Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
May 11, 2010
But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains
unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken
away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies
on their heart. Nevertheless when one 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)
The new covenant of grace, which depends upon the Spirit of the Lord
working in lives, produces liberty: "where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty." The old covenant produces bondage in those who
attempt to live under it, because it provides no resource for meeting
its demands. In our last meditation, we looked at the bondage of
secrecy that results from living by man's sufficiency. Spiritual
blindness is another bondage that comes from living under the law.
The Israelites were blinded by a veil that resulted from hardness of
heart. "But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil
remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament [that is, the old
covenant]." This hardness was related to self-sufficiency. John, the
Baptist, held forth the righteous standards of God and called the
people to repentance for their sins. "And he went into all the region
around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission
of sins" (Luke 3:3). John was aware that many held a self-sufficient
reliance in their ancestry (their blood-line link with Abraham).
"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to
yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'" (Luke 3:8). Jesus also
encountered this same hardness of heart as He preached. "We are
Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How
can you say, 'You will be made free'?" (John 8:33). Like the
self-righteous Pharisee, these people thought they were better than
others and had no need for repentance. "He spoke this parable to some
who trusted in themselves that they were righteous...the Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like
other men'" (Luke 18:9, 11).
Many people today rely upon their religious heritage to give them an
acceptable standing with the Lord. Such hardness of heart leaves them
blind. They cannot see as God sees. God tells them of their need, but
they will not reach out to Him for help. How tragic this is, because He
alone is able to remove their blindness. "When one turns to the
Lord,the veil is taken away in Christ."
O righteous Lord, I repent of the self-righteousness in my life. I want
my heart to be soft before You. I do not want to stagger around in a
veil of blindness. Lord Jesus, I humbly turn to You, in Your holy name,
Amen.
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