2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) tells us, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) says, "But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus. Whom God made our Wisdom from God (revealed to us a knowledge of the Divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as) our righteousness (thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God) and our consecration (making us pure and holy) and our Redemption (providing our ransom from eternal penalty of sin)."
2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) says, "And all of us, as with unveiled face (because we) continued to behold the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit."
James 1:25 (Amplified) says, "But he who looks carefully into the faultless law (the law) of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer (who obeys), he shall be blessed in his doing (this life of obedience)."
Previously, we learned about being "first class soldiers of Christ Jesus," in 2Timothy 2:3-7. Good, "first class soldiers" follow orders to carry them out, despite any hardship he or she endures. Most of the men I served with, maintained a certain pride in the outfit we served in and worked to be the best. Many of these soldiers, existed the army with commendations and honor for their excellent service. Our service to Christ Jesus should carry more weight and honor, than in this natural warfare we're in.
The above scriptures instruct us to see ourselves the way God sees us and not as religion or the world sees us. I observed many in the Army, who had been there for many years. These men acted in a manner that made us want to be like them. Their uniforms were tailored and sharp, their insignias and stripes were in perfect order and their appearance reflected their understanding of who they were in the Army.
As new creation people, we look to the Word of God "as a mirror." A mirror shows you as you are, not as you were. We've been taught that "we're still sinners" and not righteous for so long, that when we read the Word, we tend to see ourselves in that light. 2Corinthians 3:18 says that we're looking into a mirror and by seeing ourselves in the Light of our Redemption, we are "being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, Who is Spirit." The Lord Himself is revealing our new creation identity to us, by His Spirit. Revelation (the revealing of who we have become in Christ) is so needed to the Body of Christ, especially in these Last Days.
The revelation of who we are and not who we were, will change us from glory to glory. Jesus says to the Heavenly Father in John 17:22 (Amplified) saying,"I have given to them (those who will believe and be saved) the glory and honor which You have given Me; that they may be one (even) as We are One." If we've been given the "glory and honor" that the Father gave Jesus, then we should search out 2Corinthians 3:18, as a command from the Master. We're to be changed or "transfigured" from "one glory to another glory" into His Very Own Image.
Only new creation people can be transfigured into His Image. We're to see ourselves by the Mirror of the Word, which reflects Jesus to us. When we "see" it from the Mirror, it becomes the Image that we are to see and begin to walk in. Initially, when entering the Army, we were simply a bunch of people, from around the U.S. and anyone observing us would think it was impossible for us to be a unit. As we began looking to our examples (our superiors), we began seeing ourselves like they were. After following and learning from them, we began to transfigure our own image, into what we beheld in them. This successfully turned us into soldiers. We must see ourselves in the Image that Jesus made us to be in Him, which is a new creation.
The glory and honor that the Father gave Jesus, is the glory and honor we're to emulate in our lives. It is one of the many Gifts of God's Grace and it's only by that grace that we can achieve this goal. And, it's only by revelation that we can see ourselves walking in it. This is who we were created to be. We're not meant to be on the bottom, but on the top. We're the head and not the tail. This is the blessing we have received through Jesus Christ, according to Deuteronomy 28:1-15.
This is the revelation of the new creation, we are seeing in the Mirror of the Word and who we are now in Christ Jesus. Revelation isn't something that never existed there. It's the revealing of something that was already there, but was hidden or covered. If you unveiled a statue in the park, then the statue was already there, but it could only be seen after the cover or veil was removed from over it. This is exactly what the Word is saying in 2Corinthians 3:18. If we read it by the Holy Spirit, He will remove the veil. Thus, it says, "All of us, as with unveiled face (because we continued to behold) (in the Word of God) as in a Mirror, the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image."
Our faces become "unveiled" by our continuing to behold the glory of the Lord in the Word, as a Mirror. We will continue seeing ourselves the way the world would have us see ourselves, without the Holy Spirit's uncovering the Image of Jesus to us. It's only with revelation, that we will be able to see ourselves as He is. Then, we will be changed into what we see. Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:16 (Amplified) saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me." Jesus went on to preach the "recovery of sight to the blind." He wasn't only referring to natural sight, but the sight to see again, spiritually. Once the eyes of our spirit are opened, we can "see" by revelation, the true description of the new creation man.
Jesus told His disciples in Mark 4:11 (Amplified), "To you has been entrusted the mystery of the Kingdom of God (that is the secret counsels of God which are hidden from the ungodly) but for those outside (of our circle), everything becomes a parable." Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees that, "Having eyes you don't see." Jesus was talking about the things of God's Kingdom, which we can see with or be revealed to the eyes of our spirit.
Even though we might be reading God's Word, we can only see man's vision of the new creation, if we read it with "unveiled faces." Otherwise, we will be like the Scribes and Pharisees were. The new creation man is the "mystery" that the Holy Spirit reveals to your spirit, by opening your spiritual eyes. One might be born-again and still not have unveiled faces. If you don't allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, who God has created us to be.
Paul described the Word as being a mirror that reveals who we are, not who we once were. You are what God created you to be. You might never walk in the newness of your identity (even after being born-again), if you don't allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, who you really are. We still live under things in the Law or in tradition or in man's teachings, but we've already been made a new creation in God's Own Righteousness.
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