“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 from the Lord, the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NAU)
Being reared in the USA, we are taught to be self-sufficient. There is much value in this philosophy. It builds good work ethic. It decreases laziness and dependence on welfare. It produces a ‘git-er-done’ attitude. But it also can have a negative influence. It may produce arrogance and hypocrisy. And none of us are immune to this aspect of self-sufficiency.
In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul teaches us that only God is truly self-sufficient and ours comes from him (v. 5). Our knowledge, our interpretations, our way of doing things, etc are all inadequate and insufficient. Our self-sufficiency develops rules, laws, and rigid ministry, which kills faith and our spiritual life. But the new covenant sufficiency in the Spirit produces life (v. 6). Moses ministered under a glorious condemnation ministry (v. 7-9) but that ministry was not sufficient for future generations of believers. God had something more glorious for them. If we insist on holding onto the past glory, we will miss the present glory, which surpasses the former glory (v. 9). Like the congregation under Moses, our resistance to the reality of the fading glory will harden our hearts and all we will see is a veil.
But Christ removes the veil. Let us trust him! There is liberty in him! He will not guide us wrong. God has done marvelous things in the past, but God is dynamic and not stagnant. God moves ahead and does not rest on his laurels. The future with God is always more glorious than the past glory! That is why the past glory fades away and loses its luster. Past glory will never be sufficient for future needs. If we yield to the Holy Spirit, we will be transformed ‘from glory to glory’ into the image of Christ (i.e. Christ-likeness).
Dear Father, thank you for the transforming power of your grace and mercy. Give us the spiritual fortitude to trust your guiding hand. Enable us to let go of the past and move with your Spirit into our future. Give us humility to yield to your transforming grace and assure us of your presence. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his glorious Son and live in his present glory,