2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. – 2 Corinthians 3:17
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In today’s passage, Paul continues to describe the striking contrast between the old and new covenants. Under the old, Moses’ face shone with God’s glory, but the people could not bear to look at it; a veil covered both his face and their hearts. Under the new, that veil is removed in Christ. The “veil” here symbolizes spiritual blindness—the inability to perceive God’s truth even when it is plainly revealed. For the Jews of Paul’s day, the veil kept them from recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah. But Paul insists that “whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
This removal of the veil is not achieved by effort or intellect but by grace. When the risen Christ opened the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:27), their eyes were opened and their hearts burned within them. The same miracle happens whenever the Holy Spirit enlightens a heart to see Christ in all His beauty and sufficiency. Regeneration—the awakening of spiritual sight—is the gift of God’s grace. We cannot argue or reason someone into the kingdom; only Jesus removes the veil. Our task is to faithfully point to Christ, trusting the Spirit to open eyes. True conversion is always a miracle of divine mercy.
Paul continues, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ” (v.17) The freedom Paul describes is not license to do whatever we please, but liberation from sin’s tyranny, from the Law’s condemnation, and from the blindness that once enslaved us.
Through the Spirit, believers are no longer driven by fear or bound by performance-based religion. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). This freedom enables us to love God sincerely and to serve others joyfully. The Spirit frees us to live as children, not slaves. However, such freedom must be guarded carefully. The temptation to slip back into legalism or self-reliance is ever-present. But where the Spirit dwells, there is liberty of conscience, joy in obedience, and rest in God’s grace.
Finally, Paul writes, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…” (v.18). No longer must we look from afar or behind a veil. In Christ, we can behold God’s glory directly—and in beholding, we are being changed. This transformation, Paul says, “comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” It is not mere behaviour modification or moral improvement; it is the Spirit’s deep work of sanctification. As we gaze upon Christ through reading of Scripture, prayer, and worship, His character—His humility, purity, compassion, and obedience—takes shape in us. We are being conformed to His image (Rom 8:29), and this process will reach its climax when our lowly bodies are transformed to be like His glorious body (Phil 3:21).
To be a Christian, then, is to be on a continual journey of transformation “from glory to glory.” Each day, as we turn our hearts toward the Lord, may the Spirit refine us a little more into the likeness of Jesus. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom—and with unveiled faces, we are being changed into His glorious image.
Reflection:
Is your faith marked by freedom and transformation—or by fear and a list of dos and don’ts? Ask the Holy Spirit today to lift any veil that still clouds your heart, to free you from self-reliance, and to renew your gaze upon the beauty of Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for removing the veil that once blinded our hearts. Thank You for the freedom You have given us through Your Spirit—a freedom not to live for ourselves, but to live for You. As we behold Your glory, transform us day by day into Your likeness. Renew our minds, soften our hearts, and make us reflect Your grace and your Glory in all we do. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.
Click to read
In today’s passage, Paul continues to describe the striking contrast between the old and new covenants. Under the old, Moses’ face shone with God’s glory, but the people could not bear to look at it; a veil covered both his face and their hearts. Under the new, that veil is removed in Christ. The “veil” here symbolizes spiritual blindness—the inability to perceive God’s truth even when it is plainly revealed. For the Jews of Paul’s day, the veil kept them from recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah. But Paul insists that “whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
This removal of the veil is not achieved by effort or intellect but by grace. When the risen Christ opened the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:27), their eyes were opened and their hearts burned within them. The same miracle happens whenever the Holy Spirit enlightens a heart to see Christ in all His beauty and sufficiency. Regeneration—the awakening of spiritual sight—is the gift of God’s grace. We cannot argue or reason someone into the kingdom; only Jesus removes the veil. Our task is to faithfully point to Christ, trusting the Spirit to open eyes. True conversion is always a miracle of divine mercy.
Paul continues, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ” (v.17) The freedom Paul describes is not license to do whatever we please, but liberation from sin’s tyranny, from the Law’s condemnation, and from the blindness that once enslaved us.
Through the Spirit, believers are no longer driven by fear or bound by performance-based religion. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). This freedom enables us to love God sincerely and to serve others joyfully. The Spirit frees us to live as children, not slaves. However, such freedom must be guarded carefully. The temptation to slip back into legalism or self-reliance is ever-present. But where the Spirit dwells, there is liberty of conscience, joy in obedience, and rest in God’s grace.
Finally, Paul writes, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…” (v.18). No longer must we look from afar or behind a veil. In Christ, we can behold God’s glory directly—and in beholding, we are being changed. This transformation, Paul says, “comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” It is not mere behaviour modification or moral improvement; it is the Spirit’s deep work of sanctification. As we gaze upon Christ through reading of Scripture, prayer, and worship, His character—His humility, purity, compassion, and obedience—takes shape in us. We are being conformed to His image (Rom 8:29), and this process will reach its climax when our lowly bodies are transformed to be like His glorious body (Phil 3:21).
To be a Christian, then, is to be on a continual journey of transformation “from glory to glory.” Each day, as we turn our hearts toward the Lord, may the Spirit refine us a little more into the likeness of Jesus. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom—and with unveiled faces, we are being changed into His glorious image.
Reflection:
Is your faith marked by freedom and transformation—or by fear and a list of dos and don’ts? Ask the Holy Spirit today to lift any veil that still clouds your heart, to free you from self-reliance, and to renew your gaze upon the beauty of Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for removing the veil that once blinded our hearts. Thank You for the freedom You have given us through Your Spirit—a freedom not to live for ourselves, but to live for You. As we behold Your glory, transform us day by day into Your likeness. Renew our minds, soften our hearts, and make us reflect Your grace and your Glory in all we do. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.