Setting the Veil Aside

Exodus 34:29-35; II Corinthians 3:12-18

This Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday which celebrates the time Jesus and his disciples went up to the mountain to pray. Jesus begins to shine brightly and is seen in conversation with Elijah and Moses. Our Exodus account talks about Moses experience with talking directly with God and returning with a shining face so bright it scared the Israelites. After telling the people God’s commandments for them he puts a veil over his face until he talks with God again.

 Our Corinthians passage uses this figurative language of a spiritual veil saying that the Israelite minds have been hardened and a veil lies over their minds. Paul goes on to say that in Christ the veil has been set aside since when one turns to the Lord the veil is removed. He goes on to say that where the Spirit of the Lord is – who we receive when we turn to the Lord – is freedom. We are freed from having to submit to the law – accomplishing everything on it to earn our salvation. Now the Pharisees had added to Moses laws to there being 613 of them. The Jews by trying to keep all of these were enslaved by them.

Not only does freedom come from turning to the Lord but with unveiled faces we can see the glory of the Lord. Where? It is as though reflected in a mirror. This of course is a spiritual mirror. By looking into it we can see the glory of the Lord. This is the work God is doing in us – the work of the Spirit as we are being transformed into the image of God – the image we were created to be but has been marred by sin. This doesn’t happen over night but in degrees as we get to know the Lord more and more and live God’s covenant of love.

The term used for us growing more and more into the Lord and producing more and more fruits of the spirit is sanctification. It is spiritual growth into maturity into reflecting to others more and more of the image of God. This is our mission to have our lives shine so much that others will see God’s glory and want this transformation for themselves.

Let us remove all encumbrances, things that put veils over our brains and spiritual faces so we can shine like Jesus.

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