Transformation Through Beholding 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

We love studying books... taking our time in 2 Corinthians ... “Peter Pan” (Pray)

This dense passage funnels down to a very important verse about how believers are transformed: by beholding the glory of the Lord (3:18).

The key word is “glory” - 10 times in vv 7-12; twice in v 18.

Paul teaches us that the new covenant has more glory than the old. • Paul reaches back to Exodus 34, when met with God, and says the old covenant had glory, but new covenant glory surpasses it. • New Covenant: the age we are in; The Messiah has come, the events of Easter have taken place; he ascended to heaven; the Spirit has been poured out. • Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the prophets promised it, and it arrived.

• V. 6: “Ministers of the new covenant” it is the age of the Spirit and it centers on Christ (v 14) has many glorious benefts.

• Going from the old covenant to new is like going from horse and buggy to a Lamborghini • Or, like going from watching a T-ball game to front row of the Red Sox at Fenway. • Spam to steak at Angus Barn.

• It’s not just an upgrade, it’s God doing something new and glorious.

In verses 7-11, he makes a series of lesser to greater arguments — showing that the new covenant has greater glory. • Notice the “ifs” (v. 7, v. 9, 11) • Old covenant: Great — there was glory. • But how much greater is the new covenant?!

• He continues the contrast in vv 12-17 w/two veils, over Moses’ face&over human hearts. • And concludes with a statement about the miracle of having the veil lifted and beholding the Lord.

Let’s look at seven blessings of the new covenant. • Context: Paul continues to defend his ministry — he wants them to see what he proclaims, how his ministry is greater than Moses’

#1: Life (3:7-8) A Contrast of Death and of Spirit… he’s again associating the Spirit w resurrection life.

7: The Lesser Glory of the Ministry of Death 7a: He doesn’t mean the commandments are silly or bad. But it’s a ministry of death because: (1)it brought sin to light (it shows sin in its true colors, Rom 7.7): this leads to frustration, the absence of joy and peace. (2)The law - because of our sinful nature - incites us to sin more (Rom 7.8). (3)It was powerless to change the human heart (the main emphasis here in 2 Cor) • It was written on tablets of stone (that’s good), but not written on the heart.

• If all you have are external regulations in your religion; you have a religion of death. • is not a to-do list; it’s about having a new heart.

7b: Having said that, Paul doesn’t deny that the old covenant had glory… he simply states that it couldn’t produce life the way the new covenant does. • To demonstrate glory he notes Moses’ face when he descended from Mt Sinai. • There was glory: lightening, thunder, fre, smoke, etc. • Moses spoke with God and his face shone (Ex 34)

• If that ministry of death had glory, how much more now with a ministry of the Spirit! • Paul will go on to say that Christians look at the face of God in Christ (4:6), something better.

8: The Greater Glory of the Ministry of the Spirit • We were dead and the Spirit of God works a miracle in our hearts to make us alive! • See 3:6

One of the principle characteristics of the Spirit is that he imparts life. • “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8.1-2) • “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25) • The Spirit has given us life, and now the law written on our hearts! • The Spirit empowers us to glorify God. • The Spirit will raise us in glory, and we will receive a new body (new head), Rom 8:9ff

• We who are united to Christ have been indwelt by the Spirit and are guaranteed fnal resurrection life. • The new covenant brings an already-not yet reality. • We have life now, and will be raised to life in the future. • Throughout this passage Paul magnifes the work of the Spirit.

#2: Righteousness (3:9) The Lesser Glory of the Ministry of Condemnation (3:9a) • Apart from the Spirit’s work in our life we are left in condemnation. • The law crushes us and we need salvation. Romans 7:9-11 • “Run John run, the law demands, but gives us neither feet nor hands; better news the gospel brings; it bids us fy and gives us wings.” • Faithful is climbing up the hill and suddenly someone starts attacking him, knocking him down again and again. He cries out, “Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.” And this dark fgure says, “I do not know how to show mercy.” Then another fgure comes along and he sees nail prints in his hands... And this fgure rescues him. Christian then sits down Faithful down and says, “That frst fgure was Moses. He doesn’t know how to show mercy.” • The law crushes. • You have to go to Christ and receive mercy. And he’s willing to give it! • Then you can go to Moses having received life and know how to live. • The law condemns you but Jesus rescues you. • James — if you fail at one point, you’ve broken it all! • Don’t try to save yourself by keeping the law; it will kill you. Go to Christ for salvation.

The Greater Glory of the Ministry of Righteousness (3:9b) • The new covenant ministry brings righteousness freely and fully in Christ. • Righteousness occurs seven times in the letter (cf., 2 Cor 5:21) dikaiosyne 7 x in 2Cor • Used here, he’s speaking of a legal and declarative act, as he’s contrasting the state of condemnation and a state of right standing with God. o Paul’s own journey: Philippians 3:9: “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” • The very righteousness that God requires from us is now, in the gospel, the very righteousness of God God provides for us, through Jesus Christ.

Apart from the gift of righteousness in Christ received by faith, we are left to our own self salvation projects. • What do you do with your sin and your guilt? 1. Try to deny it, but that won’t work. 2. Believe that of your good works outweighs your bad ones then you’re okay. 3. Religious works: Luther and the Holy Steps. 4. Self-fagellation - the practice harming your with whips or other instruments that infict pain, as a form of dealing with your guilt. • Middle Ages -- Rhinehold Mystics: Heinrich Suso 1295-1366 • He subjected himself to extreme forms of mortifcations, devising several painful devices: an undergarment studded with a hundred and ffty brass nails; and a cross with thirty protruding needles and nails under his body as he slept. • Well this is the problem: we aren’t righteous. How can we be righteous? • Not works, not ritual, not self harm: we receive Christ’s righteousness by faith. • We don’t have to pray up holy steps because X already went up the steps! • We don’t have to sleep on a bed of nails shaped like a cross because Christ was nailed to the cross already for us! When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look, and see Him there who made an end to all my sin Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God the just is satisfed To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me

• This righteousness that we have in X has an already-not-yet dimension. • Those who are in Christ have already received righteousness, thanks to the work of Christ; and we await the end time acquittal (justifcation) at the end of history. When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in him be found; dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless stand before the throne.

The gospel is not an invitation to do great things for God; it’s a declaration of what God has done for us.

Wake up daily and think about what God has done for you in Christ! • In history and in the present time. • And live out of that grateful hearts. • And you’ll end up doing many great things for God.

#3: Permanence (3:10-11) 10: Paul drives home his point here in this verse: the old age was indeed glorious (Israel had wonderful privileges and blessings), but new covenant believers surpasses it.

11: The Transience of old Glory. • One more reason is given for the greater glory of the new covenant: its length. • The new covenant not only brings life and righteousness, it brings it forever!

• The old covenant was transient, but the new is eternal because it has an eschatological reality. • The old covenant wasn’t designed to last forever; but the new is. • This connects with verse 7 and verse 12 about why Moses veiled his face: it was being brought to an end (v. 7) “So that they wouldn’t gaze at the outcome of what was about to be brought to the end.” (v. 12) o That is, so that they would not mistake which era of history they lived in. o IF they would have gazed at the glory they would have mistaken it for the high point of all of God’s promises. o But that wasn’t the high point. o It was a foretaste of greater glory to come – which is gazing at the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! #4: Hope (3:12-13) The glory inspires faithfulness in hard times.

12: Hope – The breaking in of the new age is hope-giving. • The already-not-yet realities food our hearts with hope as we look forward to all that Christ has for us. • The believers rightly had hope in God’s promises and in his mercy, but the new covenant brought greater clarity and greater assurance of all that God was doing and will do. • What is this hope? It is all the end-time blessings God will give his people: new bodies, new creation, no pain, crying, sickness, death, inheritance, seeing Jesus himself! • The is flled with glorious declarations about this hope, and it flls us with confdence now. o Col 1:5; Eph 1:18; 1 Pet 1:3ff

This hopes to speaks to all of our feelings and emotions: • Fear? let this hope give you confdence. You know where the future is headed. • Lonely? Let this hope bring you a sense of nearness to the Lord. The day is at hand. • Angry? Let this hope calm you down. You can put things in perspective. • Sad? Let this hope bring you joy. Look at what is coming! • Hurt? Let the hope of glory bring you a sense of healing. Soon all things will be made new! • Bitter? Allow it to make you gracious and forgiving, as you consider how you have earned none of this! It’s a gift of grace. • Shame? Let the hope of glory bring you a sense of honor, as God’s beloved child, who’s dressed in the righteousness of Christ.

12b: In the meantime it also gives us “boldness” (confdence) • We have hope and boldness because we know in the end, Jesus wins, and all who are in him win. • We don’t hide our message, but we’re bold, transparent, not hiding anything. • Not just by our personality; not in your face, rude. • But honest — its the best news in the world and we don’t hide it!

13: This boldness is transparent and visible. • We’re not veiling the glory but declaring it. • Here Paul is referring back to Exodus 34:29-35. • Moses would speak to God face to face but when he spoke to the people he had to veil his face. • We’re very bold with sharing this message.

#5: A New Heart (3:14-16) This is how one receives all these blessings — “in turning to Christ” (v. 16)! It is only through Christ that the veil “over the heart” (14-15) is lifted. • The Spirit gives eyes to see Christ. • The Spirit gives eyes to see that all of God’s promises fnd their “yes” in him. • You don’t have to be a Jew to have this veil; it characterizes all who are bound up in religion apart from Christ; from all who haven’t trusted him.

14a: Their “minds were hardened” • “minds” is the same word in 2:11 used for Satan’s “designs” • All other uses of the word in 2 Corinthians are associated with spiritual warfare (4:4; 10:5; 11:3) • The problem wasn’t the law but the human heart.

14b: Moses is not the only one wearing a veil, he says. • But this is not a veil covering the face, but a veil covering hearts. • The point: Moses would lift the veil when he saw the Lord, but the Israelites now who resist, Christ are functioning with an uplifted veil. • The veil is lifted only through Christ.

Paul is not poo-pooing the OT here in chapter 3. • Remember he preached from the OT! • He didn’t say, “Open up to my book, Romans.” • The gospel is in the OT, but unless you see Christ there, your heart is hardened and your eyes are veiled.

15: Because of spiritual blindness they don’t read Moses rightly; for he testifed of Jesus. • The gospel is declared in the OT, but there remains a veil. (John 5.39, 46) • They didn’t understand and many still don’t understand the meaning of the OT. • It’s a veil lies over “the heart.”

16: Moses removed his veil in Exodus 34:34-35. • But here the veil is removed – the Lord removes it from our eyes. • Lydia’s testimony (Acts 16); and Paul’s experience (Acts 9:18) • Everything changes when this happens! (My testimony) • Ask the Lord to do this for you.... believers ask the Lord to do it for others!

“turning to the Lord” — the Lord Jesus (2 Cor 4:5-6) • We proclaim Jesus as Lord — he is the climax of redemptive history. • the blessing of the new covenant comes only by God’s grace when a person turns to Christ for salvation.

#6: Freedom (3:17) 17: We see rich Trinitarian theology through the passage • The Godhead working in harmony in the work of salvation. • These verses highlight the deity of Christ and the Spirit and their united work together. • We see Christ and the Spirit in this verse operating together, as the gifts of the new age. • The new covenant is the age of the Messiah and the age of the Spirit. • The Spirit unites us to Christ.

“freedom” needs defnition. • The verse lacks of verb in Greek and simply reads as “and where the Spirit of the Lord — freedom.” • Wherever the Spirit goes, there one fnds the freedom in the gospel – freedom from the letter. • Freedom from guilt, condemnation, fear, and death (Rom 6-8)

• And freedom for obedience; power to do what God says. • Not a freedom to do whatever you want to do! A freedom to obey God. • And that’s freedom. Sin only brings slavery.

• This freedom of the Spirit involves great joy, as we enjoy the blessings of the new covenant: right standing with God (v. 9), eternal glory (v. 11), hope and boldness (v. 12), and gazing at the Messiah.

• All of this provided by the liberating work fo the Holy Spirit.

#7: Transformation (3:18) 18: Here’s Paul’s remarkable conclusion. • It’s one of the most import text for observing how people are transformed.

Big idea: Beholding, leads to becoming. • We become like that which we admire or adore. • We know this on a micro-level — you pick up habits and mannerisms from people you admire. “If I could be like Mike.” Pick up mannerisms of preachers, etc. • There is no more admirable person in the universe to admire and adore than Jesus.

How do we change? Popular ideas (KD) • Time plus experience (and some cultural experiences). • Change does take time, and experiences can be good. • But that doesn’t necessarily make you more like Christ. • You can be spiritually immature your whole life. • Some Christians don’t get better with age. (Eccl 4:13, Uzziah, Solomon)

• Self-help books. • “Think positively” we’re told. • Being positive may be helpful, but almost all the self-help plans are devoid of God. • I need God’s help. • Moralism. • Stop it! Improve! Work harder! • But by ourselves it’s dead letter. • The law kills. It’s powerless to change. • You can get moralism anywhere in all kinds of religions.

What Paul tells us here is so important: behold the beauty of Christ and be changed by the Spirit.

We are not transformed by behavior steps; we are transformed by beholding Christ. • We need to remember this in our parenting, or discipleship, or preaching. • Scripture shows us that we’re transformed by adoring Christ.

We become like that which we worship. • Ps 135:18; 115:8 = dead, lifeless, meaningless.

We “all” – this is for all Christians. • We all see Christ face to face and are transformed • eschatological fulfllment: o 1 John 3:2: Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. o Psalm 17:15: As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfed with your likeness. • Are you dwelling on Christ? Are you thinking on his excellencies?

“beholding” • This is not just understanding things about Jesus. • It’s about adoration of Jesus. • Seeing and savoring Christ, not a casual observance.

The biggest need in your life is to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus. You need to see the glory of Jesus and that’s how you will change.

Let me get specifc: • As we gaze upon eating with sinners and scoundrels — we become more loving. • As we see him weeping over , we become more compassionate. • As we gaze upon Jesus preaching boldly to the religious elite — we become more bold. • As we gaze upon Jesus loving children - we become tender and gentle. • As we gaze upon him suffering without reviling in return — we learn how to endure hardship and persecution. • As we gaze upon him forgiving sinners and saying on the cross, “Father forgive them” - we become more forgiving. • As we gaze upon how he gave up everything for our salvation — we become more generous. • As we see him rise from the dead, we become more frm in our faith. • As we gaze on the mercy of Jesus in restoring Peter - we become more merciful. • As we gaze upon his eyes life fre and feet like bronze -- we become more pure. • As we see him reigning in eschatological glory we become more hope-flled.

Mediate on the person and work of Christ.

“being transformed” (metamorophoo) is a present passive. • God is doing this in his saints. • As we gaze on Christ we are transformed more into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29-30) • The question is, do you want to grow? Some are just fne where there at.

“image” harkens back to Genesis. • As we gaze upon Christ we are being transformed into the people we were created to be.

“glory to glory” • This could mean gradual glorifcation, or from the glory of the old covenant to new covenant glory, or from the glory of the already to the glory of the not yet. • Or perhaps a combination. • I think it’s the idea of ever-increasing glory

How does this all happen? The Spirit. • Having just tied the work of the Spirit to Christ in the previous verses, he does so again. • No one is transformed apart from the Spirit. • We look at Christ by the Spirit. • And when we do, the Lord changes us.

This process of sanctifcation culminates in glorifcation: Philippians 3:20–21- 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

This is what we are caught up in!

This cantankerous group of believers have been swept up into a glory that will one day explode onto the scene in visible glory when Christ returns.

So the big idea is that we need to behold Christ. • Turn to Christ to be converted. • Behold Christ to be more and more transformed.