Endless Possibilities – 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

⁷ Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face—a fading [glory]— ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. ¹⁰ In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious in this case because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.    ¹² Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness— ¹³ not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not look at the end of what was fading away. ¹⁴ But their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside [only] in Christ. ¹⁵ However, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, ¹⁶ but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

This passage is longer than most we have used for devotionals.  You might also want to check out Exodus 34:29-35 for some background on this story about Moses.  The short summary is: if the law could bring such glory to Moses while living under the Old Covenant, how much more glory should be reflected in those who live now under the New Covenant of freedom in Christ, with His Spirit inhabiting our very lives.  We have no veil but are being “transformed” to reflect the glory of the Lord in each of our lives.

I like verse 16: “Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”  What a great picture of regeneration.  With the Spirit is us we now see things we could not see before.  God’s glory is revealed to us plainly.  It has always been there, but after conversion we understand, we see clearly.  And here, in the presence of the Spirit of the Lord, is freedom.  No laws, no ritual, no restrictions, no limitations – endless possibilities.

What could the Lord do through your life this year if you began to earnestly seek to reflect the glory of the Lord?