On Missing the Point and Purpose

Mac's Perspective on the Intricacies of God’s Amazing Grace

September 17, 2009
Dear Fellow Travelers,
This is what the apostle, Paul, said in that infamous, albeit often misunderstood, third chapter of his second letter to the church at Corinth, where he so aptly contrasts the Old and New Covenants: “But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:14-17 NASB).
In other words, their minds hardened and their hearts veiled, they missed the point and purpose of the Law. Their only hope for understanding and for freedom—for having the veil removed—was in their turning to Jesus and they weren’t about to make that turn.
Because their minds were hardened and their hearts veiled, they completely missed these life-changing truths: (1) In verse 7 the Law of Moses is called “the ministry of death” and, therefore, contrasted (in vs. 8) with “the ministry of the Spirit; (2) In verse 9 the Law of Moses is called “the ministry of condemnation” and, therefore, contrasted (in the same verse) with “the ministry of righteousness”; (3) In Romans 8:2 “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is contrasted with “the law of sin and death.”
In other words, because their minds were hardened and their hearts veiled, they could not and would not accept the truths that would set them free and allow them with unveiled face to behold, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, and to be transformed into the same image from glory to glory. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 2”17-18 NASB).
In their minds, Paul, in calling the Law of Moses the ministry of death, the ministry of condemnation, and the law of sin and death, qualified as a heretic. There is no wonder he was on their “hit” list!
From what I have been able to observe, “they” are not the only people who have missed the point and purpose of the Law. Have you missed it? Are you using it as your means to justification and righteousness and freedom? If you are, you, too, have missed its point and purpose.