-3-
From Glory to Glory
Chapter 3:5-18
In this study we will see a change of subject. Paul has just explained that he does not need 'letters of commendation' as some people were demanding or expecting him to produce. He defended his sincerity and honesty. He said that all the evidence that the Corinthians needed was to look at themselves … particularly those individuals who had become believers by Paul's own personal ministry while he was there among them. They were to recognize that they were the fruit of Paul's labor. They were the evidence that he was not 'in it for the money'.
But here is how Paul 'transitions' to a new subject: He makes a statement that, even though the Corinthians are 'the evidence' of Paul's work … he reminds them that 'his work' was nothing that he could take credit for. He says it is all about God's working through Paul.
2Co 3:5 Not that we are in any way confident of doing anything by our own resources — our ability comes from God.
Next he states: God has made him a 'competent' administrator of the 'New Covenant'.
2Co 3:6 ¶ It is he who makes us competent administrators of the new agreement, concerned not with the letter but with the Spirit. The letter of the Law leads to the death of the soul; the Spirit alone can give it life.
So this is the topic that Paul is now addressing.
What is the New Covenant? How is it different from the old? If these questions were in the minds of the Corinthians … and Paul seems to think they were, and if we need instruction and a new appreciation about this … here it comes (from Paul's own word – but remember, this is God's word)
Paul begins by telling us that one main difference between the old and new covenants is … death vs life.
The scripture version I am using in this study is called the Philips Translation. I will insert the same verse in the ESV simply for comparison: 2Co 3:6 ¶ who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Paul refers to the Old Covenant as something that produced death.
2Co 3:7a The administration of the Law which was engraved in stone (and which led in fact to spiritual death)
This would not be language that would be welcomed by any Jew or even by a Jew who has now accepted Christ. Their attachment to the Old Testament was very deep. The Old Covenant is likely only one part of the Old Testament. The Jews were accustomed to calling the first five books (the Pentateuch) 'the Law'. They also, at times, referred to the complete old Testament as 'the Law'. Jesus, however, at least on one occasion, divided the Old testament into three parts:
Lu 24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
Paul does not explain just how it is that the law produces death. Perhaps he assumes that they already agree with him about this.
But he did explain this in his letter to the Romans:
Ro 7:7 ¶ What are we then to conclude? Is the law sin? Of course not! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have learned what sin was, for I should not have known what an evil desire was, if the law had not said, "You must not have an evil desire."
8 Sin found its rallying point in that command and stirred within me every sort of evil desire, for without law sin is lifeless.
9 I was once alive when I had no connection with the law, but when the command came, sin revived, and then I died;10 and so, in my case, the command which should have meant life turned out to mean death.
11 For sin found its rallying point in that command and through it deceived me and killed me.
The above passage is very clear. Paul uses himself as an example. He did not know what sin was until the commandment (law) came into his life (Romans 7.9). Notice, he does NOT say he had no sin. He says that he did not know what sin was. He also claims … at that point that he was ALIVE. But when the commandments came into his life, he DIED.
As many denominations have taught … we are born with original sin. But what have we done about it?
The Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran denominations (etc) have taught that original sin must be dealt with by baptism shortly after birth. The idea is that parents and god-parents supply the 'faith' for salvation, and the infant, born in sin and in need of salvation, passes from death (the result of original sin) to life. The infant grows into childhood and at the age of ten or so, takes a series of classes called 'confirmation'. At the end of the classes the child takes responsibility for their own faith.
The 'Calvinist' viewpoint is quite different. It affirms that God has selected a certain percentage of individuals to become 'saved', before the world was ever created. Therefore they do not recommend baptism for a baby at all. They leave salvation totally up to God. They say that is has all been pre-determined in eternity past.
What do evangelicals teach about it? We have heard it taught that a child 'under the age of accountability' is 'SAFE' (not SAVED but safe), until they reach the age of accountability. After that point, when they hear the gospel message it is up to them to turn to Jesus in repentance and Godly sorrow and trust in the gospel.
As Evangelicals we, as a rule, do not spend much time and effort talking about the biblical support for the word 'SAFE'. So I want to make a special point of doing that before we move on.
The apostle Paul, in Romans 7:9 gives us his teaching regarding this by putting things in 'the first person'. That is, he refers to what was true in his own life.
He states that he was ALIVE once, prior to his having knowledge of the law. This can only be referring to the time from birth to what we call the age of accountability. When his mind and heart were able to understand the law, Paul says he DIED.
ALIVE refers to spiritually alive. If he had died in infancy, because he was spiritually alive, he would have arrived in heaven as a child of God.
When Paul DIED he is referring to spiritual death. This happened when the Law gave him an understanding of what sin was and he realized he was a sinner. Had he died physically, having this knowledge of sin, because he was now spiritually dead, he would not have arrived in the presence of God. He would have arrived in that other place for eternity.
But we also know the rest of the story in Paul's history. At the age of 30 or so, on the road to Damascus with the intention of arresting Christians, God (Jesus) met him. Paul repented of his past life, turned and trusted Jesus as his Savior. He was now, again, ALIVE spiritually. Here again Paul's statement:
Romans 7:9 a I was once alive when I had no connection with the law, but when the command came, sin revived, and then I died;
So the law becomes an agent of death. Does this make the law, evil? No, we are the evil ones. The law simply points it out … but it also points us to Jesus, so that we do not stay DEAD.
Ga 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Back to our Corinthian passage:
2Co 3:7 The administration of the Law which was engraved in stone (and which led in fact to spiritual death) … was so magnificent that the Israelites were unable to look unflinchingly at Moses’ face, for it was alight with heavenly splendour. Now if the old administration held such heavenly, even though transitory, splendour 8 can we not see what a much more glorious thing is the new administration of the Spirit of life?
The law itself was a good thing. It points to God and His holiness. By reading through the commandments we discover the heart and mind of God with regard to our lives. The law has statements, Like “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not ...”
The Israelites lived under this system for years. They knew beyond any doubt what God expected. And they knew that they could not possibly live up to these requirements. They failed daily … and so do we.
But the Israelites, unlike ourselves, acknowledged that one day a Messiah would come and make atonement for the sins of the world. Repeatedly they recognized that their sins made them guilty of death. But repeatedly they also appreciated that they could substitute the death of an animal for their own death. And this was in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
So, while the law pointed out their guilt and failure, it also pointed out the holiness of God. And the holiness of God is a glorious thing.
So how is the 'new covenant' more glorious? In the sense that, while the old covenant was a promise and held out a hope of salvation, the new Covenant is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus, the Lamb of God came. As the perfect Lamb he gave his life as a sacrifice to atone for all sin.
The writer of Hebrews said that under the old Covenant, sins were not really removed. Here is the verse:
Heb 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
But the blood of Jesus ACTUALLY removes our sin. How glorious is that?
The apostle John put it this way:
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, (that is, we have fellowship between ourselves and God) and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 ¶ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2Co 3:9 If to administer a system which is to end in condemning men had its glory, how infinitely more splendid is it to administer a system which ends in making men right with God!
10 And while it is true that the former glory has been eclipsed by the latter, 11 we do well to remember that it is eclipsed because the present and permanent is so much more glorious than the old and transient.
Here is verse 11 from the ESV
2Co 3:11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
What can be mentioned here is that the old system (covenant) was never meant to be permanent. Right from the beginning it was intended to be a fore-shadow of what was coming. This fact might have been a little hard for those with Jewish background in the Corinthian church to accept.
Paul goes on:
2Co 3:12 ¶ With this hope in our hearts we are quite frank and open in our ministry.
The King James version says it a bit differently: 2Co 3:12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Paul is able to use plainness of speech, in other words, so much of the Old Testament is symbolic when it points to the New Covenant … Now Paul does not have to speak in symbolism, but plainly and clearly regarding the actual work of Jesus as our Saviour.
2Co 3:13 We are not like Moses, who veiled his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing its fading glory.
This is an interesting translation. Here is the King James version:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
When Moses came down from the mountain his face was shining so brightly (with the glory of God) that it was painful for anyone to look at. He put a veil or a bag over his head. With the veil removed … onlookers could not bear to see or gaze at the extreme brightness of Moses face.
Moses took the veil off when he went into the tabernacle to meet with God. Each time he came out to tell the people the words of God, because they were being blinded by the light coming from his face, he put the covering back on.
Symbolically Paul uses this to imply, with Moses face covered, they were now unable to see the glory of God.
The glory or brightness of Moses face was not permanent. Eventually it faded away. So did the old covenant.
But the Jews of Paul's time and also of our time, do not want to admit that the glory of the old testament is gone.
2Co 3:14 But it was their minds really which were blinded, for even today when the old agreement is read to them there is still a veil over their minds — though the veil has actually been lifted by Christ.
Paul says it was really their minds, not their eyes so much, that were being blinded.
Now Paul kind of turns the picture around and represents the Jews, and really all unbelievers, as each having their own personal bag over their head. He says it is still there:
2Co 3:15 Yes even to this day there is still a veil over their hearts when the writings of Moses are read.
But he adds: 2Co 3:16 Yet if they "turned to the Lord" the veil would disappear.
What is he saying? That today the Jewish people can read scripture, but they cannot understand it. All that changes if they accept Christ.
Paul makes this statement in First Corinthians;
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Co 2:14
This is true of the Jews, generally. Paul says that God blinded their eyes. And yet Paul says that the veil disappears when a Jew turns to Christ. So it sounds like they are blinded to everything biblical … except the actual gospel message.
To a great degree this is no different from any unsaved person. The gentiles (you and I) are considered to have been 'the natural man' before we came to Christ. The bible as a whole was not discernible by us. But then we trusted Christ as our Savior and things changed.
Paul said in his Romans letter, that to each person in the world … there is given a measure of faith.
Ro 12:3b ... as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
This seems to be true of Jew and Gentile alike. And because He has dealt out that measure of faith to every person, along with it comes the responsibility to use it.
Now Paul moves from 'the ability' and responsibility to turn to the Lord, to speaking about the change that takes place when we do ...and how that change is accomplished.
2Co 3:17 For the Lord to whom they could turn is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, men’s souls are set free.
The Lord to whom they could turn … is the Spirit. This is a statement that supports the doctrine of the Trinity, although that is likely not Paul's intention in making this statement.
A person, Jew or Gentile, turns to the Lord, and we find that it is the Holy Spirit to whom we are turning, and `we experience freedom. We are set free from the kingdom of darkness.
Here are a few references that say it so well:
Ps 124:7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Ac 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Col 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
And all of this has been accomplished by the Holy Spirit's power working in our lives.
But his work goes on. Paul adds:
2Co 3:18 But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transformed in ever-increasing splendor into His own image, and this is the work of the Lord who is the Spirit. - And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (ESV) 2Co 3:18
Paul has wonderfully explained to the Corinthian believers that we are living in a special age. Jesus said, "The Law and the Prophets were in force until John’s day. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and everyone is trying to force his way into it”. Lu 16:16
God's Spirit has always been here. He moved on the face of the waters in Genesis One. King David, in the Old Testament era could say, “Remove not your Holy Spirit from me ...”, and yet we are living in a special time. The Holy Spirit was given in a unique way on the day of Pentecost. We have been given the Holy Spirit as a comforter, a guide, a conscience, an enabler.
But in this last verse of the chapter is the wonderful thought that He is our 'changer'. As we behold the face of Jesus in His word, as we vow in our hearts to follow Him and cling to Him … we are being changed … from one degree of glory ...to the next one.
The Corinthian believers were Paul's testimony, they were Paul's credentials. They were a group of transformed heathens and Jews and stood out brightly reflecting the image of God … or did they? What about the infighting and division? What about the tolerant attitude toward gross sin? Etc.
And yet, they were believers being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They had a long way to go.
And what about you and me? God is not finished yet. To some degree we reflect Christ. We are becoming Christ-like.
In the future, one day we will be like Him for we will see Him as He is … but the changing work of the Spirit is now.
We must yield to that and pray, Lord continue to change me!
But here is how Paul 'transitions' to a new subject: He makes a statement that, even though the Corinthians are 'the evidence' of Paul's work … he reminds them that 'his work' was nothing that he could take credit for. He says it is all about God's working through Paul.
2Co 3:5 Not that we are in any way confident of doing anything by our own resources — our ability comes from God.
Next he states: God has made him a 'competent' administrator of the 'New Covenant'.
2Co 3:6 ¶ It is he who makes us competent administrators of the new agreement, concerned not with the letter but with the Spirit. The letter of the Law leads to the death of the soul; the Spirit alone can give it life.
So this is the topic that Paul is now addressing.
What is the New Covenant? How is it different from the old? If these questions were in the minds of the Corinthians … and Paul seems to think they were, and if we need instruction and a new appreciation about this … here it comes (from Paul's own word – but remember, this is God's word)
Paul begins by telling us that one main difference between the old and new covenants is … death vs life.
The scripture version I am using in this study is called the Philips Translation. I will insert the same verse in the ESV simply for comparison: 2Co 3:6 ¶ who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Paul refers to the Old Covenant as something that produced death.
2Co 3:7a The administration of the Law which was engraved in stone (and which led in fact to spiritual death)
This would not be language that would be welcomed by any Jew or even by a Jew who has now accepted Christ. Their attachment to the Old Testament was very deep. The Old Covenant is likely only one part of the Old Testament. The Jews were accustomed to calling the first five books (the Pentateuch) 'the Law'. They also, at times, referred to the complete old Testament as 'the Law'. Jesus, however, at least on one occasion, divided the Old testament into three parts:
Lu 24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
Paul does not explain just how it is that the law produces death. Perhaps he assumes that they already agree with him about this.
But he did explain this in his letter to the Romans:
Ro 7:7 ¶ What are we then to conclude? Is the law sin? Of course not! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have learned what sin was, for I should not have known what an evil desire was, if the law had not said, "You must not have an evil desire."
8 Sin found its rallying point in that command and stirred within me every sort of evil desire, for without law sin is lifeless.
9 I was once alive when I had no connection with the law, but when the command came, sin revived, and then I died;10 and so, in my case, the command which should have meant life turned out to mean death.
11 For sin found its rallying point in that command and through it deceived me and killed me.
The above passage is very clear. Paul uses himself as an example. He did not know what sin was until the commandment (law) came into his life (Romans 7.9). Notice, he does NOT say he had no sin. He says that he did not know what sin was. He also claims … at that point that he was ALIVE. But when the commandments came into his life, he DIED.
As many denominations have taught … we are born with original sin. But what have we done about it?
The Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran denominations (etc) have taught that original sin must be dealt with by baptism shortly after birth. The idea is that parents and god-parents supply the 'faith' for salvation, and the infant, born in sin and in need of salvation, passes from death (the result of original sin) to life. The infant grows into childhood and at the age of ten or so, takes a series of classes called 'confirmation'. At the end of the classes the child takes responsibility for their own faith.
The 'Calvinist' viewpoint is quite different. It affirms that God has selected a certain percentage of individuals to become 'saved', before the world was ever created. Therefore they do not recommend baptism for a baby at all. They leave salvation totally up to God. They say that is has all been pre-determined in eternity past.
What do evangelicals teach about it? We have heard it taught that a child 'under the age of accountability' is 'SAFE' (not SAVED but safe), until they reach the age of accountability. After that point, when they hear the gospel message it is up to them to turn to Jesus in repentance and Godly sorrow and trust in the gospel.
As Evangelicals we, as a rule, do not spend much time and effort talking about the biblical support for the word 'SAFE'. So I want to make a special point of doing that before we move on.
The apostle Paul, in Romans 7:9 gives us his teaching regarding this by putting things in 'the first person'. That is, he refers to what was true in his own life.
He states that he was ALIVE once, prior to his having knowledge of the law. This can only be referring to the time from birth to what we call the age of accountability. When his mind and heart were able to understand the law, Paul says he DIED.
ALIVE refers to spiritually alive. If he had died in infancy, because he was spiritually alive, he would have arrived in heaven as a child of God.
When Paul DIED he is referring to spiritual death. This happened when the Law gave him an understanding of what sin was and he realized he was a sinner. Had he died physically, having this knowledge of sin, because he was now spiritually dead, he would not have arrived in the presence of God. He would have arrived in that other place for eternity.
But we also know the rest of the story in Paul's history. At the age of 30 or so, on the road to Damascus with the intention of arresting Christians, God (Jesus) met him. Paul repented of his past life, turned and trusted Jesus as his Savior. He was now, again, ALIVE spiritually. Here again Paul's statement:
Romans 7:9 a I was once alive when I had no connection with the law, but when the command came, sin revived, and then I died;
So the law becomes an agent of death. Does this make the law, evil? No, we are the evil ones. The law simply points it out … but it also points us to Jesus, so that we do not stay DEAD.
Ga 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Back to our Corinthian passage:
2Co 3:7 The administration of the Law which was engraved in stone (and which led in fact to spiritual death) … was so magnificent that the Israelites were unable to look unflinchingly at Moses’ face, for it was alight with heavenly splendour. Now if the old administration held such heavenly, even though transitory, splendour 8 can we not see what a much more glorious thing is the new administration of the Spirit of life?
The law itself was a good thing. It points to God and His holiness. By reading through the commandments we discover the heart and mind of God with regard to our lives. The law has statements, Like “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not ...”
The Israelites lived under this system for years. They knew beyond any doubt what God expected. And they knew that they could not possibly live up to these requirements. They failed daily … and so do we.
But the Israelites, unlike ourselves, acknowledged that one day a Messiah would come and make atonement for the sins of the world. Repeatedly they recognized that their sins made them guilty of death. But repeatedly they also appreciated that they could substitute the death of an animal for their own death. And this was in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
So, while the law pointed out their guilt and failure, it also pointed out the holiness of God. And the holiness of God is a glorious thing.
So how is the 'new covenant' more glorious? In the sense that, while the old covenant was a promise and held out a hope of salvation, the new Covenant is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus, the Lamb of God came. As the perfect Lamb he gave his life as a sacrifice to atone for all sin.
The writer of Hebrews said that under the old Covenant, sins were not really removed. Here is the verse:
Heb 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
But the blood of Jesus ACTUALLY removes our sin. How glorious is that?
The apostle John put it this way:
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, (that is, we have fellowship between ourselves and God) and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 ¶ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2Co 3:9 If to administer a system which is to end in condemning men had its glory, how infinitely more splendid is it to administer a system which ends in making men right with God!
10 And while it is true that the former glory has been eclipsed by the latter, 11 we do well to remember that it is eclipsed because the present and permanent is so much more glorious than the old and transient.
Here is verse 11 from the ESV
2Co 3:11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
What can be mentioned here is that the old system (covenant) was never meant to be permanent. Right from the beginning it was intended to be a fore-shadow of what was coming. This fact might have been a little hard for those with Jewish background in the Corinthian church to accept.
Paul goes on:
2Co 3:12 ¶ With this hope in our hearts we are quite frank and open in our ministry.
The King James version says it a bit differently: 2Co 3:12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Paul is able to use plainness of speech, in other words, so much of the Old Testament is symbolic when it points to the New Covenant … Now Paul does not have to speak in symbolism, but plainly and clearly regarding the actual work of Jesus as our Saviour.
2Co 3:13 We are not like Moses, who veiled his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing its fading glory.
This is an interesting translation. Here is the King James version:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
When Moses came down from the mountain his face was shining so brightly (with the glory of God) that it was painful for anyone to look at. He put a veil or a bag over his head. With the veil removed … onlookers could not bear to see or gaze at the extreme brightness of Moses face.
Moses took the veil off when he went into the tabernacle to meet with God. Each time he came out to tell the people the words of God, because they were being blinded by the light coming from his face, he put the covering back on.
Symbolically Paul uses this to imply, with Moses face covered, they were now unable to see the glory of God.
The glory or brightness of Moses face was not permanent. Eventually it faded away. So did the old covenant.
But the Jews of Paul's time and also of our time, do not want to admit that the glory of the old testament is gone.
2Co 3:14 But it was their minds really which were blinded, for even today when the old agreement is read to them there is still a veil over their minds — though the veil has actually been lifted by Christ.
Paul says it was really their minds, not their eyes so much, that were being blinded.
Now Paul kind of turns the picture around and represents the Jews, and really all unbelievers, as each having their own personal bag over their head. He says it is still there:
2Co 3:15 Yes even to this day there is still a veil over their hearts when the writings of Moses are read.
But he adds: 2Co 3:16 Yet if they "turned to the Lord" the veil would disappear.
What is he saying? That today the Jewish people can read scripture, but they cannot understand it. All that changes if they accept Christ.
Paul makes this statement in First Corinthians;
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Co 2:14
This is true of the Jews, generally. Paul says that God blinded their eyes. And yet Paul says that the veil disappears when a Jew turns to Christ. So it sounds like they are blinded to everything biblical … except the actual gospel message.
To a great degree this is no different from any unsaved person. The gentiles (you and I) are considered to have been 'the natural man' before we came to Christ. The bible as a whole was not discernible by us. But then we trusted Christ as our Savior and things changed.
Paul said in his Romans letter, that to each person in the world … there is given a measure of faith.
Ro 12:3b ... as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
This seems to be true of Jew and Gentile alike. And because He has dealt out that measure of faith to every person, along with it comes the responsibility to use it.
Now Paul moves from 'the ability' and responsibility to turn to the Lord, to speaking about the change that takes place when we do ...and how that change is accomplished.
2Co 3:17 For the Lord to whom they could turn is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, men’s souls are set free.
The Lord to whom they could turn … is the Spirit. This is a statement that supports the doctrine of the Trinity, although that is likely not Paul's intention in making this statement.
A person, Jew or Gentile, turns to the Lord, and we find that it is the Holy Spirit to whom we are turning, and `we experience freedom. We are set free from the kingdom of darkness.
Here are a few references that say it so well:
Ps 124:7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Ac 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Col 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
And all of this has been accomplished by the Holy Spirit's power working in our lives.
But his work goes on. Paul adds:
2Co 3:18 But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transformed in ever-increasing splendor into His own image, and this is the work of the Lord who is the Spirit. - And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (ESV) 2Co 3:18
Paul has wonderfully explained to the Corinthian believers that we are living in a special age. Jesus said, "The Law and the Prophets were in force until John’s day. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and everyone is trying to force his way into it”. Lu 16:16
God's Spirit has always been here. He moved on the face of the waters in Genesis One. King David, in the Old Testament era could say, “Remove not your Holy Spirit from me ...”, and yet we are living in a special time. The Holy Spirit was given in a unique way on the day of Pentecost. We have been given the Holy Spirit as a comforter, a guide, a conscience, an enabler.
But in this last verse of the chapter is the wonderful thought that He is our 'changer'. As we behold the face of Jesus in His word, as we vow in our hearts to follow Him and cling to Him … we are being changed … from one degree of glory ...to the next one.
The Corinthian believers were Paul's testimony, they were Paul's credentials. They were a group of transformed heathens and Jews and stood out brightly reflecting the image of God … or did they? What about the infighting and division? What about the tolerant attitude toward gross sin? Etc.
And yet, they were believers being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They had a long way to go.
And what about you and me? God is not finished yet. To some degree we reflect Christ. We are becoming Christ-like.
In the future, one day we will be like Him for we will see Him as He is … but the changing work of the Spirit is now.
We must yield to that and pray, Lord continue to change me!