2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Men formed their opinion of the doctrine preached by Paul according to the behaviour of the Corinthians. They were his living "letter of commendation" or rather that of Christ whose name had been written on their hearts. Every Christian is a letter from Christ which God addresses to those who do not read the Bible so that they have a living gospel before their eyes. Unfortunately these letters are often stained or incomprehensible instead of being known and read of all men (v. 2). So let us take care that there is no veil over our faces which prevents us radiating as Christians: the veil of worry, selfishness, worldliness . . . But firstly let there be no veil over our hearts (v. 15; a bad conscience for example) to intercept the rays which we need to receive from the One who is love and light. Hide a shrub under a tarpaulin or a screen; it will wither away. On the other hand expose it in the normal way to the sun and rain and you will see it grow from one season to another with the result that it bears the fruit which you expect from it. It is exactly the same with our souls. While they are kept in Christ’s presence, a gradual, (albeit unconscious), progressive transformation takes place as a result in them, into the likeness of the moral perfections of the One whom we contemplate in His Word (v. 18).