The gospel is hid to those who are lost because Satan, the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who will not believe, so the light of the gospel cannot shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul explains that the gospel (the good news) is hidden to those who are lost. Les Feldick points out that believers understand the gospel because it is what brought them from where they were, but the lost do not recognize the plight they are in. The hiding is not an accident: the god of this world, Satan, has blinded the minds of those who will not believe, which is why the gospel remains veiled to them. This is also why believers often cannot get through to the lost no matter how clearly the message is presented.
2 Corinthians 4:3 — This is the exact verse in question — the gospel is hid to them that are lost.
2 Corinthians 4:4 — This verse gives the cause: the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 'But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 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.' Two facts are stated plainly. First, the gospel is hidden specifically to those who are lost. Second, the cause of the hiding is the god of this world blinding the minds of those who believe not, so that the light of the gospel of Christ cannot shine unto them.
Les Feldick begins with 2 Corinthians 4:3 and emphasizes that the gospel — the good news — is hid to them that are lost. He explains that a believer understands what the gospel is all about because it is what brought him to where he is, but the lost masses of humanity really don't know the plight they are in (Clip 1). They simply go up and down in their busy lifestyle (Clip 3).
Les Feldick teaches that in 2 Corinthians 4 it is not God doing the hiding. He contrasts this with Luke 18, where God hid the news of the crucifixion from the twelve disciples. Here, the verse says, 'In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.' Les identifies the god of this world as Satan. This is why believers cannot take on the world — the blinding is a spiritual work of the devil on the minds of those who refuse to believe (Clips 2, 4, 5).
Les says this is precisely the dilemma for those who try to enlighten the unbeliever, those who are going their merry way to a Christless eternity. After reading 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, he remarks, 'And you and I can't take on the world.' The reason believers can't get through is that the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who will not believe, so the light of the glorious gospel cannot shine unto them (Clips 1, 2, 4).
Les makes the point that the lost don't understand why they are what they are, and they really don't know the plight they are in. He illustrates this with sheep: sheep are dumb, and if you leave them on a desert with only a little clump of grass here and there, they scatter and are lost — but they don't know it. Only the little sheep caught in a crevice knows it, because he is crying his heart out. The lost masses of humanity are like those sheep — lost without realizing it (Clips 1, 6).
Les draws attention to the exact wording of 2 Corinthians 4:4: 'In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.' He points out that the verse does not say 'those who haven't joined the church' or 'those who don't read their Bible' — it says the minds of those who will not believe. That makes it simple (Clip 3).
Les explains that the better translation of 'hid' in 2 Corinthians 4:3 is the same word used for 'veiled' in chapter 3. Just as there was a veil upon the heart when Moses was read, so if our gospel is veiled, something is over it so that hearts cannot comprehend it. And 2 Corinthians 3:16 says that when the heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (Clip 7).
Romans 6:7-12 — Can a Believer Still Sin After Being Set Free?
that is, the animals. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now," what's the next word? "...once," see? "...but now once in the end of the world," or the end of the age, "...he hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." See that? All right, is that the last one? No, I've got one more. In chapter 10, in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 10, "...
The Gospel Is Hid to Them Which Are Lost
Les reads 2 Corinthians 4:3 and explains that believers understand the gospel because it brought them to where they are, but the lost masses do not know the plight they are in.
Satan Blinds the Minds of the Lost
Les contrasts this hiding with God hiding things from the disciples in Luke 18, and shows that here the hider is the god of this world, who blinds the minds of those who believe not.
Blinded Because They Will Not Believe
Les stresses the exact wording: the blinding applies to those who will not believe, not to those who have failed to join a church or read the Bible.
Who Is the God of This World? Satan
Les quotes 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 and identifies the one blinding the lost as the god of this world, Satan.
The Light of the Glorious Gospel
Les again quotes the verse, notes that the gospel is not hidden from believers, and identifies the god of this world as Satan.
Lost Sheep Do Not Know They Are Lost
Drawing on sheep left in the wilderness, Les illustrates that lost people, like lost sheep, do not realize they are lost.
'Hid' Means 'Veiled' — Hearts Cannot Comprehend
Les shows that 'hid' has the force of 'veiled' from chapter 3: something is over the gospel so hearts cannot comprehend it, until the heart turns to the Lord and the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 4:3: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
The verse the question asks about — it plainly says the gospel is hidden to the lost.
2 Corinthians 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.
This explains who does the hiding and why — the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers.
2 Corinthians 3:16: Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
Les connects 'hid' with 'veiled' — the veil is removed when the heart turns to the Lord.
Luke 18:34: And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Les cites this to show God hiding things from the disciples, in contrast to Satan hiding the gospel from the lost.
He means that those who are lost — the unsaved masses — do not understand the gospel or recognize their own plight. Les explains that believers understand the gospel because it is what saved them, but the lost go through life not knowing the danger they are in (Clip 1).
Les Feldick teaches that the blinding is not done by God in this passage, but by the god of this world — Satan. The verse says he has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them (Clips 2, 4, 5).
Les points out that 'hid' in 2 Corinthians 4:3 has the same force as 'veiled' in 2 Corinthians 3. Something covers the gospel so hearts cannot comprehend it, and the veil is taken away when the heart turns to the Lord (Clip 7).
Les says this is the dilemma of every believer who tries to awaken the human race. Because the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who will not believe, believers are up against a spiritual enemy and cannot take on the world themselves (Clips 2, 4).
Watch the Teaching: Romans 6:7-12 — Can a Believer Still Sin After Being Set Free?