2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (WEL) The Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 All of us, with no veil, see the Lord’s glory as in a mirror, and we are being changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Lord’s Spirit.
V17 The Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Salvation is initiated by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit opens the mind and heart of every individual somewhere, sometime. After doing so, every individual knows (Romans 1:18-19). God then calls, invites, a person to believe in Jesus Christ and call on His name for forgiveness and salvation. Most reject; some believe.
God is the Spirit. When a person believes, then they are freed (John 8:32). Compare Romans 6:6-11. Only God can bring freedom. It is freedom from God’s wrath. It is freedom to obey God, fellowship with God, and serve God. It is freedom for God to bless us. It is a limited libertarian free will to serve; we have been freed.
V18 All of us, with no veil, see the Lord’s glory as in a mirror, and we are being changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Lord’s Spirit.
All of us believers have the veil of ignorance removed by the Holy Spirit removing it. Now we see glimmers of the Lord’s glory. Being changed refers to progressive sanctification. This is the start of it, and 1 Corinthians 13:12 is the completion.
Dr Andy Woods (AskAndy AI) informs us: “Progressive sanctification is the ongoing, lifelong process in the Christian life where a believer is gradually being delivered from the power of sin and is growing to become more like Jesus Christ in moral character and daily living. Unlike justification, which happens instantaneously at the moment of faith in Christ and frees a believer from the penalty of sin, progressive sanctification is a present-tense experience where the believer learns to live according to God’s will by appropriating the divine resources God provides. God accomplishes progressive sanctification by enabling believers to walk by faith moment by moment, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of Scripture. This process requires the believer’s active cooperation—continually availing themselves to God’s Word, obeying His commands, and depending on the resources God has given, such as the Holy Spirit’s power and the new nature received at salvation. It is not automatic; growth in sanctification depends on the believer’s willingness to submit to God’s Word and Spirit, allowing God to transform their thoughts, desires, and actions over time. In this process, believers do not become sinless instantly but sin less as they mature. The goal is for their daily practice to increasingly reflect their positional holiness in Christ, growing in Christlikeness until glorification at death or the rapture. Relevant Bible verses include:
• Romans 6:22: “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”
• 2 Corinthians 3:18: “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 from the Lord, the Spirit.”
• John 17:17: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
We learn:
• The source of our freedom.
• The blessings of God’s freedom.
Questions:
• Have you believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• Are you submitted to His will, laws, and service?