Transformed by God’s Glory To Be Like Christ
I was with my 3 year old grandson this week and looked at pictures of him, starting as a newborn and progressing through the first few months of his life. I was amazed by how different he looks now compared to then. In 2 Corinthians 3:5-18, Paul told the Corinthian church that through God’s Spirit, they received new life and they were increasingly being transformed into the likeness of Christ. And increasingly they were reflecting God’s glory. May God’s glory be increasingly reflected in your life and may you continually be transformed to become more like Christ. Amen
Listen here as Fred Hammond and Radical For Christ sings “Glory to Glory to Glory”
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant —not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:5-6) We are never self-sufficient or competent enough in our own power to do the work that God has called us to do for Him. Paul said that competence to be ministers of the new covenant (gospel) came from God and not himself. Further, Paul said that the new covenant does something that the Law of Moses could not do… it gives life!
Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! (2 Cor. 3:7-11) The Law given to Moses was written on stone tablets. Moses received the Law from God while directly in His presence. Having been in God’s presence, Moses’ face reflected a radiance (glory) which lasted temporarily after his meetings with God (see Exodus 34:29-35). Paul compared the temporal glory of the Law to the permanent glory of the Spirit. Paul said that the permanent glory that comes from the Spirit far surpasses the transitory glory that came from the Law. Moses’ countenance was changed temporarily as he received the Law, but we are changed (transformed) permanently by our engagement with God’s Spirit.
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. (2 Cor. 3:12-18) Moses hid the temporary and diminishing radiance of his face behind a veil because it was too much for the people of Israel to look upon. Paul used the veil as a metaphor for how the Law of Moses kept God’s plan of salvation and righteousness hidden from people. But the new covenant brings freedom from sin, righteousness and eternal life. And through God's Spirit we are increasingly being transformed to become more like Christ and into God’s eternal glory.
Paul used Moses and the Law as a contrast to the new covenant of the Spirit. Moses spent time in God’s presence receiving the Law and writing it on stone tablets. Paul pointed out that Moses’ time in the presence of God receiving the Law caused Moses’ face to radiate and reflect God’s glory. But eventually the glory of God that radiated from Moses’ face faded, because it was not permanent. Paul said that likewise, the Law was not God’s permanent solution for our righteousness and salvation. However, under the new covenant, the Spirit of God lives in us, so that God’s glory doesn’t diminish over time, it increases! And it increasingly transforms us into Christ’s image…. we become more like Christ! The Spirit lead us into eternal life, freedom from sin and righteousness. By God’s Spirit, we are increasingly reflecting God’s glory and being transformed, becoming more like Christ. By God’s transforming Spirit we can truly say “I ain’t all that I’m gonna be, but thank God, I ain’t what I used to be!”
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
