unveiled faces

Sometimes it’s fun to see all the new identities that we have once we commit to Jesus. Here’s another one: the ones with unveiled faces.

The veil represents the inability we used to have to see grace and mercy when we were under the law. The way Paul explains it is kind of complicated, but here it is, from 2 Corinthians 3:12-18: 

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

The hope that is referred to by the very first word, “Therefore,” is the glory of Jesus’s new ministry that no longer condemns us, but makes us righteous. So what Paul refers to as the veil  is the lack of knowledge about Jesus that makes us able to see only the requirements of the law. The guilt and hopelessness we feel keeps us from seeing the hope we have in Jesus.

So, us Jesus-followers have had the veil removed! We see Jesus, his sacrifice, and our redemption. We see grace! What a blessing!

That makes us the ones with unveiled faces. I think that’s a cool name.