Three

We began the previous study with the reminder that as we seek to press on to spiritual perfection, our most vital and constant focus will always be on the Lord Jesus Christ. That entire study was spent seeking to look at the significance of Paul words, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3: 18).

It is to that same verse that we are returning in this present study, as there is so much more vital truth revealed in Paul's words that will prove to be of real benefit to us. We continue, then, by looking at the significance of:

It is in this same Second Epistle to The Corinthians that Paul writes, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (5: 10).

On most occasions when we use the expression, “we all,” we apply it in the corporate sense, to such an extent that we can, if we are not very careful, exclude the personal responsibility that is involved. As we read through the epistles of Paul we find that he uses this expression, “we all,” many times and in a variety of ways. But he did not use the words in the way that would exclude or even minimize our personal responsibility.

Paul's use of this expression at this point focuses our attention on another aspect of our study that is so crucial to our desire and commitment to press on to perfection. “Let us” each one, recognizing ourselves as specifically identified children of God, “Let us” each one make it our personal commitment to apply this truth. It also carries the implication, Let us do so even if others around me do not choose to go with me as I press on the perfection, I intend to press on alone if necessary, because I do not want to miss out on God's good and perfect will for my life.

Also, this statement stresses the fact that this really is the only way that any Christian can actually press on to perfection. This path has been laid in the wisdom of God according to His perfect will, and He makes it clear and plain so that all who seek to find it will not miss it.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.” This is the focus that “we all” - each one of us personally! - must humbly accept and faithfully apply in our own lives. Each one of us must make the personal commitment that, no matter what anyone else does, we will have one priority, one focus, one desire, one motivation, to be so free from every other consideration and entanglement, so that we can focus on the amazing and inspiring glory of the Lord Jesus.

In our normal daily life, when we look in a mirror we quite naturally expect to see our own face reflected back to us. While we are thus looking at our own image, we can proceed to do whatever task it was that caused us to look in that mirror in the first place.

As we think about that fact, we realize that Paul is using a natural daily practice to illustrate a most vital truth. This is a truth that is central to our being able to press on to perfection in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus it becomes quite obvious that it is not a natural mirror that Paul is talking about; nor is our own face he calls us to behold.

His words are calling us to focus our attention on the beauty and the glory of the face of the Lord Jesus. If we are to accomplish that goal, the first thing we must do is to get all ideas of ourselves, our own worth, value, or glory, totally out of our minds.

There are so many Christians, including large numbers of those who are in leadership, who, when they hear about some development or happening, immediately look into their special mirror that is intended to reveal to them their one pressing concern, How will this effect me? This is the mirror of self-consciousness, self-estimate, self-importance, and self-justification.

Paul certainly did not have any such mirror in mind as he wrote to the Corinthians. In fact he makes it unmistakably clear that those who focus their attention of such “self”-serving mirrors will be quite unable to look into this mirror that he is writing about. Nor will they be able to behold anything of the real glory of the Lord.

What is this mirror that Paul is writing about? It is the spiritual mirror which the Holy Spirit uses exclusively to reveal to sincere seekers the glory of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Spirit will only lead to this mirror those who have been genuinely prepared in heart and in spirit to climb the Mount of God, there to meet face to face with Him.

To those who are genuinely ready to discard their own glory as a wretched filthy rage, and then pray “Show me Your glory!” To them the Holy Spirit begins to answer that prayer in a most gracious and patient way. As He does so, His first priority is to lead that seeking soul to The Word of God! - as He Himself begins to illuminate the message of The Word of God to them.

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit . . . Even as no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2: 10, 12).

This is a most amazing assurance for the one whose sincere prayer is, “Show me Your glory!” Paul continued, “These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual: . . . We have the mind of God!”(verses 13, 16).

This is in complete agreement with the teaching of the Lord Jesus. But when “the Helper, the Holy Spirit,” is come, “whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14: 26).

The Lord Jesus stressed that the Holy Spirit who “will be in you” (John 14: 17), will come “in My Name!” He will represent Me perfectly to you, in such a way that in everything that He is in you, as well as everything He says and does, will reveal Me to you. This is a most encouraging assurance. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit and His ministry in us, we will be enabled to come to know the Lord Jesus in the deepest, richest, fullest way. This is God's perfect plan for us.

He “will bring to your remembrance all thing that I have said unto you.” Nothing will be left out or overlooked. He will make every Word of the Lord Jesus alive and meaningful to us, in the most exciting and powerful way.

The Lord Jesus added, “He will testify of Me” (John 15: 26). “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (16: 14). His entire ministry has this focus: revealing and glorifying the Lord Jesus.

Paul also accentuates this vital relationship. “That He would grant you . . . to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3: 16, 17). It is as the Holy Spirit lives within us that He makes real to us the presence of the Lord Jesus who is dwelling in our hearts through faith.

“Beholding . . . as in a mirror!” In a sense we could say that the Holy Spirit is the mirror, or that He holds the mirror, to reveal the Lord Jesus to us. We need to look at this challenge even further.

In speaking about the Holy Spirit's ministry in us, the Lord Jesus specifically focused on the role of: The Word. “He will. . . bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you!” “He will . . . take of Mine and declare it to you!”

This is a vital fact that needs to be strongly re-emphasised today. We are living in a day in which there are so many who identify the Holy Spirit's presence and ministry with heightened emotions, and such are quick to place the greatest importance and give the highest priority, to whatever it is that brings to them that high emotional experience. One great danger, among many, of such an approach and attitude is that such exuberant emotional experience is identified as an authentic spiritual experience.

Among other things, this idea ignores the wide variety of ways in which Satan so successfully uses passionate emotion to continue to hold in evil bondage so many millions of people. High exuberant emotions can result from being part of the crowd that is screaming their support for their team at a football game; or, from the high that results from drug abuse; or even the thrill of an illicit affair.

In some countries which we have visited there are some groups who have combined some Christian ideas and practices with primitive animistic practices. These groups will use Christian “worship” music to build the group to a high exuberant emotional pitch, and they do so for the specific purpose that some of their participants in the high passionate emotional state will actually become demon possessed! Yes, that is an extreme example, but what an awesome warning it should be.

As we seek to think about these things, surely is becomes obvious that there has to be a very clear path by which we can be continually guided, so that we will be able to avoid all of the many dangers that constantly threaten the unwary.

God has already given to us His Word as the totally reliable guide we need. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”(2 Timothy 3: 16, 17). “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”(2 Peter 1: 21).

The Christian who is committed to press on the perfection will thankfully take up the words of the Psalmist, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path”(Psalm 119: 105).

As we seek to apply ourselves to “Beholding the glory of the Lord,” we will give ourselves to the diligent, systematic, life-long study of the Word of God. Every time we take up the Bible to read it, in our hearts there will be the prayer, Holy Spirit, please use this Word which You Yourself inspired the writers to write, to bring the light of the glory of God in the face of the Lord Jesus to my heart and mind.

We will come to the Holy Spirit in humility, knowing that there is still so much more of the glory of the Lord Jesus that He can reveal to us. Also knowing that there are those many areas in our lives where the Holy Spirit will need to apply the Word of correction, and even reproof. Conscious that there are so many aspects of the teaching of the Word of God that we need to learn and apply in our lives with greater urgency.

Another note of warning. There are many Christians who approach the Bible with their minds firmly made up as to some particular aspect of its teaching, and all that they are looking for is some verse that they can make fit in with their set ideas. Whenever that is the case, the Holy Spirit will pass such people by, because they leave Him with no opportunity to really speak to them.

The true attitude, to which the Holy Spirit can and will respond, is so well stated in the old hymn, “I would be treated as a child.” As a little child! Are we too mature to humbly make that our prayer? “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it”(Mark 10: 15).

“Receive the kingdom of God!” That is, receive, and continue to receive the sovereign rule of God in your heart and life as the Holy Spirit is able to continue to do His vital work in you. You can only participate in this “as a little child!” It is the little child who trusts his teacher, and listens most attentively to all that his teacher is saying.

The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance all that the Lord Jesus said. He does not add to it. He does not take anything away from it. He does not contradict it.

In this regard, there are many books which are very popular with a great many Christians today, but they have one major problem. The authors feel at liberty to add to, or take away, from the Word of God according to the authors' own personal views and interpretations. They insist on doing this in spite of the most awesome warning, “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life”(Revelation 22: 18, 19).

Come to the Word of God as a little child, with the child-like prayer of faith, “Show me Your way!” “Show me Your glory!” Then expect Him to use the Word to reveal and glorify the Lord Jesus, doing so in such a way that the Word of God will work powerfully and effectively in you.

The key is always the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Paul writes, “You have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.(2 Timothy 3: 15).

He wrote to the Thessalonians, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2: 13).

The Lord Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5: 39). Philip, a man who was filled with the Holy Spirit, understood this fact and applied it when he met the Ethiopian on the road that passed through Gaza. The Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah. “Philip . . . beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8: 35).

In a most crucial sense, it is through the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments that the Holy Spirit leads us, using these Scriptures as “the mirror” in which He enables us to “behold the glory of the Lord.”

As we seek to follow through on our commitment to press on to perfection, that desire will be clearly reflected in our attitude as we approach the Word of God. There are those who approach the Word of God with various motives and objectives. Some are merely curious. Some are looking for something to criticize. While others are look for “proof texts” with which to justify their particular position or attitude.

The Christian who is sincerely seeking to press on to perfection will come with the genuine humility of the little child, prayerfully expressing the desire to the Holy Spirit, Help me to see the Lord Jesus. Show me my Lord and His way. Reveal His glory to me.

This prayer must be prayed with this determined resolve: As the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to enable me to see the Lord Jesus, I will also fully trust the Holy Spirit at the same time to do His vital work of transfiguring me more and more into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus.

This prayer and approach can, and should, be applied to whatever part of the Old or the New Testament we are reading, with the child-like faith that the Holy Spirit will open our spiritual eyes and understanding more and more to all that He is revealing to us.

It is probably somewhat simpler to reveal the implications of what we are talking about if we use part of a Gospel narrative for that purpose. So we will go to John 8: 2 - 11, which reveals so much to us about the Lord Jesus, His attitudes, His emphasis, His priorities, and His concerns.

The Lord Jesus was in the temple teaching the people. “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst”(verse 3). Notice this scene. These scribes and Pharisees did not hesitate to interrupt the Lord Jesus while He was teaching the people. They immediately began to accuse the woman, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”(verses 4, 5).

Caught in the act! It appeared as though it was an open and shut case. There were eye-witnesses who were prepared to give their testimony against this woman. But, is it really so easy to reach a verdict? That is only a superficial evaluation of the situation.

Carefully watch the Lord Jesus! It is important to take notice of His attitude to the accusation, the accused, and the accusers. The first thing which stands out is the fact that He ignores the accusation! “Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear”(verse 6). He ignored the accusation, why?

First, because He had immediately identified the accusers as being in the wrong. Their actions were wrong. Their attitude and motivations were wrong. Consequently He treated them as being quite unfit to bring the accusation against the woman. As we seek to “behold the glory of the Lord Jesus,” watching His life, His responses to various people, His attitudes, words and actions, we need to always ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to see each situation as the Lord Jesus saw it.

First, He saw that the scribes and Pharisees demonstrated themselves to be most questionable by their actions. They brought to the Lord Jesus this woman who was “taken in adultery,” and in that fact revealed to the Lord Jesus that their very actions against the woman were in obvious violation of the law they claimed to be upholding!

The law of Moses required that in the matter of the sin of adultery both parties, the man and the woman, were to be brought to answer to the accusation that was made against them. But the scribes and Pharisees only brought the woman. Where was the man with whom she was “caught in the act?”

This fact immediately reveals that their actions had nothing to do with honoring the Old Testament law, but that they had their own - concealed - agenda! There was clear evidence that their attitude and motive in making this accusation was wrong! Their motive was not to honor God and His Word, but, to the contrary, to manufacture something that they could then use against the Lord Jesus.

Even in this day, there are so many people who continually claim that all they want to do is “the right thing.” But when you prayerfully seek to understand and evaluate the situation, it becomes clear that their claims are a smoke screen to hide the fact that they have a self-serving agenda, which is decisive evidence that their attitudes and motives are wrong. When people are following such a self-serving agenda, even thought claiming that they want to do “the right thing” anyway, what should our attitude be?

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. As you do so, prayerfully study the attitude of the Lord Jesus in this situation and in similar situations. Carefully notice His response to those who come with the demand to: “do the right thing!”

If He refused to even “hear” the accusation, but rather treated the accusers with the contempt that they deserved, would you be willing to do the same in a similar situation? Or would you give in to the pressure of the crowd that was loudly demanding action? Or, would you just attempt to excuse yourself from the situation?

For us to be transfigured in His image and likeness is to allow Him to act in us in the way in which He always chooses to act! If He refused to go along with the accusing crowd then, He will not do so today. If He refused to take the weaklings way out of doing nothing, would we expect Him to act differently in us today? It did not, does not, matter who the accusers are, His response is the same.

What about the attitude and response of the Lord Jesus to the accusers? “When they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (verse 7).

His Word, spoken in the power of the Holy Spirit, immediately pierced their hearts. Remember: “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”(Hebrews 4: 12).

His Word laid bare their heart, soul, and spirit, exposing their evil attitudes and ulterior motives. His Word exposed to them, in the most powerful way, the wretchedness of the sin that was involved in their willful abuse of the Word of God, as well as in their attempt to try to manufacture something that they could use to their own benefit against the Lord Jesus. Prayerfully allow the Holy Spirit to bring the light of truth to your heart and mind in the light of the attitude of the Lord Jesus to these accusers. Whose sin was the greater, that of the woman? or that of her accusers?

Is the answer given in the fact that not one of the accusers was left standing before the Lord Jesus? Every one of them felt the biting sting of His strong Word of conviction that exposed the evil of their hearts. His Word compelled them to slink off in total shame. But, they were religious leaders! Yes, and they were totally wrong!

Conformed to His image and likeness. But do we have the courage to take that kind of stand? How we need to seek the Holy Spirit to do the kind of work in our hearts and lives where we will not hesitate to let the Lord Jesus do in and through us today all that He did not hesitate to do on that day.

What of the accused? “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman” (verse 10). What did He do? What was His attitude to the accused? Remember His words: “He who is without sin among you!” He was the only one who was without sin! And this woman had been accused of being caught in the act of adultery! How would the only sinless One respond to her?

“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord” (verses 10, 11). There was not a single witness to bear testimony against the woman! No one! How would we deal with such a situation? Continue to rely on the Holy Spirit to enable you to really see what the Lord Jesus was doing as He dealt with the accused. “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more!”

First, it is important to notice that the Lord Jesus neither excused nor condoned her sin. There are some Christians who have real difficulty seeing how, if you do not condemn the sinner, you are therefore condoning and excusing what they have done. It is well to remember, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3: 17).

The Lord Jesus knew the shame and humiliation of all that the woman had done, and had been done to her, so that she was deeply conscious of her guilt and shame. He was able to identify her recognition that she was guilty, and her desire to be changed. “Neither do I condemn you!” The Lord Jesus sought to lift her right out of her life of sin into the new life He would give to her.

How those who desire to press on to perfection need to prayerfully consider every aspect of this situation, doing so with the guidance of the Holy Spirit as He reveals the significance of everything that Jesus said and did. Look into the “mirror” and allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to behold the glory of the Lord, and do so in such a way that you begin to see Him living and acting in the same way: in you.

As the Holy Spirit is able to reveal more and more of the heart and mind of the Lord Jesus to you through the Word of God, be committed to urgently seek for the Holy Spirit to bring to you a fuller identification in you, of the heart and mind, the attitude and motivation, of the Lord Jesus.

As you make your commitment to do this, there will be times when you will have to walk a lonely road as you faithfully follow the Holy Spirit's leading and challenge. Remember, the first priority: stay in the closest fellowship with the Lord Jesus, “Beholding His glory.”