II Cor 4:4

[newbeliever02072005]

2Co 4:4 In1722 whom3739 the3588 god2316 of this5127 world165 hath blinded5186 the3588 minds3540 of them which believe not,571 lest3361 the3588 light5462 of the3588 glorious1391 gospel2098 of Christ,5547 who3739 is2076 the image1504 of God,2316 should shine826 unto them.846



Can someone explain this verse to me please?

[ZiSunka]

Yep. Satan scrambles the spiritual awareness of people who belong to him so they don't start seeing that Jesus IS the only way. He lets them believe they aren't sinners, or that there are many roads to salvation, or that Christ is evil, or that they are lost and have no hope (he likes that one because people get close to knowing the truth but they stay blind to the fact that hope is just a prayer away), or they believe that they have to go to church and be good to be saved, or whatever method he is using to keep people deceived about salvation and faith. He can't take the chance that if they got to see the truth, they might recognize it and go over to the other side.

[Tenorvoice]

3-4 Paul's Gospel, some had claimed, was designed only for a spiritually minded elite; what he said was obscure and what he did was underhanded (v.2). For the sake of argument, Paul concedes his critics' point. Even if his Gospel is veiled in the case of some people, it is not his doing, he insists, because he sets forth the truth plainly (v.2). Any veiling (cf. 3:14-15) comes from the unbelief of "those who are perishing" (cf. 1Co 1:18; 2Co 2:15), whose minds have been blinded by the god of "the present evil age" (Gal 1:4)--i.e., Satan, who wishes to prevent people from seeing the light of the Gospel that focuses on Christ's glory as the image of God. Paul's reference to Christ as "the image [GK G1635] of God" means that Christ is the visible and perfect representation of the invisible God (Col 1:15; cf. Jn 1:18). Christ is one with God the Father by nature, but distinct from him in person.



I hope this Helps :)

[mesue]

2Corinthians 4:4 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. You need to back up to the previous verse:
2Corinthins 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

Jesus says back in John 8 that there are those that cannot hear Him because they don't love Him. We, who are saved, hear Him because we love Him.

John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Does this help?

[JPPT1974]

Satan wants us to believe that we are no good.
That Christ is the enemy but of course, that is the other way around.
Satan is trying to make us feel bad about ourselves.
When we really shouldn't let him.

[newbeliever02072005]

Thank you for helping me here.

When I first read this my question was this. Would earth be considered hell? I can see from your explainations that is the job of Satan...to distract us from the truth. When he succeeds in doing so...wouldn't you consider that hell?

[mesue]

Thank you for helping me here.

When I first read this my question was this. Would earth be considered hell? I can see from your explainations that is the job of Satan...to distract us from the truth. When he succeeds in doing so...wouldn't you consider that hell?
I don't consider Earth Hell. God created a place called Earth and a place called Hell. They are both very real places. Because of my salvation Earth is the closest thing to Hell I'll ever have to experience. For the lost, Earth is the closest thing to Heaven they will experience.

[newbeliever02072005]

I don't consider Earth Hell. God created a place called Earth and a place called Hell. They are both very real places. Because of my salvation Earth is the closest thing to Hell I'll ever have to experience. For the lost, Earth is the closest thing to Heaven they will experience.

Makes sense.......but it sure does feel like hell on earth somtimes :D

Thanks again mesue for your input.....now I can rest easy and move on to the next scripture :wave:

[mesue]

.......but it sure does feel like hell on earth somtimes :D ...
It sure does! :D