Remove The Veil

Something that has always astounded me about Jesus is that he never recognized his own goodness or righteousness. He truly modeled what it meant to be sold out for the righteousness of God. He was the example, so let’s take a look at the Author and Finisher of our faith.

A man came to him one time and said, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus responded to this man with, "Why do you call me good? none is good, save one, that is, God." (Found in Luke 18:18-27)

So meek and lowly of heart! If any person in the entire history of this earth could call themselves good it would have been Jesus, yet he did not even acknowledge his own goodness! What a truly humble King! He directed the man to His Father. He said why do you call me good? None is good except God.

Wicked Judgments

Right before this encounter was recorded in Luke, Jesus gave a parable to those who trusted in their own righteousness.

And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

The amazing thing about the pharisee is that he was thanking God for his righteousness! And went on to describe his religious activities that he had so highly esteemed. Think about that. He was acknowledging, to a certain extent, that God was the one responsible for his righteousness.

What is the problem with that? The problem is that he was exalting the “righteous deeds” that he was doing, and not truly exalting God. Then he looked at others and judged them according to his level of piety. He started to look at the “sinners” with contempt. He started to think that his devotion was the measure to which all men must be judged. He believed that he was good and others were “less than”. The Son, however, did not even acknowledge His own goodness and pointed to God and said, “He is the only good!”

Peter’s Oblivion

I have prayed for you [Peter], that your faith does not fail: and when you are converted, strengthen your brothers

Jesus, From Luke 22:32

There was a moment before Peter’s conversion when he looked at his devotions toward the Lord and not at God’s devotion toward him. He thought that he was the righteous one proving to God that he will stand firm and remain faithful to Jesus even if all others abandon him. I mean after all the Lord did rename him Peter (which means a rock). He was just standing in his new identity, right?

As Peter would soon find out, his identity was hinged on God being able to keep his word, not on Peter being able to keep his. Praise God for that! If it was based on our ability then we’d all be in hell!

Jesus said to the disciples, "All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee." 

Peter said to him, "Although all shall be offended, yet I will not." 

And Jesus said back to him, "Truly I say to you, That this day, even in this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." 

But Peter spoke more forcefully, "If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise!"

(from Mark 14:27-31)

The rest of the story is that Jesus’ prophecy remained true. Peter, along with the others, abandoned him. And Peter was humbled, he no longer thought that he was the keeper of his soul, but God was.

You Have Hidden These Things

The hidden truth of the gospel is it’s not about your goodness it’s about His! “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes!” Those who continue to try to be good enough have blinders over their eyes until Jesus comes and lifts the veil. (The law is that veil) and when the Groom comes to His bride He lifts that veil and marries her to Himself.

We all With Unveiled Face!

I love old-fashioned weddings they are sooo prophetic. First, the groom gives the bride an engagement ring which is his promise that he will marry her. Then when the bride is made ready the father walks her down the aisle while the whole congregation is in silent reverence. She is adorned in a beautiful white dress. Then when she stands before her husband he lifts the veil and she, with unveiled face, sees her husband! What a depiction of Christ and his bride!

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; WHICH VAIL IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the SAME IMAGE from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

What we behold is inevitably what we become. If we are constantly looking at the law and trying to judge our righteousness with the law we will fall. Because we are constantly looking at the things that we are not supposed to do. “The strength of sin is the law” (from 1Cor. 15:56).

Or if we start looking at ourselves and our devotion to the Lord then we will start judging others based off of our own convictions. Then start teaching the commandments of men as doctrines. “And in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). But if we, with unveiled face, behold our Lord we are changed from glory to glory.

He Is Good!

It is not and never has been about your goodness. It is and always will be about His goodness. Love love love you guys! It’s all about the goodness of our God and Father who gave up His Son for the world! Which is his enemy and we were all his enemies, but now he has made peace with us through the cross! What a good God we have! What a lover!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever! Amen.

1 Timothy 1:17