Moses had a vail on his face; unbelieving Jews had a vail on their hearts. “Their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament.” They can read the words but they do not understand the meaning. “Which vail is done away in Christ” (II Cor. 3:14). Believing Jews and believing Gentiles can now read the same words and can now understand the revelations regarding the Messiah, the kingdom and the principles of godliness.
We can do that now. But there is more. While Israel could not look on the fading glory of Moses’ face, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord…” The godly sees what the unbeliever can not.
Yet there is more! He cannot only see it, he is changed into it for we “are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another” (v.18 RSV).
Moral not physical
In this place, the word “glory” refers to the moral attributes of God. Physically, the believer deteriorates with age as does the unbeliever and the believer does not view the physical glory of God at present. What he does see now is the revelation of the moral attributes of God in the Word, beholding them with an unveiled heart.
However, we are not only to recognize and admire the moral attributes of God, we are now to be gradually developing them in ourselves “being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another.”
These very points are elaborated in Psalms 111 and 112 (part of the daily readings for March 5 along with II Cor. 3). In Psalm 112, the godly man is described with the same words that are used of Yahweh in Psalm 111. Yahweh is “gracious and full of compassion;” he who fears God is “gracious and full of compassion” (Psa. 111:4; 112:4). Of Yahweh it is said, “his righteousness endureth for ever” (Psa. 111:3); the identical phrase is used of the godly in Psa. 112:3 and 9. YASHAR (uprightness, upright) describes the works of God (Psa. 111:8) and characterizes those who fear Him (111:1; 112:2,4). MISHPAT (judgment) depicts God’s conduct (111:8) and the way of the upright (112:5 “discretion,” or “judgment”).
The godly man not only understands and admires the glorious moral attributes of Yahweh, he imitates them –now. This imitation does not come instantaneously, it develops throughout the life of the believer as he grows “from one degree of glory to another.”
Growth or deterioration?
Is this true of ourselves? Is there progress in our reflection of the divine character? Or is there stagnation or even regression?
There will be peaks and valleys; there will be times of failure in ways that we have never failed before. David, Hezekiah, Peter all experienced such heartache. But what is the trend over a period of years?
Do we now forgive where once we bore a grudge? Do we now regard the other ahead of ourselves where once we strove for our own opinion? Do we now discipline our children according to divine standards where once we reacted from personal irritation? Is the kingdom becoming more important to us and job success less of a concern? Do we find worldly entertainment less appealing than we used to? Are we more prepared to see house guests soil our carpets than in former years? Are we able faithfully to endure sickness and tragedy that would once have broken our spirits?
Are we developing into the moral likeness of God? Is that happening now in our lives? If it is not, we have a problem!
By the spirit
Such development cannot come from the flesh or the world; it can only come “by the spirit of the Lord.” The “spirit of the Lord” does not refer in this place to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, nor does it refer to an altered condition granted at baptism.
“The spirit” in II Corinthians 3 is synonymous with the new covenant that gives life in contrast to the letters of condemnation that killed (vs. 6-8). The letter, the Mosaic covenant, epitomized by the tables of stone, depended for its blessing upon natural Israel’s compliance with their oath to fully keep its requirements. Their failure to do so meant their oath trapped them in a covenant that killed the covenant-breakers; the law was weak through the flesh, the fleshly conduct of those failing to keep it (Rom. 8:3).
The new covenant is of the grace of God; it offers forgiveness of sins based upon our relationship to it through faith and baptism and determination to follow the spirit, not the flesh. The new covenant originates with God and progress in it can only come from that which is “of the Lord;” that which originates with the flesh will lead to regression — not spiritual progress.
What are we doing?
In our case, what are we doing to help ourselves proceed from “glory to glory?” Are we filling our lives, our homes, our families and our minds with that which is of the flesh or that which is of the spirit?
The world around us is of the flesh and is becoming more attractive and more sophisticated all the time. Magazines are more colorful; novels are more plentiful and are easier to read; television is more varied, presenting programs to every interest and taste; sports are more convenient to play or watch, news coverage is more instantaneous, business is more challenging, opportunities are expanding for men and women of every age, but none of these things will help us develop into the likeness of God. They are all of the world and appeal to the carnal instincts within us.
In the midst of such worldly attractions, are we making deliberate choices that help or hurt our spiritual growth? How many times have we deliberately made a decision to attend a worldly event rather than a Bible class? How many times have we deliberately chosen recreation over a lecture? How often do we deliberately choose to be with the world rather than the brethren?
We need to be making deliberate choices to spend time in the ministration of righteousness, applying ourselves to the Word of Truth and living its precepts in service to others. Progress from glory to glory can only be made by concerted effort with the help of the Lord; it cannot be made by the flesh. Our development into the moral likeness of God should be going on — now. May that be true in each of our lives as we await the day when we shall be made like him in body as well as in mind.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One