Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 3:12-18.

 

“¹² Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, ¹³ and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.  ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened;  for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  ¹⁵ But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;  ¹⁶ but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”  2 Corinthians 3:12-18. 

 

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How truly glorious and amazing is the description of the ministry of the Spirit that the Spirit transforms us into His “same image from glory to glory” as we behold our Lord!  And then improved, we again behold our Lord and are transformed and improved some more, time and time again!

 

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  1 John 3:2-3.

 

In contrast to the ministry of the Spirit which produces ever-increasing glory, the ministry of the Law only produces a fading glory.  We may read the Law and try to be better, but at best, it provides only a temporary fading improvement.  At worst, the Law arouses our sinful passions to bear fruit for death.  See Romans 7:5-11.

 

The Pharisees lay law upon law on the people:  “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders;  but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

                                    

In contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke:  “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”.  Romans 8:4.

We can either fix our eyes on the Law or fix our eyes on Jesus.  The Galatians fixed their eyes on the Law, and Paul admonished them:  “Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”  Galatians 3:3.  Or, we can fix our eyes on Jesus:  “the author and perfecter of faith”.  Hebrews 12:2.   

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  Verse 17.  “It was for freedom that Christ set us free;  therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1.  “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”  Galatians 5:4-5.