Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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.” — 2 Corinthians 3:12–18 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

As we continue through Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, we come to a passage that beautifully describes the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. Paul has already explained that the Law, though glorious in its purpose, could never accomplish what God has now accomplished through His Son. The Law revealed God’s holiness and exposed humanity’s sinfulness, but it could not provide the righteousness or spiritual life that sinful humanity so desperately needed. Now Paul takes that truth a step further by describing what happens when the veil that once obscured our understanding is removed through faith in Jesus Christ.

To understand what Paul is saying, we need to remember something that happened to Moses in Exodus 34. After Moses had spent time in the presence of God on Mount Sinai, his face actually glowed with the reflected glory of the Lord. The Israelites were afraid to come near him because of the radiance of his face, and Moses eventually began wearing a veil when he was not speaking to the people or entering the presence of God. Paul uses that veil as an illustration of something much more significant. The Old Covenant was glorious because it came from God, but its glory was temporary in comparison to the surpassing and lasting glory of the New Covenant. What had once been revealed through types, shadows, sacrifices, and ceremonies has now been made clear through the coming of Jesus Christ.

I particularly appreciate something Matthew Henry says in his commentary on this passage. He points out that ministers of the Gospel have a responsibility to speak with great plainness and clarity. We are not supposed to put a veil over the truth or make the message of salvation more difficult to understand than it needs to be. The Gospel is not some mysterious secret reserved for a select group of religious scholars. It is the glorious revelation of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The sacrifices, ceremonies, and promises of the Old Testament pointed forward to Him, and now that Christ has come, we can understand their significance in a way that those who lived before His coming could not fully comprehend.

The Gospel is not something we are supposed to hide behind religious complexity. It is something we are called to proclaim with clarity and boldness.

But Paul also identifies a problem that goes much deeper than simply failing to understand the symbolism of the Old Testament. He says that the minds of the Israelites were hardened and that a veil remained over their hearts. Even though the Scriptures pointed toward the coming Messiah, many failed to recognize Him when He came. They could read the Law of Moses, study the prophets, and carefully observe their religious traditions, yet remain blind to the very One to whom those Scriptures pointed. And that same spiritual blindness can still exist today. A person can know a great deal about the Bible, participate faithfully in religious activities, and even possess an impressive understanding of theology without truly knowing Jesus Christ.

Notice, however, what Paul says in verse 16: “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”

That is a wonderful statement! The solution to spiritual blindness is not simply gaining more religious knowledge or becoming more disciplined in observing religious traditions. The solution is Jesus Christ. When a person turns to Him in repentance and faith, the veil is removed. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds to understand the truth of the Gospel, and we begin to see what we could not see before. We recognize our sinfulness, our need for a Savior, and the glorious sufficiency of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection. What was once hidden from our understanding becomes clear through the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.

And with that understanding comes something else that Paul describes in verse 17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

What a glorious privilege belongs to those who are in Christ! We have been set free from the condemnation of sin, from the impossible burden of attempting to earn righteousness through our own efforts, and from the bondage of sin’s dominion over our lives. We now have access to the Father through Jesus Christ and can approach His throne of grace with confidence. But we need to understand that this freedom is not permission to live however we please. It is freedom from the power of sin so that we might live in obedience to the One who has saved us. The Holy Spirit does not liberate us from righteousness. He liberates us to pursue it!

Then Paul brings us to what I believe is one of the most beautiful descriptions of the Christian life in all of Scripture. In verse 18, he writes, “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.”

Think about what Paul is saying here. Under the Old Covenant, Moses experienced the glory of God in a remarkable way, and his face reflected that glory for a time. But under the New Covenant, every believer has the privilege of beholding the glory of the Lord through Jesus Christ. And as we behold His glory, something remarkable happens. We are being transformed into His likeness!

Notice that Paul describes this transformation as an ongoing process. He says we are being transformed “from one degree of glory to another.” In other words, the Christian life is not simply about making a profession of faith and then waiting until we die to experience heaven. God is at work in us right now! Through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit, He is gradually changing our hearts, renewing our minds, reshaping our desires, and conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. This is the process we call sanctification, and it is one of the wonderful privileges of belonging to Christ.

I think there is something here that every believer ought to consider. If we are truly beholding the glory of Christ, shouldn’t His glory increasingly be reflected in our lives? Shouldn’t we be growing in love, patience, kindness, humility, holiness, and obedience? Shouldn’t our attitudes, priorities, and relationships begin to look more and more like those of Jesus? Certainly, none of us has arrived at perfection, and we will continue to struggle with sin as long as we live in these earthly bodies. But there ought to be evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. We should not be content to remain spiritually unchanged year after year.

And this transformation is not something we accomplish through our own strength. Paul makes that clear in the final words of verse 18: “For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Just as we cannot save ourselves, neither can we transform ourselves into the likeness of Christ through sheer determination. We are called to walk in obedience, spend time in God’s Word, pray, worship, and faithfully follow Jesus, but it is the Holy Spirit who works through these things to accomplish the transformation. Our responsibility is to surrender ourselves to His work rather than resist it.

So, let me ask you something today. Has the veil been removed from your heart? Have you turned to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in Him alone for your salvation? And if you have, is there evidence that His Spirit is transforming your life? Are you becoming more like Jesus today than you were a year ago? Five years ago? Ten years ago?

Because the glorious truth of the Gospel is not merely that Jesus Christ saves us from the penalty of sin. He also sets us free from its bondage and begins transforming us into His own likeness.

The veil has been removed. The glory of Christ has been revealed. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the wonderful privilege of reflecting that glory more and more each day.

May we never take that privilege for granted!

Reflection Questions

1. Paul teaches that the veil is removed when a person turns to Jesus Christ. Why is it possible for someone to possess considerable religious knowledge and yet remain spiritually blind to the truth of the Gospel? How can we make sure our faith is rooted in a genuine relationship with Christ rather than merely religious activity?
2. What does it mean to experience the freedom that comes through the Holy Spirit? How is this freedom different from the world’s understanding of freedom as the ability to do whatever we please?
3. Paul says that believers are being transformed into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. Looking back over your own Christian life, where can you see evidence of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work? Are there areas of your life where you need to surrender more fully to Him?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the glorious truth of the Gospel and for revealing Yourself to us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that when we turn to Him in repentance and faith, the veil is removed and we can see the wonderful truth of Your salvation. Forgive us for the times when we have allowed religious traditions, human wisdom, or our own pride to obscure the simplicity and beauty of the Gospel. Thank You for the freedom we have through Your Holy Spirit, freedom from the condemnation of sin and freedom to live in obedience to You. Lord, we confess that we are not yet what You have called us to be. There are still attitudes, desires, and habits in our lives that do not reflect the character of Jesus. We ask that Your Holy Spirit would continue His transforming work within us. As we spend time in Your Word, seek You in prayer, and walk in obedience to Your commands, help us to become more and more like our Savior. May others see His love, grace, holiness, and truth reflected in the way we live. And may we never be satisfied with anything less than becoming the people You have called us to be. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.