How can man be any different than what he is? Is man always doomed to failure? Is there any hope for man to grow to be more like His Savior? All of these questions and more have surely come to mind in a genuine seeker of Christ. When someone spends time in God’s Word, hears the preaching of God’s Word, and places himself in a position in which he will be held accountable for his actions, he will notice ways in which he falls short of the commands of God.
The Bible makes it clear that all will fall short of the glory of God. However, for many, it is as though they turn this Scripture into a command. While falling short will occur in the life of the Christian, the Bible speaks of much more that should be taking place, which should be the focus of much of our attention.
But how does someone change? What must the Holy Spirit do, and what must man do in the midst of the fight?
Turn to the Lord
The Christian will often complicate Christianity in his mind. He will often be assisted by the devil to this end. The devil is a master of confusion, the father of lies, and the deceiver of man. Being confused on how to grow spiritually is one of the primary tactics of the enemy. But the Bible must be our guide on the matter, and we must return to the wonderful words of life time and time again.
Scripture says, “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away” (KJV, 2 Cor. 3:16). This verse reads a little odd in the KJV, and it would be better understood if read, “when someone [not ‘it’] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.”
Prior to this verse, it is stated that the Old Covenant left a veil over the hearts of those that sat underneath it. The veil blocked their hearts from God. However, when someone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. The veil obscures the truth, and the same veil that Moses wrapped around his face is metaphorically wrapped around the hearts of fallen humanity.
But there is a solution to the problem. Is the solution trying hard enough to remove the veil? No. Is the solution cleaning oneself up and thereby removing the veil? No. The solution is turning to Christ as He has been revealed in His Gospel message.
The Spirit of God
Scripture goes on to say, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17). Now we can begin to see the Holy Spirit working in the midst of change. The Bible tells us that the Lord is the Spirit and that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord. What does this mean? In one sentence, the apostle Paul makes it clear that the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one in essence, while also being distinct in their Person. Thus, he tells us that the Lord is the Spirit, and at the same time, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord.
As the passage progresses, we can see that the Spirit of the Lord brings about freedom from the law. Change will never occur by being under the law. The law only brings guilt, condemnation, wrath, and separation from God. For someone to be able to change, he needs to get out from underneath the law. When someone is no longer underneath the law, he then begins to abide underneath grace. Grace is transformative. Grace consists of forgiveness, assistance, the presence of God, and much more to help the believer along his way.
Freedom is an essential component of becoming like Christ – both freedom from the law and freedom from bondage. It is important to recognize that this freedom must also be known, cherished, and made much of in the life of the believer for change to occur.
Look at the following Scriptures:
• “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free” (John 8:32).
• “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).
• “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).
Recognizing the freedom that has been won in Christ and that is being applied by the Spirit of God must be a constant thought in the mind of the Christian. There is an appropriate amount of guilt that one can experience over his sin, but the line is fine, and Satan seeks to lead the Christian into a state of despair.
A time arose in the life of Zechariah when he saw a vision from the Lord. The vision consisted of Joshua, Jesus, and Satan. Satan and Joshua were standing next to each other, and they were both standing before the Lord. In this vision, Satan stood before Jesus and accused Joshua of sin.
Did Satan speak truth in that moment? It would seem as though he did, at least in part. Was Joshua a sinner? Absolutely he was. Could Satan have brought before Christ a list of ways in which Joshua had sinned? Surely Satan would have had some ammunition against Joshua.
Nevertheless, the response of Christ was absolutely comforting to his servant, and it can be summed up elsewhere in the first chapter of Zechariah, where we read, “And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words” (Zech. 1:13). But what were the words that Christ spoke in that moment, when the law was placed before Joshua and the sins he had committed were brought out into the open? Scripture says, “And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan…” (Zech. 3:2). Instead of condemning Joshua, the passage goes on to tell of the way that Christ had Joshua’s filthy garments removed. Then, in place of Joshua’s filthy garments, Christ clothed His servant in spotless garments.
This is the glory of the Gospel message and freedom from the law. Satan cannot bring any charge against God’s elect; it is God Who justifies, and there will be nobody who will be able to condemn. It is by the Spirit of God that the freedom that is found in Christ is applied to the believer.
Beholding the glory of Christ
It is a certainty that the primary way that sanctification takes place is not by making much of sin but by making much of Christ. While the Holy Spirit does convict people of their sin, it is a misconception that the Holy Spirit’s primary means of sanctification comes by way of focusing on sin. Scripture says, “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” (2 Cor. 3:18). This verse states that when someone beholds the glory of the Lord Jesus, he will also be changed into the image of Christ. This change will persist from glory to glory, which means that this change will be ongoing throughout the life of the believer. Paul also makes it clear that it is by the Spirit of God that one looks upon Christ with open eyes.
For change to occur in one’s life, he must fix his gaze upon Christ. There is no other way to be like Christ than to look upon Christ. To look upon Christ is to believe in Christ, to cherish Christ, to trust in Christ, and to think on Christ.
When someone looks upon the Savior as He has been revealed in the Gospel message, he will find that all he needs is in Christ – and that all he needs will be readily supplied to him in his moment of need. Look upon Jesus this day. Experience the benefits of turning to the Lord, being free from the law, and being changed into His image from glory to glory.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for Your glorious Gospel message and that in Your Gospel, I can see the glory of Christ. Open my eyes, Holy Spirit, that I might see Christ in all His fullness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.