“The Glorious Reflection”

     We might think the word means "window". 

    "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Corinthians 3:18).

    I refer to the word "glass" in the Apostle Paul's declaration of how the Spirit of God effects spiritual growth in the hearts and lives of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  For many years, I assumed the definition to involve a window through which I looked away from myself and unto the Savior.  However, the original Greek root word, "katoprizo", more lends itself to the notion of a mirror into which we gaze upon our reflection.  Thus, Paul calls us to view ourselves in terms of "the glory of the Lord" as we consider our image in the looking glass of God.  Rather than look out the window, as it were, to behold ourselves, we gaze into the mirror to see Him.

    This view of ourselves seems counterintuitive.  Rather than glory, our spiritual and moral image may often seem more reflective of human fleshly tendency.  Past failures and a present sense of weakness makes the viewing of glory in a mirror as wishful thinking at best, and proud delusion at worst.  As the Apostle John wrote, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8).  Moreover, Paul wrote, "I say through the grace of God given to me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Romans 12:3).  Looking out the window to see the glory of the Lord thus seems far more logical and spiritually appropriate than "beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord."

    The truth nevertheless confronts and calls us to see the glorious reflection.  Without denying our humanity or minimizing those times when we follow it to our spiritual detriment, believers must nevertheless see glory in the mirror.  The Word of God commands that we believe ourselves to be in Christ, and Christ to be in us.  "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus… Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Corinthians 1:30; 3:16).  Note that Paul addresses these passages, along with the thematic verse of this essay, to the Corinthian believers indicted as "carnal" (I Corinthians 3:3).  The Apostle nevertheless mandates the view of glory in the mirror.  Believers must see ourselves as united to the Spirit of the Lord Jesus regardless of whether we live accordingly or not.   Nothing changes the fact of His indwelling presence, or of our spiritual immersion in Christ.  Indeed, such reality makes carnality and sin all the more serious and even perverse.  If we distrust and disobey God, we do so in the presence of His Spirit, and against His moving within us to trust and obey.  We sin against the image in the mirror, the reflection of ourselves in Christ based on the reality of ourselves in Christ.  The glory in the mirror never changes.  Nothing more encourages us to act accordingly, nor does anything more lead us to true repentance when we fail to do so.

    The glass of God constitutes a mirror rather than a window.  The abiding presence of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus actualizes such glory in the sons and daughters of God in Christ.  This is the image upon which we must gaze, determining to see that which God sees.  Such a view into His spiritual mirror more and more changes our thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds "into the same image" as the reflection of the glass becomes the reality of our path…

"Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(Romans 6:11)

Weekly Memory Verse

    For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

(Romans 5:10)

   

"Self Destruction?"

(A repeat from 2012)

     Human beings are not naturally self destructive.

 

     "No man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church" (Ephesians 5:29).

 

    Self destructive attitudes, actions, habits, and ways hurtful to ourselves actually indicate the influence of Satan and his minions in our lives.   "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).  Our enemies tempt us with countless worldly images, ideas, philosophies and appeals that beckon our flesh with the promise of seemingly good things that may provide a temporary pleasure.  In the long run, however, great harm awaits as we are distracted from the Lord Jesus and His Truth -  "To live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

 

     Recognizing that self destructive ways do not begin with ourselves does not relieve us from personal responsibility.  We must respond to our enemies' temptations before they can have debilitiating effects on us.  However, it remains true that understanding the origin of hurtful ways provides a primary means by which we begin to deal with whatever spiritual and moral pathologies plague us.  I like to think of it as getting our spiritual dander up, as it were.  Indeed, when we realize that the particular failings that harm us indicate we have been duped by the lies of devils rather than merely succumbing to human weakness supplies an entirely different motivation and way of dealing with our challenges. 

 

     We stand to "fight the good fight of faith" not against ourselves, but rather to "wrestle" against those outside ourselves who seek our destruction (I Timothy 6:12).   We fight not by directly confronting those enemies whom we cannot see or understand, but rather by affixing our gaze more clearly and intently on the Captain of our salvation.  As James taught, we "resist the devil" by submitting ourselves to God (James 4:7).  Again, "self destruction" is not an accurate term for the harm we do to ourselves.  The realization creates in us a different and more Biblical sensibility that makes our overcoming through Christ far more likely and actual.  We look to Him, acknowledging personal responsibility for our sins, but also recognizing the necessity of a clearer view of the conflict that calls us to correctly identify our enemies in order to decisively overcome their attempts to hurt us.

 

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

(I Peter 5:8)

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."

(Ephesians 6:10)

Weekly Memory Verse

   I cried unto Thee, o Lord, I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

(Psalm 142:5)

   

"Spiritual Silicon"

     The Apollo astronauts returned samples of moondust that revealed the lunar surface to contain more than 20% silicon, the chief component of glass.  This is just what we would expect in the light of the Biblical record.

    "God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night… and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth" (Genesis 1:16-17).

    The Lord created the "lesser light", the moon, to possess no inherent illumination, but rather to reflect the light of the sun.  Its glassy, silicon-covered surface serves as the perfect medium for the moon's God-ordained purpose of absorbing and reflecting light.  In similar manner, born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ exist to spiritual and morally absorb the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then to reflect it to our particular spheres of influence.  "I am the Light of the world" declared our Savior of Himself.  "Ye are the light of the world" said the Savior to His trusting disciples (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14).  We are composed of spiritual silicon, as it were, and thus redeemed by the Lord Jesus from the futility of seeking to be light in and of ourselves.  "The way of man is not in himself.  It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

    Great rest descends upon us when we realize our role as moons rather than suns.  "He that is entered into His rest hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His" (Hebrews 4:10).  However, great challenge also lies before us.  The law of sin that still inhabits our flesh yearns for autonomy and self-importance.  "The flesh lusteth against the spirit" (Romans 7:25; Galatians 5:17).  Moreover, our spiritual enemies tempt us to serve as our own light, leading to the aforementioned futility.  "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23).  We must therefore continually direct our hearts and minds toward "the true Light" in order to be reminded of the spiritual silicon that comprises our humanity and reason for being.  Yes, we are moons, not suns.  Christ is the Light.  We are His lamps.  This is rest.  This is peace.  This is truth.  This is reality.  And this is life, the life of the Son that illuminates all who humble themselves to serve as His reflection.

"They shall walk, o Lord, in the light of Thy countenance."

(Psalm 89:15)

Weekly Memory Verse

   I cried unto Thee, o Lord, I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

(Psalm 142:5)