Reflecting God's Glory 2 Cor.3.18

Dr. Samuel Ong/WHope/31.7.11

Reflecting God’s Glory

2 Corinthians 3:7-18


Some Picture-Words Used by Paul in 2 Corinthians to Portray Christians

• A triumphal procession in Christ, 2 Cor. 2:14 • The fragrance (aroma) of Christ, 2 Cor. 2:14-16• A letter from Christ, 2 Cor. 3:1-3• Ministers of a new covenant, 2 Cor. 3:6• Mirrors of God’s glory, 2 Cor. 3:18


A triumphal procession in Christ, 2 Cor. 2:14

But, thanks be to God who always gives us in Christ a part in his triumphal procession, and though us is spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of himself.


The Fragrance of Christ, 2 Cor. 2:14-16

• 14 But, thanks be to God who always gives us in Christ a part in his triumphal procession, and through us is spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of himself.

• 15 To God we are the fragrance of Christ, both among those who are being saved and among those who are on the way to destruction;

• 16 for these last, the smell of death leading to death, but for the first, the smell of life leading to life. Who is equal to such a task?


A Letter from Christ, 2 Cor. 3:1-3


Ministers of a new covenant, 2 Cor. 3:6

• He has given us the competence to be ministers of a new covenant, a covenant which is not of written letters, but of the Spirit; for the written letters kill, but the Spirit gives life.


Mirror of God’s glory, 2 Cor. 3:18

• And all of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of God, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.


The Glory of God• The word “glory” includes splendor, beauty, magnificence,

radiance and rapture. • In the Bible, the word ‘glory’ is primarily ascribed to God and

places of His presence, including places of worship and heaven.

• The glory (shekinah) of God is an image of His greatness and transcendence.

• Confrontation with the glory of God combines awe and terror, and it simultaneously invites approach and distance.

Source: Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, IVP, 1998


Moses and the Glory of God

• Exodus 34:28-35• Moses reflected the glory of

God because he spent time with God, communing as friend to friend.

• Paul also speaks of the fading glory to illustrate the fading of the old covenant (of letters, stone, death).


Reflection?

• Are you spending time with God?• Are you communing with Him as friend to

friend?• Are you practicing the spiritual disciplines?


Mirror of God’s glory, 2 Cor. 3:18

• And all of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of God, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.


Paul and the Glory of God, 2 Cor. 3:18

• We are called to be like mirrors reflecting the glory of God.

• We have no light of our own. Our LIGHT source is Christ. E.g. the moon is seen only because of the reflected light from the sun.

• “Our unveiled faces = our lives exposed to the waiting and watching world”



• We are called to be transformed into the image we reflect in brighter and brighter glory.

• The image we reflect is Christ.

• We are called to be more and more like Christ so as to reflect Him with fidelity.



• This transformation to be more and more like Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit.

• We have a part to play e.g. practicing the spiritual disciplines but we cannot do it alone.

• We need to yield to forming, reforming, transforming work of the Spirit in us.


A Prayer for Everyday- Let the Beauty of Jesus -

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in meAll His wondrous compassion and purityO Thou Spirit divineAll my nature refineTill the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

Reflecting God's Glory 2 Cor.3.18

Spiritual

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