Salvation: A Veil of ProtectionSample

I always notice the effectiveness of a thin shower curtain hanging between the warm waterfall of a shower and the chill of the bathroom. How can such a thin layer of cloth retain the steam and heat of the water? Even when I turn off the water, the heat stays inside the shower with me because of the protective qualities of the curtain. The simplicity and truth of this experience make me think about the layers of the veils that are in the Bible. In the next three days, we will explore Old Testament and New Testament discussions of veils to focus on our relationship with Jesus.

According to Dictionary.com, the word has several meanings. A veil can be a face covering used to conceal facial features or to protect a person from weather elements. The word also conjures up the idea of disguising, concealing, or hiding the true nature of someone or something. Through looking at the Bible’s physical veil stories, we will also explore our spiritual veils of blindness or unbelief. When you understand what is at stake from being veiled away from Jesus, I pray you will join me in seeking and knowing the truth.

The Apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, discussing the imperative truth we must understand in chapter 4, verses 3-4. Read with me from the New Living Translation:

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

You are perishing if the Good News, the information about salvation through Jesus, is hidden behind a veil for you. Paul makes this clear.

So, how do we turn away from Satan and his power to blind us? We ask. We confess our sinful nature, ask for forgiveness, and accept Jesus as God’s Son.

Paul’s 2 Corinthians letter (3:17-18) explains:

17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Notice the chapter numbers. Paul writes about the benefit of unveiling ourselves to the truth in chapter 3 of his letter before he warns us about perishing in chapter 4, which means he reminds us of the solution before he mentions the problem. I don’t find many solutions before I realize I have a problem, so Paul’s authorial choice here makes me happy. Secure. I like that Paul knows and shares the positive truth that accepting Jesus opens us to a full understanding of God’s messages through the Holy Spirit. Plus, Paul writes this before discussing the problem of letting Satan keep us on the outside of the veil. For me, it’s powerful to recognize how my relationship with the Holy Spirit allows me to see and reflect the Lord’s glory. What a blessing! How does Paul’s organization make you feel?

I look forward to tomorrow when we can explore more about “the glorious light of the Good News” and be able to “see and reflect the glory of the Lord” through a story about Moses.