Lifting the Veil on Sanctification

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Exodus 32-34 details Moses’ response to Israel’s worship of the golden calf. In their false worship, Israel broke the Ten Commandments they’d twice previously agreed to obey. In his anger at their sin, Moses slammed the two tablets of stone to the ground, illustrating Israel’s disobedience.

One result of Israel’s sin was God’s refusal to dwell in the midst of His people. Instead He’d remain far off (Exodus 33:7). Sin separated God and man.

From outside the camp, Moses would enter the tabernacle of meeting to hear from God and then bring God’s message to the people. Moses became the mediator between God and man.

Whenever Moses met with God, his face shone like a lamp, reflecting the majesty and glory of God. The glow terrified the people because it revealed God’s perfect holiness and the darkness of their sin-corrupted hearts. After delivering God’s word, Moses would veil his face – not to hide the glory of God – but to hide the fact that the glory quickly faded from his own face (Exodus 34:30; 2 Corinthians 3:13). Moses’ veil protected the people from God’s judgment but also kept them from being transformed by God’s glory.

In Second Corinthians 3, Paul uses the shining face of Moses as an illustration. Many people only see the Bible as a series of stories, God’s wrath, commandments impossible to comprehend or comply with, and difficult sayings. Sin veils the heart from seeing Jesus in Scripture, the primary reason Scripture exists!

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Corinthians 3:16). When we follow where the Scripture leads – which is always to Jesus – we see Him in all His glory and can’t but help to love, adore, obey, and worship Him alone.

Now we all, we who trust in Jesus by faith, have the veil of separation removed and we find ourselves looking in a mirror. The shadows are replaced by a crystal clear revelation of Jesus. As we lovingly gaze at His image revealed in Scripture, something remarkable happens to us: the Bible becomes ever clearer and we find our own image being transformed bit by bit, from glory to glory, into Christ’s moral likeness and character. This is sanctification!

Embraced Again

My great-grandfather’s name was Rudolph Losli. As kids, we assumed that he had been named after the famous flying reindeer because of the large strawberry birthmark covering his his nose.

I remember going to his home and always being treated. Next to his grey vinyl reclining chair sat a bowl of fancy hard candies seldom seen any longer. There were too many shapes and colors for a small child to choose from.

The real treat would be when he’d take me into the kitchen and pull out the block of Swiss cheese from the refrigerator. He’d sit in his chair, I’d climb upon one of his legs, and with his pocket knife he’d cut a slice of my favorite cheese. More than 50 years later, I think back with fondness on those times.

Sadly, the Bible says nothing about flying reindeer, hard candies, Swiss cheese, or even great-grandfathers. It does mention small children being brought to Jesus, who took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:16).

As those children grew, I wonder how many remembered back to the time when Jesus held them? How many others thought back with longing for Him to embrace them again?

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Memories

Grandpa Sam was a truck driver, moving freight between Seattle and Sacramento. Sometimes in the summer, he’d take me with him for a few days. High from my perch in the cab overlooking the highway, I’d listen as he sang with the Oak Ridge Boys on the 8-track player, “I wouldn’t take nothin’ for my journey now” and “Daddy sang bass. Momma sang tenor.” 

They were endless days dreaming about the people driving in the cars on the road next to us. I imagined being the businessman in the Lincoln, headed into the big city to meet with the President. Stretches through the desert became opportunities to fly my rocketship over the terrain of far-off planets in search of alien life. The pig-tailed girl playing with her Barbie doll and who waved from the back of the green station wagon was my friend, communicating with me by ESP.

Every truck stop was like a visit to the zoo where I could see strange people unlike the ordinary folk we had in our small country town. Between the smell of stale cigarettes and burnt coffee it was usually more than a 10-year old boy could handle, but there was always one saving grace: a cup of steaming hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. My drink always seemed to be delivered by an old blue-haired woman in a short pink dress who called me “honey.” It was okay. I thought I was someone special to each of those waitresses.

Mile after mile I’d ride with the widow rolled down, the warm night air working it’s best to blow the sleep from my eyes. I’d stare with wonder into the expanse of the night sky. Was it possible that each of the stars might be angels winking at me from Heaven? Soon I’d be asleep, preparing for a new adventure.

The older I get, the more often I think back to those distant days of childhood. Life couldn’t get any better back then, and I was sure I knew everything there was to know about the world, life, and my future. Now each memory grows more fond with every passing year, yet the freedom to imagine tomorrow seems like listening to a far-fetched dream being told by my own grandson. Days without cares and worries, toys and adventures, they’ve all drifted far behind me, but the child-like faith I had in God is something I’ve never outgrown. Eternity is in view.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. But now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known  (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).