2 Peter 1:16-21
We are focused this ministry year on 2 Corinthians 3:18 as our theme verse. It’s on the front page of your programs/bulletin. “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.”
But why do we need to be transformed? The Bible tells us that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are stained by our sin nature. We need rescue to be made right with God. Jesus provided that rescue by sacrificing Himself for us on the cross. His death and blood paid the penalty for our sin so that we could be saved and enter into an eternal relationship with God. But once we’re saved we need to grow in holiness. We need God to do His transforming work in our lives to change us to become more and more like Christ. Our theme verse describes one way God transforms us: ‘When we with unveiled faces behold or see the Lord’s glory, the Holy Spirit does a transforming work in us.’
But how do we “behold or see the glory of the Lord?” How do we see the Lord’s glory? We can see it in creation. Psalm 19:1 - “The heavens declare the glory of God.” We can see it in Jesus. John 1:14 - “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. We can see it in the Gospel that God shone in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:6 – “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We can see it in the Scriptures themselves. In a sense, this is the purpose of the whole Bible – to display and give glory to God.
