The Hidden Gospel

[Robert Pate]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

 

[Randy Kluth]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

Yes, interesting. The world is to be preached to, is expected to be able to understand and believe, and yet are viewed as blind and incapable of understanding the truth. Seems like a contradiction, but it really isn't.

People were made to be able to hear God's word. At what point they become blind I don't know, but I think it's because they develop an aversion to the truth as they focus on what they selfishly want out of life, leaving God and others out of the equation.

This then is what leads them to blindness, when they sacrifice the truth about others, and choose to hear only what they themselves want to hear. Some, for whatever reason, can be convinced to abandon their selfishness. But it seems like a miracle to me because there are so few, at times, that seem to be even remotely interested.

 

[Stumpmaster]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

It helps to read the quoted verse in the context that begins at the start of the previous chapter and proceeds to this passage before the next chapter adds more scope.

2Co 3:12-18 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— (13) unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. (14) But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. (15) But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. (16) Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The thought is that in the OT Christ is veiled in Law, whereas in the NT He is unveiled in Liberty.

Also, the narrative provides that three different persons are veiled:

# Moses - 2Co 3:13 "unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away."

# Judaisers - 2Co 3:15 "But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart."

# Unsaved - 2Co 4:3 "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,"

The glory in the face of Moses in the OT is compared with the glory in the face of Christ made known to NT believers.

2Co 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

[Robert Pate]

Thank you for your replies.

The Bible is an authority. It calls all that we believe about Christ and his Gospel into question. Since man is a rebellious sinner that questions God's word as his authority, he tends to replace God's word with his own words. This is why most false religions have writings and doctrines that are contrary to God's word. These doctrines and writings are the words of men. When these doctrines and words are questioned by Christians, the unbelievers will quote what some prominent man has written that they believe to be the truth. In Calvinism it is John Calvin. In Catholicism it is the pope. What it really is, is man in the place of God.

When one cuts a tree down they start at the bottom of the tree, the roots or the trunk. All false religions are based upon the words of men, which are false. They may have some words of God, so as to deceive us, but they are really designed to deceive us. I have found that when the authority is refuted the religion will fall on it's face like the false God of Dagon. Google, "The recorded atrocities of John Calvin".

 

[Soyeong]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

Christ set a perfect example for us to follow of how to practice the religion of Judaism by living in sinless obedience to the Mosaic Law, so he is by far the most religious person who has ever lived and he never spoke against turning to religion. In Matthew 4:15-23, Christ began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, which was a light to the Gentiles, and the Mosaic Law was how his audience knew what sin is, so repenting from our disobedience to it is a central part of the Gospel of Christ. This is also why the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey the Mosaic Law (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and why Paul contrasted those who walk in the Spirit with those who have minds set on the flesh who are enemies of God who refuse to submit to the Mosaic Law (Romans 8:4-7). Our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21) and it is by the Mosaic Law that we have knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20), so repenting from not living in obedience to it is the way to trust Christ to save us from not living in obedience to it.

 

[Soyeong]

It helps to read the quoted verse in the context that begins at the start of the previous chapter and proceeds to this passage before the next chapter adds more scope.

2Co 3:12-18 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— (13) unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. (14) But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. (15) But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. (16) Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The thought is that in the OT Christ is veiled in Law, whereas in the NT He is unveiled in Liberty.

Also, the narrative provides that three different persons are veiled:

# Moses - 2Co 3:13 "unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away."

# Judaisers - 2Co 3:15 "But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart."

# Unsaved - 2Co 4:3 "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,"

The glory in the face of Moses in the OT is compared with the glory in the face of Christ made known to NT believers.

2Co 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The veil was preventing people from seeing that the goal of everything in Scripture is to testify about how to know Christ, however, this is a veil that works both ways by preventing those who reject the Mosaic Law from seeing the same thing. In Psalms 119:142, the Mosaic Law is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of the Mosaic Law that puts us on bondage while it is the truth that sets us free.

 

[Phil .]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

The word "Satan" is not explicitly mentioned in this passage in the KJV or in any other original version of the Bible. The phrase "god of this world" is used instead.

What appears to forget, forgets by appearing. The change to the quote changes the entirety of the quote.

The tendency to twist, pervert, misinterpret and therein misinform to overlay one’s own theological interpretation onto scripture without fully considering the original text's nuances is what the term satan points out.

Put another way, the addition of the word satan is the evidence the gospel is still ‘hidden’.



"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

 

[O'Darby]

When one cuts a tree down they start at the bottom of the tree, the roots or the trunk. All false religions are based upon the words of men, which are false. They may have some words of God, so as to deceive us, but they are really designed to deceive us. I have found that when the authority is refuted the religion will fall on it's face like the false God of Dagon. Google, "The recorded atrocities of John Calvin".

I took you up on your offer. Google returned precisely two results. A thread on this forum started by you, and a quote on another thread by you. Hmmm.

A one-dimensional, consuming, visceral hatred of Catholicism and Calvinism is hard to square with a mature Christian attitude. At least to me.

 

[Phil .]

Thank you for your replies.

The Bible is an authority. It calls all that we believe about Christ and his Gospel into question. Since man is a rebellious sinner that questions God's word as his authority, he tends to replace God's word with his own words. This is why most false religions have writings and doctrines that are contrary to God's word. These doctrines and writings are the words of men. When these doctrines and words are questioned by Christians, the unbelievers will quote what some prominent man has written that they believe to be the truth. In Calvinism it is John Calvin. In Catholicism it is the pope. What it really is, is man in the place of God.

When one cuts a tree down they start at the bottom of the tree, the roots or the trunk. All false religions are based upon the words of men, which are false. They may have some words of God, so as to deceive us, but they are really designed to deceive us. I have found that when the authority is refuted the religion will fall on it's face like the false God of Dagon. Google, "The recorded atrocities of John Calvin".

You’re saying, that what you’re saying, is false.

 

[Robert Pate]

You’re saying, that what you’re saying, is false.

I have the truth because I am indwelt with the Holy Spirit and believe the Bible.

 

[amadeus]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

...Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message...

2th 2:10	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2th 2:11	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

How does one who has not loved the Truth, find it for real? Does God not provide a way for anyone who does not know the Way or has lost the Way?

Mt 7:7	Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mt 7:8	For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

 

[Robert Pate]

2th 2:10	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2th 2:11	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

How does one who has not loved the Truth, find it for real? Does God not provide a way for anyone who does not know the Way or has lost the Way?

Mt 7:7	Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mt 7:8	For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

What is the strong delusion, that they should believe a lie? I believe that the strong delusion is religion. Calvinism, Catholicism, etc. There are a lot of false religions.

 

[Soyeong]

2th 2:10	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2th 2:11	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

How does one who has not loved the Truth, find it for real? Does God not provide a way for anyone who does not know the Way or has lost the Way?

Mt 7:7	Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mt 7:8	For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

In Psalms 119:142, the Mosaic Law is truth and Christ spent his ministry teaching his followers to obey it by word and by example, so he is the man of lawfulness in contrast with the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11. Furthermore, the Bible repeatedly refers to the Mosaic Law as being God's way, such as in Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Isaiah 2:2-3, 1 Kings 2:1-3, Joshua 22:5, Psalms 103:7, Psalms 119:29, and many others.

 

[Phil .]

I have the truth because I am indwelt with the Holy Spirit and believe the Bible.

Where do you have it? Could you post a picture?

 

[Robert Pate]

Where do you have it? Could you post a picture?

This is why you can't live by faith.

 

[amadeus]

What is the strong delusion, that they should believe a lie? I believe that the strong delusion is religion. Calvinism, Catholicism, etc. There are a lot of false religions.

It could be anything that might make them stumble and eventually fall. The love of truth is what prevents it. Falling in love with and staying in love with Truth is where we need to be. Help us dear Lord!

 

[amadeus]

In Psalms 119:142, the Mosaic Law is truth and Christ spent his ministry teaching his followers to obey it by word and by example, so he is the man of lawfulness in contrast with the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11. Furthermore, the Bible repeatedly refers to the Mosaic Law as being God's way, such as in Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Isaiah 2:2-3, 1 Kings 2:1-3, Joshua 22:5, Psalms 103:7, Psalms 119:29, and many others.

The law for us to obey is whatever God says to us that it is. Jesus tells us that he, himself, is the Truth. Is the Truth equal to God's law for man to always obey? Are we now able to see Jesus clearly?

1co 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

When is "then" and what does "face to face" mean to us? Lead us dear Lord always along thy pathway!

 

[Soyeong]

The Mosaic Law is God’s way (Psalms 193:7), the truth (Psalms 119:142), and the life (Deuteronomy 32:46-47), and the way to see and know the Father (Exodus 33:13), and Jesus embodied the Mosaic Law by living in sinless obedience to it, so he is the embodiment of the way, the truth, and the light, and the way to see and know the Father (John 14:6-7).

 

[JBO]

I have the truth because I am indwelt with the Holy Spirit and believe the Bible.

You are indwelt with the Holy Spirit because you believe the Bible to be the truth. That is the purpose of the written revelation of God, i.e., the Bible. It provides us with the word about Christ, from which comes faith.

 

[brightfame52]

Paul wrote: "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the God of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them which do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them" 2 Corinthians 4:3.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Gospel unto Christians. Unfortunately, not all are Christians. They appear to be believers, but they are not. They have never come to Christ as repentant sinners to be saved by him. They are what I call counterfeits. Because they are not trusting in Christ to save them, they are void of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to them until the cows come home, but they will not and cannot profess Christ as their savior because they don't posses the Holy Spirit. No faith and trust in Christ, no Holy Spirit, no Holy Spirit, no Gospel, no Gospel, no salvation.

We try to convince these unbelievers to believe in Christ, but they can't hear or believe because they are spiritually dead. You might as well talk to a telephone pole. So, how do we reach these counterfeits for Christ? Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14. It is not your fault if you witness to someone about Christ and they reject you and your message. Satan has blinded them because they do not believe. Instead of turning to Christ to save them, they turn to religion. Religion is a diversion away from Christ and his Gospel, but not all turn to religion. Sometimes the person you are witnessing to will say, "That is the best thing that I have ever heard, thanks for telling me about Jesus".

A Person has to be already saved through regeneration before the can believe and submit to the Gospel, its hid to the lost.