CHANGED INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST THE LORD!

Text: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18—“[1] Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? [2] Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:[3] Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.[4] And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:[5] Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;[6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.[7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:[8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?[9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.[10] For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.[11] For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.[12] Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:[13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:[14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.[15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.[16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.[17] Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.[18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”_

INTRODUCTION

1. Apostle Paul was trying to relate the sufferings for Christ in his life especially in Asia, where he felt powerfully as if he already received a death sentence at that moment in time. 2 Corinthians 3:Vv5-102. He was also instructing the church in Corinth to forgive the brother disciplined because of immorality. 2 Corinthians 3:Vv7-113. He was also encouraging the believers in Corinth to be triumphant in living being in Christ. That means that the life of Christ must be seen in the mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:10-114. He was urging the believers in Corinth to examine themselves whether they are genuinely saved. 2 Corinthians 13:5-65. Paul gave his fourfold admonitions to the believers in Corinth: a. rejoice b. change your ways c. encourage each other d.) live in harmony and peace among the brethren. 2 Corinthians 13:11

Road To Damascus: Paul’s Conversion
DISCUSSION

A. THE NEED TO BE CHANGED INTO HIS IMAGE

True believers are understood as epistles of Christ known and read of all men. vv.2-3“[2] Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: [3] Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”a. Believers are regarded by Paul as living epistles written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God in the fleshly tables of the heart.• At the time of our trusting and repenting of our sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in us and now starting to write the letter of life in us so that our lives be transformed into a letter that is formed into the image of Christ. Ephesians 1:12-14• If the heart is rocky and hard to receive the pen words of the Holy Spirit then the letter can not portray the true description of Christ thus the letter can not be understood by men who read it. This image of Christ can not be developed in the lives of men because the words of the Holy Spirit are not received and written deeply and powerfully in the fleshly tables of the heart: so that people do not see the imprinted image of Christ, in the first place there is no Christ at all in the heart but the self-image of the imperious, unrepentant heart.• If the heart is clean and pure then the pen words of the Holy Spirit can be properly understood about Christ-likeness in our lives; and so people are blessed and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus to the glory of the heavenly Father. The heart is truly repentant and filled by the control of the Spirit of the living God.• If we do not allow the Holy Spirit to write His pen words in the tables of our fleshly hearts because of disobedience, the image of Christ in us is blurred, and our lives also are affected as blurred witnesses so to speak; and people will be confused, and they will surely misunderstand the Gospel of Christ we are proclaiming supposedly to the world. Truly,we are neglectful to soak our hearts with the words of the Holy Spirit. And as a result, evidently there is no image of Christ in our lives– making ourselves impotent witnesses of a Christ-less world. We jettisoned the gospel of Christ in the end without our knowing, bearing reproach and discredit to our Lord! Woe unto us miserable and sinful people losing our opportunity and privilege to be light and salt of the world for the Lord Jesus Christ!• But if we allow the Holy Spirit to write His pen words in the fleshly tables of our hearts, then we become more transformed into the image of His Son- changed into His image. Thus people are blessed and edified to the glory of the heavenly Father in His Son.

How do we inhibit and discourage the Holy Spirit to write His pen words in the fleshly tables of our hearts?
If we do not delight in His words; if we do not meditate upon His words day and night;if we do not obey God’s words as our guide in Christian living; if we do not yield to the personal guidance of the Holy Spirit by ignoring Him;if we do not pray fervently in the awareness of the Holy spirit as our intercessor and helper;if we are grieving the Holy Spirit in any form of sin ;if we insult the Spirit of God by neglecting and ignoring His words and promptings in life; if we resist the Holy Spirit of God leading and empowering our lives. These are carnal things that will definitely grieve the Holy Spirit; and put in our hearts barriers as iniquities that will grieve the Lord and disengage and disconnect His power upon our lives as living witnesses.

How do we allow the Holy Spirit to write powerfully and effectively the words of the Lord in the tables of our heart to become a letter that is forming the image of Christ?
We need the Holy Spirit to control us by His Words.We need to be holy and do not live in sin so that the Holy Spirit can be very powerful to write the letter in our hearts that the image of Christ is fully developed and be clearly understood and demonstrated.We need the Holy Spirit to move us to pray fervently asking to be like Christ. We need the Holy Spirit to live a life of obedience to the Words of God in the scriptures. We need to exalt and give preeminence to Christ in all things.We need to set our affections on things spiritual and not fleshly in our lives. We need the Holy Spirit to embolden our lives to proclaim of the Gospel powerfully by transforming our lives focused to the passion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.b. Believers should be encouraged to trust the sufficiency of the grace of God that our lives should be living epistles of Christ; and that people will understand the Gospel of the Lord. Vv4-5c. Believers are given the supernatural life by the Spirit of Christ. It is the kind of life under the leading and guidance of the Spirit of the Lord. V. 6

B. THE NATURE OF BEING CHANGED INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

True believers are involved in the ministry of righteousness by grace which is more glorious than the ministration of Moses by the Law. vv. 8-9 “[8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.”

a. The ministry of righteousness by grace is the ministry of Christ’s righteousness as a result of his glorious resurrection according to the spirit of holiness.
The glorious resurrection of Christ is rather glorious than that of the glory of the law Moses because the latter was done away later-faded glory so to speak. The law of Moses was accompanied by a fading glory 3:7, 10 and eventually resulted to death 3:9

b. The glorious ministry of righteousness is Christ’s righteousness imputed or appropriated to the believer and every believer in Christ must grow into the practical righteousness of being changed into His righteousness.
c. The glorious ministry of Christ’s righteousness is permanent and eternal glory in contrast to the temporary glory of Moses by the law.
Christ’s righteousness extends in His second coming during the rapture until the millennial kingdom of the Prince of Peace and until eternity . It leads to life; it functions as a mirror, reflecting God’s glory; it produces Christ-likeness in the lives of saved Jews and saved Gentiles 3:9 b and finally, it produces boldness to the believers as witnesses of the Lord3:12. Two things notable about the law of Moses in this regard: 1.The law of Moses functioned as a veil, restricting God’s glory 3:13-14 ; 2. The law of Moses prevented Christ-likeness in the lives of unsaved Jews and Gentiles 3:14b

d. True believers have the Holy Spirit the power to change believers into the image of the glory of the Lord.
To behold the glory of the Lord is the nature of the change to Christ-likeness How? Through His Word; through the witness of The HOLY SPIRIT; through the witness of others in the faith. To behold the glory of the Lord means see His life and His teachings transforming people into the kingdom by the power of His word and life. To behold the glory of the Lord through the Spirit’s guidance, comfort, counsel, fruit-bearing, boldness to witness, power and help in prayer, strengthening of the inner man. To behold the glory of the Lord is to look forward to the glorious appearing of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

C. THE MANNER OF BEING CHANGED INTO IMAGE OF CHRIST

It is to live being changed into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ by the the Spirit of the Lord. Vv.18“[18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”a. Under the new covenant, the role of the Spirit of the Lord becomes the over-ruling power in life. He is the transforming power of the true believer as the latter beholds the glory of God in Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who illumines the mind and heart of the true believer as he ponders and meditates the words of the Lord. The Holy Spirit the exalts and testify of Christ in the life of the follower of Christ. Truly the Holy Spirit magnifies and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ to the human heart. Indeed, the Holy Spirit guides, teaches and convicts and remembers all the things that are attributed to the Lord as noted in the Scriptures. John 14, 15, 16b. The change into the image of Christ is the paramount change in the life of the true believer. The image of Christ is not the physical image that is being referred to by the apostle Paul but the spiritual image: His righteousness, His holiness, and His godliness. The apostle Paul made this very clear in chapter 6 of the book of Romans: “[14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.[15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.[16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?[17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.[19] I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.[20] For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.[21] What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.[22] But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.[23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:14-23Paul made three things clear on this matter of spiritual change:

1.) obedience from the heart to the Lord is the fundamental to everything in the Christian life.
Obedience leads to serving God and brings godliness in life. Are we obedient from the heart to the Lord is the most important question in the Christian life. Because if there is none then there will be no change at all. This clearly shows that the Spirit of Christ is absent in the person claiming to be a Christian.

2.) service to the Lord in the manner of righteous living, which is doing things in the name of Christ and for His glory alone.
After all Christ is our life-He is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30

3.) fruit unto holiness is discerned and manifested in the Christian living.
This is actually being separated and set apart for God that makes the believer different and holy from the rest of the world. God becomes the focus in life-things of God and His kingdom building so that everything is mobilized in the life of a true believer to advance His kingdom building on earth. This is our spiritual preoccupation in life that the world can not understand and will not understand but hatred against the true followers of Christ.c. The glorious change of the believers life is a moment encounter with the glorious Christ by the power of His words and of the Spirit. The words of Christ if obeyed from the heart according to Paul will lead to spiritual transformation: a life of holiness, godliness , and righteousness. This is the heart of true discipleship as what the Lord says in John 8:31-32– “if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In John 15:7-8 the Lord also reiterated this very fundamental teaching: “If ye abide in me, and my works abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”d. There is the power of the Spirit of God in the life of a true believer as one beholds the glory of Christ day by day until His coming. To behold in Christ is to behold His words day by day and to obey these words in practical living. For through knowing and obeying the words of Christ that the Holy Spirit of God will do mighty things in the life of the believer that brings true spiritual change giving glory to God. The Lord Jesus Christ said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.:” John 14: 26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16: 13-14

CONCLUSION

1.We are to be Christ-like to be powerful in our dynamic witness to the lost.2. We need to depend on the Spirit of the living God: a. for guidance; b. for comfort; c. for counsel; d. fruit-bearing; e. for boldness to preach the word; f. for power and help in prayer; and g. for the strengthening of the inner man John 14-163. We need to change into His image day by day by following the guidance through His Word and by the Spirit of Grace.