"But we all, looking on the
glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18
JND).
The glory of the Lord as seen in
Moses’ face alarmed the people; they could not bear that glory. But we behold
that glory in Christ and yet are not in the least afraid; we find liberty,
comfort, and joy in looking at it. How does this immense difference come about?
I can steadfastly behold His
glory without becoming frightened because the glory of God is in the face of a
Man who has put away my sins, who has borne the wrath of God on account of my
sins, and who is in the glory in proof of it (Heb. 1:3).
When I see Him in that glory,
instead of seeing my sins, I see that they are gone. Where are my sins now?
Once they were found upon the head of that blessed One; but they are gone,
never more to be found. He who bore them all has been received up to the throne
of God, and no sin can be there.
By beholding His glory, we are
changed into His image. It is the Holy Spirit taking of the things of Christ
and revealing them to the soul that is the power of present practical
conformity to Christ. I delight in Christ, I feast upon Christ, I love Christ.
It is not simply the glory that attracts me. It is Christ Himself whom I love,
Christ whom I admire, Christ whom I care for, Christ whose flesh I eat and
whose blood I drink. Is it a wonder that I am like Christ? The Christian thus
becomes the epistle of Christ. He speaks for Christ, owns Christ, acts for
Christ. He does not want to be rich for he has unsearchable riches in Christ.
He does not want the pleasures of
the world for he has pleasures at God’s right hand for evermore.
It is not my looking at myself
but my looking at Christ that is God’s appointed means for my growing in the
likeness of Christ. We see it beautifully in the martyrdom of Stephen.
"He, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and
saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" (Acts
7:55). And look at his attitude as he is being stoned to death; just like his
Master, he prays for his very murderers:"Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge" (7:60).
The soul at perfect liberty with
God looks peacefully and happily at the glory of God as seen in the face of
Jesus Christ. And because he sees that glory and knows what it means, he walks
before God in holy confidence. At ease in the presence of God, he becomes
"the epistle of Christ" (2 Cor. 3:3) to the world, showing out to all
that he has been there.
May we more and more make our
boast in Him in whose face all this glory is displayed—the Lamb who has died
for us and cleansed away our sins by His own most precious blood.