Parresia · Let’s Keep the Amazing in Grace, Session 6, audio

Introduction

Welcome to the 6th session of “Let’s Keep the Amazing in Grace.” This session is entitled, “Jesus Unveiled.”

Of all the passages in the Bible that contrast law and grace, 2 Corinthians 3 may be my favorite. In fact, 2 Corinthians 3:16 became the scripture that inspired the name for my book “Unveiling Jesus.” You will understand why as we go through the scriptures.

Sufficiency of the Spirit, The Passover 

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 – [Let’s start in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 4. Paul wrote] And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, [He is contrasting law and grace. The Old Covenant mindset it sufficiency in self] but our sufficiency is from God, [that’s the mindset of the New Covenant of grace] 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter [the law] but of the Spirit; [why?] for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul said “The letter kills.” – in other words, the Old Covenant law produces death. To see the background of the “letter that kills,” we’ll need to go back to the book of Exodus in the Old Testament to the first Passover. 

The night before God delivered the Israelites from the hand of the Egyptians, He instructed them through His servant Moses to paint the blood of a spotless lamb over the doorposts of their homes.

Exodus 12:3, 7, 13 – “…every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household… 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it… 13 [Let’s look at Exodus 12, verse 13 – God said] “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”

If you recall the story, Moses had said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” But he wouldn’t, so God sent 10 plagues to force the hand of Pharaoh to release His people because he had been a brutal taskmaster to them.

The last plague that came upon the Egyptians was the death of the firstborn. That night the angel of death passed through the streets, and if the doorposts were covered in the blood of the lamb, the angel passed over. Hence, the name “Passover.” God had said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over.” 

He didn’t say, “When I see your credentials; when I see your standing in the community; when I see your good behavior; when I see how faithful you are…” 

No, it had nothing to do with the people on the other side of the door. It was the blood that saved them. 

In the same way, the blood of God’s beloved Son is painted over the doorposts of our lives, having washed our sins away. It’s not about our goodness, but His. It’s not about our faithfulness, but His. It’s not about how much we love Him, but how much He loves us.

Psalm 105 – Why all this grace?

So the Israelites were set free that night through the Red Sea after 400 years of captivity. And then what happened for the next 50 days revealed God’s heart of grace towards His people.

During this 50 days of grace between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai, there was 

• No record of anyone dying, 
• No record of punishment or even rebuke from God, even though they sinned.
• No record of the word “anger” or “wrath” being used regarding the Lord towards Israel – even when they complained and complained. 

This season represents the time we live this side of the cross, under grace. They were under the Abrahamic Covenant of grace because the law had not yet been given.

About 500 years later, in Psalm 105 King David tells us why God showered His people with grace during this time period:

Psalm 105:37-42 – He also brought them out [of Egypt] with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes. [They say there were about 2.5 million of them, so this was impossible!] 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them [of the Israelites] had fallen upon them. 39 He [God] spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night. 40 The people asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it ran in the dry places like a river. [Why all of this grace?] 42 For [because] He remembered His holy promise, [blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will  multiply you to -] and Abraham His servant.

Abraham lived 430 years before the law was given. He had an unconditional covenant based on grace. 

I believe this 50 days is God saying, “This is grace. Can you handle it? It’s going to require that you trust Me and stop looking to the natural as you did in Egypt, and look to the heavenly. 

All you’ve known is the bondage of this world, but that wasn’t My doing, nor My plan for you. Please, don’t look back! Look up!”

50 days after the Passover and the Exodus through the Red Sea, the Israelites came to the foot of Mt. Sinai, and on that day God gave “the letter that kills” – the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20). And we’ll see why in just a minute.

God’s Plan, Exodus 19:4-6

Before God gave the law, He expressed His desire for His people. God said to Moses:

Exodus 19:4-5 – “‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. [God wanted to be near His people! Not far away! How did He bear them on Eagle’s wings? He fed them, He provided for them, He miraculously protected them] 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice [“obey” – “shama” – to hear, listen to, trust Me, believe Me!] and keep My covenant, [guard, watch, protect – My covenant.] then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

God spoke this right before He gave the 10 Commandments. Up until that point there was only one covenant in place: the Abrahamic covenant of grace which depended on God’s faithfulness, not the faithfulness of man. 

Galatians 3:17 tells us that the law came alongside the Abrahamic Covenant, but did not annul it. 

Galatians 3:17 – And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.

Grace has always been in place. It has always been God’s heart for His people.

Exodus 19:6-7 – [Exodus 19, verse 6 – ] And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” [not just one priest, but a kingdom of priests – the priesthood of all believers!] 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him.

This was God’s ultimate desire for His people, and this has become our reality in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:5-6 – To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, [and because of that, He] and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. 

1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

He carried us on eagle’s wings out of Egypt – out of the bondage of the flesh, the bondage of the old creation, the bondage of the old nature, the bondage of the law, and into the light that exposes the goodness and grace and glory of God in the face of Jesus.

All that the Lord Commands, we will do

By His grace, God had delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, showered them with grace upon grace, during that 50 days, and then when Moses delivered God’s message to them, they were at a crossroads. 

What would the choose? Would they obey God’s voice? Would they trust Him to continue to carry them on eagle’s wings, or would they trust in their own strength? Exodus 19:8 tells us:

Exodus 19:8 – Then all the people answered together and said, ”All that the Lord has commanded us, we will do. [Another way to say it is “Everything God says, we will do.”]

That may seem commendable, but based on the tone and tenor of the Hebrew words, and the verb tenses, it was actually a boastful declaration of their own self-sufficiency.

The Hebrew phrase “we will do” means “to make, to produce by labor.” In other words, “Whatever You tell us to do, God, we can do it. Whatever is required of us, we are certainly fully capable of continually performing.” 

They may have come out of Egypt, but the mindset of Egypt had not come out of them.

By that statement they agreed to a system where each of them would be personally liable for every single sin they committed. 

The law was necessary because the heart of man was bankrupt – so bankrupt they couldn’t see their need for a Savior and His Eagle’s Wings.

The independent spirit of Adam had to be broken, and it was broken through the law. The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ. But we’re no longer under that tutor.

They broke the 1st Commandment

In Exodus 20 the 10 Commandments were audibly given by the thundering voice of God, from Mount Sinai. Then in chapters 21-23, God gave the rest of the law for Moses to record and bring to the people.

In Hebrews 12, in the New Testament, the writer described what happened on that day when God spoke the “letter that kills” from Mount Sinai. He was addressing the New Covenant believer when he wrote – 

Hebrews 12:18-21 – For you [believer] have not come to the mountain [of law] that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that [even] Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”

So much for their big promise – “All that the Lord commands, we will do.” They had no idea what they were agreeing to. 

If we touch that mountain of law, we’ll be pummeled with satan’s fiery darts of condemnation.

Moses himself was exceedingly afraid which goes to SHOW that 

• the law condemns the best of us. 
• But the good news is that grace saves the worst of us!

then in Exodus 24, God called for Moses to come to the top of mount Sinai bringing with him two tablets of stone on which the Lord would engrave the 10 Commandments with His own finger. (Exodus 31:18)

When Moses came back down the mountain with those two tablets of stone, he stopped short of the bottom. Why? Because he saw the people already breaking the first commandment, “You shall have no other Gods before Me. You shall not make any graven image.” (Exodus 20:4) 

The Israelites had formed a golden calf from the gold they had brought out of Egypt. (Exodus 32:1) And they were worshipping it.  Again, so much for their big promise to God! – “All that the Lord commands we will do!”

In righteous anger, Moses broke the two tablets of stone (Exodus 32:19). which would later be replaced with a second set of stone tablets. Because of the judgment of the law, 3000 people died at the hands of the Levites (the priests) that day.

Fast forward to the New Covenant. On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover when our Lamb of God was slain, 120 worshipers were in the upper room waiting for the promise of the Spirit….

And all of a sudden a mighty rushing wind blew through, tongues of fire landed on each of them, and the Holy Spirit filled the house – and the people! 

Next we see Peter preaching the gospel, and 3000 people were saved!

• When the Law was given, 3000 died. (Exodus 32:28)
• But When the Spirit was given, 3000 were saved. (Acts 2:41)

Which goes to show:

2 Corinthians 3:6 – …for the letter kills, but the Spirit GIVES LIFE…

The “ministry of death”, Moses’ shining face, the veil

After 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul goes into an explanation of the difference between the “letter that kills” and the “Spirit that gives life.” 

2 Corinthians 3:7 – But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones,…

Paul was talking about the 10 Commandments here. It was the only part of the law hand-written by God Himself and engraved on stones (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:10).

Paul called the 10 Commandments the “ministry of death” because it ministered death.

2 Corinthians 3:7-8 – [verse 7 again – ] But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, [which I’ll explain in a second] 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? [again we see the contrast: the ministry of death vs ministry of the Spirit]

Paul said that the law had glory. It was perfect and unbending, but its perfection was a glory that caused the people to run away instead of drawing near.

When Paul refers to the glory of Moses’ countenance being so brilliant that the people couldn’t look at him, he was referring to the second time that Moses came down the mountain with the two tablets of stone.

Why was this time different than the first? We find the answer in Exodus 34:

Exodus 34:6 – And the LORD passed before him [Moses] and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…”  

The second giving of the 10 Commandments was tempered with mercy and grace. God revealed His nature as the Lord, merciful and gracious even though He was giving Moses the law. 

With a shining face reflecting God’s mercy and grace, as well as His holiness and righteousness, Moses came down the mountain holding in his hands the stones which would condemn them all.

Put them under the Mercy Seat

But earlier on the mountain, when Moses went 40 days and nights without food or water, the God of mercy and grace had given Moses the instructions for the Tabernacle. God told Moses that when that tabernacle was built, he was to put the two tablets of stone in the tabernacle inside the Holy of Holies inside the ark under the Mercy Seat where blood of the spotless lamb would be sprinkled every year on the Day of Atonement. 

When God would see the blood on the Mercy Seat, He would see the innocence of the lamb, not the disobedience of man. Which goes to show that even under the Old Covenant:

James 2:13 – Mercy triumphs over judgment.

The mixture is the ministry of condemnation

2 Corinthians 3:9  – [next verse in 2 Corinthians 3 – verse 9 -] For if the ministry of condemnation had glory…

The law is the ministry of condemnation. Why? Because it ministers condemnation. Why? Because no one could fully keep it. You know, No one preaches pure law. In fact, most Christians would say that we’re not strictly under law; we’re under grace.

Because they don’t subscribe to the over 600 laws of the Old Covenant. But while they say we’re saved by grace, we must keep the 10 Commandments to maintain our righteousness. Saved by grace, maintain salvation by law. That is mixture.

Colossians 2:6 – As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.

How did you receive Christ Jesus? By grace through faith. How to we walk it out? By grace through faith in Christ’s life from within.

If pure law was preached, the people would be better off than with this mongrel religion of grace mixed with law because at least they would scream for mercy and turn to Jesus!

For those who advocate for the law, remember this: The law cannot bend. If you make the law bend to where you can keep it, you dishonor it. For the law to be the law, it must remain in its total inflexible perfection.

For those who advocate for principles of the law mixed with grace: they are dishonoring both. They are robbing the law of its excellence, and they’re robbing grace of its beauty and purity. And a mixture of grace and law is a powerless religion.

For those of us who believe in pure grace: we are FOR the law for the purpose that God gave it. It was to bring people to the end of themselves so they would reach out to the God of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ.

So we do not preach the ministry of condemnation. We preach the grace of God.

John 3:16-17 – [Jesus said -] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [faith, not fear] should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

2 Corinthians 3:9. – [back to verse 9] – For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

The ministry of death kills because it ministers condemnation. And the ministry of Spirit gives life because it ministers Christ’s righteousness!

When we have a revelation of the ministry of His righteousness, nothing will be impossible for us, and we as the church will rise up to be who we are!! Nothing is more powerful than the Ministry of the Spirit which is the ministry of Christ’s righteousness working in us and through us to transform the world around us  – giving life and love and healing and peace.

2 Corinthians 3:10-12 – [next verse-] For even what was made glorious [the law] had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. [in other words, the glory of the Old Covenant is worth nothing compared with the overwhelming glory of the New Covenant which has replaced it. The glory of the New Covenant never fades because it is the glory of an eternal righteousness and eternal life. It’s a fool-proof covenant] 12 Therefore, since we have such hope,  [a joyful confident expectation of good] we use great boldness of speech…

“Boldness of speech” is the Greek word “parresia”! In this context it means “without concealment. Without the use of types and shadows.”

In the Old Testament everything was hidden in the types and shadows. They were shadows of better things to come in Jesus!

Today we preach the substance, not the shadows. We preach the finished work, not a carrot on the end of a stick. We preach Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law.

Their minds were blinded

2 Corinthians 3:13-14 – [We use great boldness of speech,] 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face [a shadow of Jesus as we will see] so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was. [the fading glory of the Old Covenant] 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

“Until this day” the veil of condemnation is covering the minds of those who see the Old Testament with Old Covenant lenses because they think it applies to them.

Then they read about the New Covenant, but they don’t understand it. They can’t see the face of Jesus because the veil keeps them from believing that they are worthy to speak to God face to face.

This veil is a picture of the veil in the Old Covenant temple that separated the presence of God from the people.  But Jesus became this veil with His very own flesh, receiving the condemnation that we deserved. 

Then when He was crucified – at that very moment – the veil of the temple was torn from TOP to BOTTOM – by God’ Himself – forever removing the barrier between God and man.

Verse 14 again – “the veil is taken away in Christ!!”

The veil is taken away in Jesus, liberty, “The Lord is the Spirit”

2 Corinthians 3:15-17 – But even to this day, when Moses is read, [when the law is read] a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. [this is the theme verse of Unveiling Jesus. When we turn to Jesus, the veil of condemnation is removed. Verse 17 -] 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

What’s the context of true liberty? We’re no longer under the law! The veil of condemnation has been removed, and now we look into the face of Jesus without shame and live!

We’re free from limiting thoughts, accusations, and all the fears and lies of the enemy! We’re under grace!

In verse 17, we see the phrase, “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” In the context of 2 Corinthians 3, Paul is speaking of two different ways of seeing the scriptures: 

• one is when Moses is read; 
• the other is when one turns to Jesus. 

“The Lord is that Spirit” is the Spirit of Jesus Christ – the scarlet thread throughout the scriptures. When you read your Bible, who do you se?

• Moses who is giving you a list of instructions on how to perfect yourself?
• OR Jesus on every page with beautiful truths and pictures of God’s mercy and grace?

Do you see the spotless lamb, the High Priest, the Mercy Seat, the Brazen Altar, the Gate, the bronze serpent in the desert, Noah’s Ark, The Tree of Life? We could go on and on and on.

Beholding

2 Corinthians 3:18 – [last verse in 2 Corinthians 3 -] But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed [the Greek word “metamorphoo” – like the caterpillar to the butterfly] into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We can now look “full in His wonderful face.” And when that happens, we move from one glory to another. And the divine instrument of that transformation is the Holy Spirit.

And now that unveiled, unfading glory in the face of Jesus is the mirror for the new creation in Him. The groom lifts the veil and says to the bride,

Song of Solomon 4:7 – “You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you.”

When God revealed Himself to Moses as the God of glory and grace in Exodus 34, He hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and used His hand to shield  Moses’ face from seeing Him as He passed by in all His glory, because no one could see the face of God in ALL His glory and live, but He did allow Moses to see His backside. 

Even the glory of the backside was so glorious that Moses’ face shone.

But it was a glory caused the people to run in fear.

The Greek in 2 Corinthians 3, implies that Moses only placed the veil on his face after speaking to the people. He wanted them to see his face and fear, because fear is the modus operandi  of the law. He used the veil because he didn’t want them to know the glory was fading. He did not want them to see the end of what was passing away. He did not want them to know the law was temporary. The terror of its glory was the surest guarantee of their obedience.

Are we afraid of removing the law? Are we afraid that people will just go crazy without the law? Are we afraid to let go of fear and shame as a motivator for good behavior? Do we not trust the Holy Spirit to to His job? Can we trust grace to be the new tutor?

Romans 10:4 – For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes [everyone who puts they full hope, trust, and confidence in the Gospel!]

The law instantly became obsolete when Jesus bore our sin and paid our debt of law-breaking on the cross. The mediator was no longer Moses, a mere man. The Mediator was now God Himself.

And now we have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way. And the more we behold, the more we live!

Conclusion 

I want to go back Hebrews 12 where the writer spoke of Mount Sinai, the mountain of law. He said we have not come to that mountain. He continues –

Hebrews 12:22-23 – [He continued – ] But you have come [past tense – this is where you are!] to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels [so many you can’t count them!], 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven [why? Because YOUR name is registered in heaven!], to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,…

Why? Because you are a just man made perfect! And God can’t be prejudiced. He sees accurately, perfectly like no man possibly can. He sees us standing before Him in all the full glory of the finished work of Jesus Christ!

Because of the blood of Jesus, we stand before God, and His holy eyes can’t find one speck of sin in our spirit.

Hebrews 12:24 – [Verse 24 – you have come – ] to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Jesus was scourged and beaten. They splattered His blood and flesh everywhere, and then they laughed at Him and mocked Him. His back was completely torn into shreds, and they laid the cross on His back to carry.

He fell under the weight of it and had to have help carrying the it to Golgotha. Then they hung Him on that cross, and He continued to pour out His blood for us. Everywhere that His blood was shed it had a voice. 

Able’s blood cried revenge, That’s not what we’re about. The Jesus’s blood speaks of better things! “Grace! Mercy! Forgiveness! Pardon! Healing! Righteousness!”

2 Corinthians 4:1 – [back to 2 Corinthians, next verse, chapter 4, verses 1 – ] Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, [this New Covenant ministry] we do not lose heart.

We are pressed, but not crushed;   perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned;   struck down, but not destroyed. We share in Jesus’s sufferings in our bodies so that His life is released and manifested through these earthen vessels for as long as we are here or He tarries.

No matter what we face, no matter how dire things seem, no matter how dark the world gets, we never lose heart. Our hope is in Jesus, not in men, not in governments. He is the substance of everything we hope for, the evidence of what we cannot see yet. That’s why we need to put all our hope in Jesus!

Copyright info: All scriptures in the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

• (NKJV) New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.