TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION
The apostle is contrasting the christian position with that of being under law. The law was given in connection with glory; we read that the children of Israel could not look at the face of Moses, because his face shone, “for the glory of his countenance;” but this glory is done away, because of “the glory that excelleth”. Now there is a ministration of righteousness from the glory. This is brought in to correct the Corinthians, who were trusting in their own wisdom. Presenting Christ is the only true way of restoration, whatever the character of the departure may be. The great point here is that the flesh is displaced in the form in which it had worked in the Corinthians, they were boasting in their own wisdom. God’s way of correcting is not merely to point out the error; that is man’s way: the way of His grace is to set forth the right way, and then you see where you are wrong. If you learn how you yourself are displaced, you will never forget it - the true correction is that self is disallowed, and in abeyance. If you try to correct yourself, you are still there. There is no place for flesh in the glory of God. In verse 18 we read, “But we all ... beholding ... the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord;” but you will never really understand this until you try it, and so prove the truth of it. To illustrate what I mean, if a man suffers from headache, and is told that electricity would cure it, he cannot know the good of it unless he tries it. Beholding the glory of the Lord, you have come to a spot where flesh cannot be, for self is in abeyance. As the queen of Sheba was in the presence of Solomon,
there was “no more spirit in her”, 2 Chronicles 9. Have you ever been there? Would you like to taste the blessedness of it? The flesh must be in abeyance when you are beholding the Lord’s glory, but you must behold it. You might hear about it continually, and you might admire it, and yet never know it for yourself. A person shut up in his own room may know more of it than one who has heard of it again and again. Scripture tells you what you are to get, the Spirit of God gives it to you. You never get anything without seeking it. The queen of Sheba went a long journey to see Solomon, and the effect of her coming was that she could say, “One half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me”. Looking on the glory of the Lord with unveiled face - we behold Him without a veil, as we see Him in the holiest; the antitype of the ark of the covenant greets us, and the result is, we are transformed into the same image “as by the Spirit of the Lord”.
The two disciples going to Emmaus heard the Lord’s exposition of the word, and their hearts burned within them, but they were not changed in their course till they knew Him, and then they rose up and went to Jerusalem. His interests were paramount to them, they were now so under His control that they went the same road that He went. If we were in the holiest, the presence of the Lord, how clear our judgment would be as to everything for Him; there you see things as they relate to His interests, and then you get guidance. The great thing is to behold the glory of the Lord. The nearer the prodigal got to the father, the better off he was; all fear was gone when he was in his house. You will be so entranced with the things there that, like the queen of Sheba, there will be no more spirit in you, you yourself will be in abeyance.
An old divine was helped by a dream; he thought he came to the palace of a king, and was graciously received at the entrance, but the more he advanced,
[p. 3] the more cordially he was received, and when he reached the presence of the sovereign, he was received with acclamation. The apostle was so set for it, it had such a hold on him, that he was “always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4: 10) lest he should lose it, for he had tasted the blessedness of it. The nearer you are to the Lord, the more assured you will be of your acceptance. Every blessing is centred there, and comes from Him, but you must taste of it in order to know it.
Christians in general do not know the Solomon aspect of Christ. The Corinthians had not known Christ as Wisdom of God; they were boasting in their own wisdom. The queen of Sheba came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
We often try to get rid of self, but this is only effected by displacement. Beholding the Lord’s glory, we are transformed. If you had tasted the effect of it, you would long to enjoy it more; it would not then be the fear of losing things here, you would be filled with your gain. Solomon and all his glory entranced the queen of Sheba. I can imagine how, when she returned to her own country, she would want to have everything up to Solomon!
Do you know what it is to go in and behold the Lord’s glory without a veil? What it is to sit before Him and contemplate Him, His glories, His beauties, His excellencies?
See Psalm 73. The psalmist’s judgment was changed when he went into the sanctuary, but here it is a far greater thing, the man himself is changed, he is transformed. It is one thing to have returned like the prodigal from the far country, but quite another thing to have gone into the father’s house. Christ is in glory: many a one looks to Christ on the cross, others as to their souls know that He is risen, but He is in glory. When the prodigal was in the father’s [p. 4] house, he thought no more of the far country; he as in a new scene altogether in untold blessing.
How blessed to know that now, instead of God’s claiming from you according to the law, righteousness is ministered to you from the glorified Man in heaven, and it is to this spot the Spirit of God would lead you. He comes from heaven to conduct you to the things there.
It is a great thing to get a sense of the blessedness of “beholding ... the glory of the Lord”. Oh, the blessedness of having boldness to enter into the place where He is! The line is open for each one of us. Stephen was the first who travelled that line; it is opened by the Spirit of God.
The way I know I am walking “in the Spirit” is that Christ is before me, and the effect of having Christ only before me is marvellous; all is simple then. “Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her, Proverbs 4:8.
The mariner says he does not fear the storm if he can only see the sun; he does not look for a star, but the sun. We may well be thankful for such a scripture as this, but let us each see to it that we try it.