2 Corinthians 4:1-7
By Rev. Alan Avera
While there is a pain line we have to cross in being a witness for Christ, we sometimes make it more difficult on ourselves by trying to do too much. The pain line we have to cross is fear of how people will respond. We never know when we open our mouth to speak of Christ whether we will face hunger or hostility. But we can make the task even more difficult if we try to do the work of the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 4, the Holy Spirit teaches us through the Apostle Paul that evangelism is supernatural work. It is supernatural work because of the diagnosis of why unbelievers are unbelievers. The diagnosis, verse 4, is that “the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
If Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers, then a supernatural work is required to overcome the work of Satan. Who opens blind eyes? Not us. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. No amount of persuasion, apologetics, or clever argument will work unless God does the prior work of opening blind eyes. Verse 6 says, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Evangelism begins with prayer for the Holy Spirit to open blind eyes. We can’t cause that to happen, God does.
So what is our role? Verse 5 tells us. “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Our role is to proclaim Christ and to serve people for Jesus’ sake.
By Rev. Alan Avera
While there is a pain line we have to cross in being a witness for Christ, we sometimes make it more difficult on ourselves by trying to do too much. The pain line we have to cross is fear of how people will respond. We never know when we open our mouth to speak of Christ whether we will face hunger or hostility. But we can make the task even more difficult if we try to do the work of the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 4, the Holy Spirit teaches us through the Apostle Paul that evangelism is supernatural work. It is supernatural work because of the diagnosis of why unbelievers are unbelievers. The diagnosis, verse 4, is that “the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
If Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers, then a supernatural work is required to overcome the work of Satan. Who opens blind eyes? Not us. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. No amount of persuasion, apologetics, or clever argument will work unless God does the prior work of opening blind eyes. Verse 6 says, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Evangelism begins with prayer for the Holy Spirit to open blind eyes. We can’t cause that to happen, God does.
So what is our role? Verse 5 tells us. “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Our role is to proclaim Christ and to serve people for Jesus’ sake.
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