A person can have what I call fading boldness. That boldness exists until they encounter someone with a superior argument to the one they sought to defend.

When someone becomes absolutely convinced that what they have come to know is true, right, and good, they cannot be argued out of it.  They become very bold in their ability to speak out about what they believe and why they believe it.  They can’t help but unapologetically speak about it.  They are not ashamed of what they are convinced of. Persuasive words and eloquence of speech will not sway them.

2 Corinthians 3:12  Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Moses hid his face behind a veil to hide the fading glory.  It was a fading glory because the glory of the Law was unsustainable.

Only those who know what it means to be in Christ can see the Laws’ fading nature. The Old Covenant’s glory was nothing compared to the glory of the New Covenant Christ Jesus established with His blood. Yet many preachers today preach the Old Testament as though its glory is still to be envied. They pine away for the former days of old as though that glory was something to be jealous of.  That kind of ministry only serves to make people more aware of themselves and look to themselves for change.

Whenever someone truly turns to the Lord, the veil is removed, and the diminished glory of what was becomes clearly evident and no longer appealing.  Those who are in Christ are privileged to look with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror.  We get to see a glory that does not diminish.  A glory so wonderful and appealing that even when it is revealed as a reflection in the mirror to us, it transforms us into the same image we are beholding.  Only Christ’s glory has transformative power.

We are taken from one glory to another glory.  We have moved away from the diminished faded glory to that of an ever-increasing glory.  Change does not come to the believer by means of the law with its faded glory.  It comes to the believer through beholding Christ.  The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to reveal the glory of Christ to us.  He will teach you all things pertaining to Christ.  He has not been given to us to teach us about the wrong covenant and the fading glory of that covenant.  He is very aware of our context and the Covenant that God is respecting and honoring at this time.

That is why where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Timidity, fear, apprehension, and doubt are demolished. Boldness is the fruit of truly knowing Him and having His glory revealed through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When this type of relationship encounter is active in the life of the believer, the fruit of endurance and active faith is manifested.

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Paul did not lose heart!  Notice what it was they were ministering.  It was the gospel!  Paul describes it as the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  It is not truth in general that is light Paul was interested in.  It was the light of the truth of the gospel of the glory of Christ.  The true knowledge of the glory of God can only be found now in the face of Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant glory is the greatest of all the covenants because it is the glory of Christ, as he prayed in John 17. The veil is removed to reveal that glory to us so that we might be transformed into His image as we behold Him. The kind of transformation it produces is not of the religious brand and, thus, of an inferior nature.  The New Covenant glory produces the fruit of great boldness by revealing Christ in all His glory to our hearts and thus showing us who we are now that we are in Him.  This produces the fruit of great boldness!