“Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God…
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face… To this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away… But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.“
“Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing… The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:4-5,12-14,16-18; 4:3-6
Paul had turned to the Lord. Bent on persecuting Christians, strict about his professed religion, he was stunned by the Lord who arrested his rebellion along his loathsome path. He turned him to the light- at first blinding, then revealing, then reflecting. Unveiling his spiritual senses, the Holy Spirit freed Paul from his former life to make him a fragrant, bright, competent preacher being continually transformed into God’s image. (Acts 26:9-19)
Turning to Christ is a mystery in sovereignty. The stubborn human will is softened and moved by God’s invisible Spirit to respond to His merciful hounding. By grace, the shrouding veil donned since Eden is lifted, the Lord and the light of His gospel is beheld. Acrid turns fragrant, weak turns bold as the slave is set free. From the moment of rebirth life requires a constant turning to the Savior over self, godly wisdom over the world’s. Can we honestly say He has made all things new? (2 Corinthians 5:17)
What adjustments in our forward-face is the Lord prompting today? Where and when do we glance askant? What errant attitude, default response, ingrained behavior is He revealing so we can acknowledge and repent? What selfishness, greed, and pride do we need to leave behind in order to pursue His paths? Turning to Him initiates a triumphal procession.
“Finish, then, thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!” ~Charles Wesley (1747)
Father, lead me by the light of Your glory in continual triumph and transformation.
As the rain and snow 