Pebbles and Ripples

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

There is so much in this passage, so much more that speaks to the context of the passage when Moses spent time with God. Moses came down off the mountain and his face shined so bright from being in God’s presence, that he covered it to keep from scaring the children. Did they notice; did they even notice the fading away? There is much to discuss there, but let’s look past that at what is in the passage above. The veil is taken away; the glory of God is revealed. When you come to know and accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, there is freedom found in your new life. Liberty is that freedom that Paul is describing here. Eternal freedom from the condemnation that the Old Covenant with Moses brought. Faith in Jesus Christ gives you the keys to heaven.

Also in this passage is God’s goal for your life; to transform you into the image of his Son. This is a lifelong process called sanctification, and a process that God uses the changes in your life to draw others to him. You are like the first ripple in a pool, that keeps rolling out, but that ripple started when someone shared the gospel with you. They were the pebble that he dropped into your pool. The power of the gospel is so intertwined with sanctification. The closer you draw to God through his Word and prayer, the more your reflect Christ, the more you share Christ. It begins with the gospel and it continues with sanctification.

You will never understand God’s Word, the Bible, until you humble yourself and allow Christ to become your Lord and Savior. He then gives you the promise of the Holy Spirit, God himself, to live inside of you. It is never through diligent study, never through any teacher or preacher, but only time and every time is the truth of God’s Word revealed to you every time by the Spirit. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. God may use his saints to open his truths to you, but you have been blessed by the Holy Spirit with that revelation. After God drops the pebble of Christ in your pool, let him do the daily work of sanctification in you to push his ripples farther and farther out into the sea.