Sharper Iron — A Letter of Comfort: The Light Shines in the Darkness

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Because St. Paul has been called into the apostolic ministry by God’s mercy, he does not lose heart, nor does he stoop to underhanded methods. Rather, his ministry is done openly in the truth of God’s Word. Only to those who are perishing is this Gospel veiled, for their minds are blinded by the works of the evil one. St. Paul and his coworkers, in contrast, proclaim the light of Christ, who is the image of God. As God once spoke light into being at the beginning, so now He has shone the light of His glory into our hearts through Jesus.

Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.

“A Letter of Comfort” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 2 Corinthians. St. Paul writes again to the Christians in Corinth to bring them the ongoing comfort of the Gospel in the midst of the attacks of false doctrine from so-called “super apostles.” He seeks to give confidence to the Corinthians—and to us—that the good news of Christ crucified and risen proclaimed by His called ministers will accomplish all that He intends.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

The Light of the Gospel

4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[a] we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world 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. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[c] for Jesus’ sake. 6 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.

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Footnotes

2 Corinthians 4:1 Greek having this ministry as we have received mercy

2 Corinthians 4:2 Greek to walk in

2 Corinthians 4:5 Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org