The Glory of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3; Exodus 34:29-35)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
6 July 2025
Paul urges the Corinthians to set their minds on the greater glory of the New Covenant and not the lesser glory of the Old Covenant. But there were hindrances. There always will be. People who want higher things must be weaned from lower things.
One hindrance was their rejection of Paul – a minister of the New Covenant. His readers asked for his credentials. But Paul did not need credentials since they, the readers, were his credentials. They had been touched in their hearts by the Holy Spirit through Paul’s ministry. Everyone knew this. Everyone could read these credentials.
Another hindrance was their suppression of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the living God had written truth into the hearts of the Corinthians, but they suppressed this work of God. Suppressing the Holy Spirit is to bolt your heart’s door to the heart of God, which is a heart of love.
Another hindrance was the veil before their hearts. Moses had to veil his face to cover the glory of his countenance. Paul says his readers had a veil before their faces. They were blinded. The god of this age blinds the minds of people. The way to enlightenment is through the mind but if the mind is blind how can there be light?
But there is a solution to the veiled blindness of people.
Christ takes away the veil. He came into this world and revealed himself to his disciples. He was full of grace and truth and his disciples beheld his glory. They saw beyond his humanity. They saw divinity. At his crucifixion the veil of the temple was torn in two indicating the veil that veils humanity from God has been removed.
People need to turn to Christ. This simply means people need to repent. John the Baptist preached repentance. Jesus preached repentance. The apostles preached repentance. Turn from sin; turn to the Saviour. The veil before shall be removed.
There is liberty when people turn to Christ. The Old Covenant brought death because no one could satisfy the Ten Commandments. But Jesus has obeyed the Ten Commandments. In him there is liberty not death. Believers are freed from the religion of wearying works and enter the liberty by which Christ has made them free.
There is a coming transformation. We all get old and experience the passing glory of youth. But what a glorious hope believers have. When we die we shall be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Presently we reflect as in a mirror the glory of God but later we shall be transformed into the Lord’s glorious image.
The lesson for us is clear. Forsake the fading glory of this world and receive the glory that does not fade away.
Recognise the fading glory of youth and seek the glory of heaven. Forsake the fading glory of earthly success and receive the glory of God. Leave the fading glory of wealth and set your minds on the riches of heaven where moth does not corrupt.
There is a glory in life but it is a fading glory. Moses had to veil the shining glory of his face. It was a fading glory. The glory of our present life fading. Be wise. Seek the eternal glory of Christ. It shall not fade away.