The Light of the Gospel
1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
❝Paul, who was Jewish, answered his own rhetorical question with a strong, "May it never be!" The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. He chooses the image of an olive tree to help illustrate that the addition of the Gentiles was not a replacement, but an inclusion.❞
—Mitch Glaser
