2 Corinthians 4 Q&A with Carl Matthei

Carl, we've got a few questions from 2 Corinthians 4 from the talk this week.

Uh, Sharon has asked, "What is the difference between the gospel being veiled and Christians struggling to understand God's word? Did God make the Bible deliberately complex and hard to understand, or is it just that we struggle to understand it because, um, we're sinful?" Uh, what are your thoughts?

Yeah, it's, it's a really clever question that I'm glad Sharon has asked because they are connected.

Uh, our struggle to understand God's word and the gospel being veiled to unbelievers are connected, and her answer, she's answered her question as well.

It is-

Mm

... sin is the key, um, or the, the, the, the fault.

Um, and in a sense, uh, sin means we don't, um, we don't understand God as we should, where, um, it, it has had an impact on every aspect of our lives.

Mm.

Our sin has-

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... um, thwarted us in every way, in, in physical health, in mental ability to know God, in all kinds of ways.

And so in a sense, um, God could refit our knowledge in an instant if He wanted to-

Mm

...

but He's chosen to save us by opening our eyes-

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... and then grow us by learning from His word.

Mm.

And that's, um, that's really helpful to think about, isn't it? Because salvation is a, a once for all seeing the truth about Jesus and-

Mm

... being transformed by that truth, but then God kind of disciples us, grows us, um, as we read His word, as His Spirit does His work in our lives.

And so the, the verse that comes to mind-

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... is Romans 12:1 and 2.