2 Corinthians, Day 3
2 Corinthians 3
In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul spends much of the chapter comparing the old and new covenants, the old covenant being the law of Moses and the new covenant being found in the death and resurrection of Christ. The old covenant served a purpose but it lacked the ability to provide transformation. In 2 Corinthians 3:9, Paul teaches that there was glory in the law but the glory of the new covenant far surpasses it because of 2 Corinthians 3:16 – 18:
“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
The new covenant surpasses the old because it contains the Spirit of the Lord, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. This isn’t talking about cultural freedoms; it’s talking about access to God. David Guzik puts it this way: “Paul’s thinking follows like this: When Moses went into God’s presence, he had the liberty to take off the veil; the presence of the Lord gave him this liberty. We have the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord. We live in the Spirit’s presence because He is given to us under the new covenant. So, just as Moses had the liberty to relate to God without the veil in the presence of the Lord, so we have liberty because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.”1
We have unveiled access to God. and because of that, we can “behold the glory of the Lord,” and the Holy Spirit can work within us to transform us into the image of Christ. The basic idea is that the more time we spend with God — the more we abide in the presence of Christ — the more the Holy Spirit will work within us to transform us from the inside out to become more like Christ.
I think this should serve as a great encouragement to us. I am reminded of Paul’s famous passage in Romans 7:15, where he talks about how he does the things he should not do and does not do the things he should, despite the desire in him to do what he ought. Every believer has felt that struggle, and at times, I would venture to guess we have all felt like we will never get it right. In those moments, I am thankful for the grace of God, and the promise found at the end of 2 Corinthians 3, where the Spirit of the Lord is working in me day-by-day to transform me into the likeness of Christ.
Adam Deering
- https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-2Cr/2Cr-3.cfm?a=1081001