precious “light.” There is no earthly depository where it can be stored, or from which it can be dispensed.
What is given by God is driven by His nature and will. He gives nothing of which He does not approve, or His nature does not constrain Him to give. His “gifts” are not a reward for well doing. Theologically, this means “light” comes by means of His “grace,” which is the driving influence behind all of His gifts. That is why Scripture speaks of the “gift by grace” (Rom 5:15), receiving the “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17), and “the gift of the grace of God” (Eph 3:7).
This is the same light to which Satan blinds hardened hearts. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:4). In this case, the light has been given to the recipient – put into his heart – in spite of Satan’s efforts to blind men’s minds. The condition of the receiver is one that Satan in all of his subtlety cannot dominate or alter. Those who receive this light are themselves a living testimony to the overthrow of Satan’s power. It is in this sense that Satan was “destroyed” in the death of Jesus Christ (Heb 2:14). He was rendered impotent in the domain of faith – the “heavenly places” in which God has “set” those who are in Christ Jesus.
The kingdom of Christ is an economy of “light” – of illumination, enlightenment, comprehension, and discernment. It is not a kingdom of darkness, where ignorance and a lack of awareness are prevalent. Where such things are found, unbelief has taken hold of the people. “LIGHT!” How gloriously sufficient it is, and what marvelous things are said of it.
☛ PROTECTION. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12).
☛ SEPARATION. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14).
☛ CHANGE. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).
☛ REVELATION. “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light” (Eph 5:13).
☛ ENVIRONMENT. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col 1:12). “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9)
☛ RELATIONSHIP. “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1 Thess 5:5).
A Telling Sign
A telling sign that people are at a distance from the Lord is the lack of light, or the prevalence of spiritual ignorance. Where the things of God are not known, light is not present – or, at the very best, is flickering, so that the people are nothing more than smoldering wick (Matt 12:20). This by no means suggests the Lord is not interested in awakening such poor souls. But they must know where they are, that they may “call upon the name of the Lord.” It is not the Lord’s manner to “quench” a “smoking flax.” However, neither will He treat that person as though they were a brightly shining light.
Spiritual Babylon has set in place a religious system that does not require “light” from the Lord. It is a organization that is fueled by the wisdom of this world, and leaves the people in a state of practical alienation from God. Men are taught to rejoice in the number of people who are identified with the institution. Or, perhaps, they glory in their religious heritage, or the credentials of their leaders. Some have nothing more in which to glory than the facilities in which they meet, or an occasional community program that is offered.
Mark it well, if “God is light” (1 John 1:5), and Jesus Christ is “the Light” in which we are to “believe” (John 12:36), identity with Them cannot be maintained in a state of darkness. This text will make evident the absolute essentiality of this light.
It is imperative that we perceive that there is nothing about regeneration that is associated with mere options. What takes place in the new birth is essential – including God shining light into our hearts. Nothing about salvation is optional – nothing!
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY
“ . . . of the knowledge of the glory of God . . . ” Other versions read, “has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God,” NLT “has made us understand that it is the brightness of His glory,” LIVING “of knowing God’s glory,” IE “The light of the knowledge of God’s glory,” WEYMOUTH “of the knowledge of God,” MONTGOMERY “of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God,” AMPLIFIED and “knowledge of the glory of God.” PHILLIPS
Knowledge
As the word “light” suggests, it involves “knowledge” – something that is known or understood. An economy of light is one in which knowledge is prevalent. This is not academic knowledge, or knowledge after the manner of this world, for that does not require God to shine light into the heart. The unregenerate can obtain academic knowledge. However, the knowledge of which this text speaks belongs exclusively to those who are in Christ Jesus. It is a higher form of knowledge.
This is a “knowledge” with which men can be “filled” – “filled with all knowledge” (Rom 15:14). It is not the mere knowledge of certain facts, but includes the perception of the significance and relevance of certain eternal verities. It has to do with “understanding.”
The Glory of the Lord
How marvelous is this statement. The thing that is “known” or perceived is “the glory of the Lord” – “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.” This is a more precise view of “the knowledge of God.”
By nature, man does not have the capacity to know God, even though he is made in His image. This is one of the great paradoxes of life. Further, we know the state of nature is wholly inadequate for this knowledge because Jesus unequivocally affirmed, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Sin created a very real gulf between God and man. That gulf has nothing to do with God’s dealings with humanity. It rather pertains to man’s perception of and acquaintance with God. We know this is the case because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness has shined into our hearts, breaking through the barrier erected by iniquity. By nature, men are “alienated and enemies” in their minds (Col 1:1). It is the “carnal mind” that is “enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). That is why no unregenerate person knows God, or “understands” Him (Jer 9:23-24).
Permit me to be more precise in the exegesis of this text. Those who do not know God will be condemned. Lacking this knowledge excludes one from the presence of the Lord. Thus it is written, “ . . . the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess 1:7-9). We must, therefore, see the “knowledge” of our text as essential, and not a kind of spiritual luxury. The profound ignorance of God that resulted from sin must be resolved – and that resolution cannot be found within men. Only God can cause the light of this knowledge to shine into the heart.
It cannot be denied that man, if left to himself, will only descend deeper into darkness – a pervading ignorance of the Almighty God. It will require some kind of heavenly intervention to arrest this descent, and our text is identifying that intervention. It was when God shined into our hearts with “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.”
Jesus said knowing God was, in fact, eternal life. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Near the close of the first century, John the Beloved affirmed the same thing. “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
This being the case, we came alive when the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God” was beamed AMPLIFIED into our hearts. This is how God “quickened” us (Eph 2:1,5), raising us from a dead state. Colossians associates this with our baptism, in which God was at work. As it is written, “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col 2:13). Our text goes behind the scenes and traces life to the “knowledge of the glory of God.”
The “knowledge of the glory of God” depicts a condition in which enmity no longer exists, and the individual experiences “peace with God” (Rom 5:1). That peace is more than a mere feeling. It is the result of spiritual knowledge – something that is known.
However, the text is even more specific. It does not refer to “the knowledge of God,” but to “the knowledge of the glory of God.” This is a more precise expression of the case. “The knowledge of the glory of God” refers to the understanding of what He has revealed of Himself. There remain aspects of God’s Person and purpose that are “past finding out” (Rom 11:33). There are still “secret things” belonging to God, that cannot be known by men in the flesh. As it is written, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut 29:29).
That principle is still operative. Concerning God, only the things that have been revealed can be known. Those things are “the glory” to which our text refers. This is the radiance of His glory that can be received and known in this world. I do not doubt that there are aspects of God that, if shined into our hearts, would destroy us with a great destruction. The residue of the fallen nature is significant enough to prohibit the reception of certain facets of the Divine nature. Our familiarity with Him, as great as it may appear, is only introductory at this time. In this world, we are in the vestibule of Divine glory. Yet, even this is “a large room” (Psa 31:8).
“The glory of God” refers specifically to the revelation of Himself in the Gospel. There we find the most precise and thorough exposition of God that can be received by men. This is “the knowledge” that is frequently mentioned as the means through which Divine benefits are realized.
☛ “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Pet 1:2).
☛ “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet 1:3).
☛ “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2 Pet 2:20).
It also is the knowledge that is realized in the New Covenant. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest” (Heb 8:11). It was a blessed day, indeed, when God shined “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” into our hearts. This is what enables us to “walk” with God – the very God with whom we once were at enmity. Now, what could not be experienced by Israel IS experienced by those in Christ Jesus. Amos asked, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). That question is answered in the affirmative in the Lord Christ Jesus. He is the One through whom both Divine knowledge and fellowship are realized.
IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST
“ 6e . . . in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Now the Spirit takes us to an even more detailed view of this knowledge. First, it is “the knowledge of the glory” – the knowledge of something that has been revealed, for “glory” has to do with revelation. Second, it is “the knowledge of the glory of God” – the cognition of, or acquaintance with, what has been revealed of God Himself. That is, what God has made known of Himself is understood, comprehended, or discerned.
God Desires to be Known
We know from the prophets that God desires to be known. That is, He wants His “offspring” to comprehend and appreciate who He is and what He is doing. Jeremiah was moved to say it in this way: “Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches; But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.” AMPLIFIED
The Apostles affirmed that this Divine desire is, in fact, realized through the ministry of Jesus Christ. “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
It is imperative that we keep in perspective that the Spirit is addressing the matter of salvation itself – not some mythical aspect of it. This is the means by which we are being “changed into the same image,” 3:18 which is the revealed predetermination of God (Rom 8:28). It is not possible for salvation to be realized where this is not being accomplished. This throws to the ground the notion that once we enter into Christ salvation is forever sealed. Our entrance marks the beginning of our transformation, not its consummation. This text reveals the means by which the work is being brought to a glorious completion. It is done stage by stage by the Spirit working with glory.
Now the vehicle of this knowledge is more precisely defined, for the condition to which sin brought humanity requires a precise and detailed salvation. This knowledge is defined as “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” – the knowledge of God that is revealed in the Person, accomplishments, and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is higher than what has been revealed of God in nature. It is more lofty than what was revealed of God in the Law. It is even higher than the glory that was revealed in Christ’s earthly ministry. It also involves much more than knowing what to do to be saved, as in Acts 16:31: “What must I do to be saved?” The answer to that question deals with our induction into Christ Jesus. Our text addresses the matter of being “conformed to the image” of God’s Son (Rom 8:29).
The completion of the work is stated in a number of different ways.
☛ Performing the work until the day of Christ. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).
☛ Perfecting that which concerns the individual. “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psa 138:8).
☛ &#