Sunday afternoon, having gone to church and had lunch, I was doing some reading. Surprise. 🙂

I’m iffy with fiction right now as I work on getting over one of my last reads and anticipating more from Amazon, as if I don’t have other things to look forward to on my shelves. I’ve been doing some writing and nonfiction reading to keep me busy.

While reading up on Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem mentioned Paul’s reference to the “old covenant” (the Old Testament) in 2 Corinthians 3:14. I went and looked up that verse and kept reading after it. See below.

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:14-18

There’s probably more to unpack here than I will or can get into. There are two main things I wanted to share though.

The veil of the old covenant prevents freedom that’s gifted to us in the new.

In the old, we’re looking forward to Jesus. Thankfully, He came! We have a new covenant! Jesus fulfilled the Law. He defeated death. He died for us. Not believing in His deity and putting all faith in Him and our need for Him only prevents the chains to break. We are FREE in Christ. This reminded me of the Jews who did not and still do not believe that the promised Messiah has come, died and risen. He’s alive in Heaven! He left us His Spirit. It’s sad to know that people are truly missing out with their veiled hearts. Having such a familiarity with the OT and not seeing the fulfillment through Jesus is sometimes mindboggling. I pray they ask God to open their hearts to truth and put their faith in our Savior.

Transformation comes after an unveiled face.

Continuing on in freedom, we have the ability with the Spirit to be transformed from in the inside out. Jesus, our Savior, died and rose again! When He ascended into Heaven, He left us the Spirit. Our Helper in time of need. Our full transformation will happen in Heaven, when we are made perfect by God alone. Nothing we do transforms us except the Word of God at work in us. We can’t do enough good works apart from Him to bring about a transformation or to be right with Him. Only fellowship with Jesus, the Judge and Mediator can spur that on to fruition.

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Feel free to chime in by dropping a comment with what was revealed to you in this Scripture passage.

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Of course, when I read about the veil… I thought of this song because of the lyrics that say “my anchor holds within the veil.”

Cornerstone | Spotify