Transformed into His likeness……

“….so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.            II Cor. 3:18  MSG Bible

In 2 Cor. 3:18, Paul tells us that all who believe in Jesus - all who see Him as Lord, Savior--- are moving in a wonderful direction:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

Paul tells us: As we fix our eyes on Jesus, as we look in His face, as we see who He is through His Word, He transforms us “into the same image” – into Christ-likeness – “from one degree of glory to another.”  This last phrase is, literally, “from glory to glory”.

We look at His glory, His characteristics, His perfections – and He changes us into His likeness. We receive that glory.  We initially become like Him and then we become more like Him; from glory to glory.

Paul refers to this same process in Philippians 1:6: “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

God begins His good work by enabling us to see Jesus.  We respond with wonder, love, and praise, acknowledging our sin and His perfections. We keep seeing Him, and He changes us from glory to glory, completing His work of perfecting us.

When will this work be complete?    Paul tells us: “At the day of Jesus Christ”.  When is that?

The Day when Jesus returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. That day is described in Rev. 19, and the last half of chapter 20.  That will be the Day when the kingdom of this world becomes the Kingdom of our God.  That is the day we look forward to as the beginning of eternity, in new bodies, seeing more and more of His inexhaustible and infinite greatness and glory.