Verse of the Week...

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
(2 Corinthians 4: 4-6)

After you’ve read the passage above, go back and read it again. Only this time, insert ‘good news’ where you see ‘gospel.’

You might do this already, as I do, to better understand the literal meaning of Paul’s message, rather than merely glossing over another religious-sounding word. It makes a substantial difference, especially in this particular context.

‘The light of the good news of the glory of Christ…’ Had you ever recognized the association between ‘gospel’ and ‘glory of Christ’? Truthfully, I hadn’t. But what a profound statement emerges when we do! Normally when we see ‘gospel,’ we immediately think of the good news of our salvation, paid in full by the death and resurrection of Jesus. We take it to mean our sins are forever forgiven, we’ll live eternally in heaven, pain and suffering will be long gone, and the news of that couldn’t get any better. Right? No doubt that’s all true. But perhaps we’re missing a crucial component. Perhaps what we’re perceiving is only a sliver of the story. Perhaps, the best part of the gospel remains hidden. What is it? Better, how will we find it? Shedding a little light on the subject will help, as Paul acknowledges. The best news of the good news is the glory of Jesus! Our salvation, our forgiveness, our redemption, purchased by the blood of the Savior, is ultimately for the sake of His Name. The cross, then, is certainly a symbol of hope and wholeness for you and me, but even more, it’s a mark of His magnification. God was lifted up that all men might see (amidst the illumination of the Light of the World) and savor Him…forevermore.

Check out Jesus’ prayer captured in John 17, just before He was betrayed, tried, and crucified:

“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you…” (Verse 1)

Further, the Gospel writers, in their depiction of Jesus’ ministry, make one thing absolutely apparent—Jesus was about His Father’s work. That is, He was about His Father’s will. And fundamentally, God’s will is His worship. So if we consider our salvation the (sole?) subject of the good news, it turns out our aim is slightly awry. The central character to the Story of Life is God; at best, we play only a supporting role. The good news, the Gospel, then, is most directly Him and His glory. Therefore, the saving work of Christ was primarily for the Father’s glory, exactly why Paul points to our salvation as more a means of God’s glorification than the end of our eternal well-being. Notice how the Apostle describes his own ministry:

5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5)

It’s not about Paul. He’s not the theme, he’s not the famous one, he has no desire for the Corinthian church to see him. Rather, he preaches Jesus. And not only that, he preaches Jesus as Master (Lord), which is a position of authority, one worthy of praise and full of glory. Paul is simply a shipwrecked servant, traveling, preaching, enduring hardship on every side…for his Master’s sake. Why? Because the eyes of his heart have been opened. And they can see the gospel (good news!) of the Father’s glory.

One more important point. The fact that God is all about His glory in no way means He is guilty of the sin of egocentrism. Not in the least. For you and me, centeredness on us and our own exultation is sinful. It is idolatry. But not so for God. Think about it. If He wasn't enraptured with Himself and His glory, He’d cease to be God. Be careful, then, not to apply to Him, the Creator, that which applies to the created.

Lastly, God’s passion for His glory is perfectly in accord with His unconditional, unending love for us. In His infinite wisdom, He knows the very best for us is our worship of Him. And so He solely wills and acts according to the purpose of His praise, and concurrently lavishes us with His love. It’s a beautiful thing—if you can see to believe it.


Grace to you, to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of the invisible God,

Voice of another