2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
This is one of the key verses in all of Paul’s letters. There is so much theology that lies behind this verse. In the context of this chapter, the veil has represented the bondage created by the old covenant’s law. This law causes sin to become utterly sinful and to enslave us under the empty promise of righteousness without the need of God’s grace. This deeply personal struggle, which is unique to each person and the various circumstances and stories in which we find ourselves, ends when we put our faith in Christ. We behold the glory of the Lord, just as Moses did on the mountain and in the tent of meeting. As Hebrews states, the curtain of the temple that separates us from God is removed through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:19-20). We can behold now the glory of God without barrier. This glory of God is found in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). To look to Christ is the only way to experience this glory that people seek. Sadly, we seek for glory in the wrong places, ending up with self-glorification.
As we look to Christ, our lives are transformed into his likeness. What we gaze upon is what we model our lives after. Seeking the face of Christ, his very presence, begins to affect us. Jeremiah 29:13 states, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ” The greatest goal we can have in this life is to seek Christ with all our hearts. This seeking is a journey with direction. When we look to him and do not allow the things around us to distract us, we will begin to take on his qualities. We are restored and recreated into the people God intends. We are remade into the image in which God created Adam and Eve. This image is the life of the Kingdom. The new age begins to break into our lives, even though we are still bound to this earthly existence. Paul will take up this topic in the next chapter.
This transformation comes through the Holy Spirit. Like butterflies who are metamorphisized from slimy green caterpillars to beautiful flying insects of many colors, so we experience a transformation of our persons. We are still the same persons, unique in all creation, but we experience change in the most fundamental areas of our lives. This comes about “from glory to glory.” As humans, we have been created with the glory of God, but we sadly distort this. We fall from glory because of sin (Romans 3:23). But this glory can be restored, day by day, decision by decision, in obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is a lifetime journey. It does not happen over night, although we may see dramatic changes at times. It requires a daily commitment, a journey, a walk of life. The Lord Jesus works within us this miracle of change. Because Jesus is not with us in person, like during his earthly ministry, this change now comes about through the Holy Spirit whom Christ and the Father have sent to dwell in us and with us. This is a powerful thought that should consume our lives.
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