Unveiled Faces

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:7–18 NET)

The experience of Moses of speaking intimately, fact-to-face with the Lord (Numbers 12:8) was unique among the ancients. Even to this day it is wrapped in mystery, for in Exodus 33:20 God said that Moses would not see his face, “for man shall not see me and live.” So there were some limitations to God’s revealing Himself to Moses, even if we are not able to clearly explain what those were.

And the experience was unique. Though there were others who had intimate relationship and experiences with God in the Old Testament, Moses alone had these experiences in his day. God said to Joshua, after Moses died and he had assumed the leadership of the nation, “Just as I was with Moses, so shall I be with you” (Josh. 1:5). But even that statement was a general declaration of God’s leadership of the nation through its ordained leader, and it did not guarantee that the identical deep intimacy that Moses had would, in the same depth, be automatically bestowed upon Joshua. But the ordinary people of God, the Israelites as a nation, were not able to have the same intimacy, even in terms of potential of relationship, that Moses had.

But in the New Covenant, in the Church Age, all who believe in Christ receive the Spirit and “with unveiled faces” reflect the Lord’s glory. The word “reflecting” refers to the use of mirrors, which were being improved in Paul’s day.

This means two things: (1) that we are not left in the dark about what the image of Christ will be like upon our souls — the New Testament plainly describes what the image of Christ will be like (Galatians 5:22–23, for example); (2) we are not under any command to cover over this transformation, to hide it behind a veil as Moses did, but we are to plainly and openly bear testimony to the work of God in our lives.

This was in contrast to some of the false teachers of Corinth, who boasted in themselves of secret instructions to others. But the true gospel comes openly and plainly and is proclaimed boldly for all who would repent and believe. Later in this letter Paul wrote: “But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience” (2 Cor. 5:11 ESV). There were not secret meetings necessary. The truth was proclaimed to all that anyone might repent and believe and be transformed.

So to this day there is no limitation of knowledge available. False cults often have their secret initiations, or their secret knowledge that is passed furtively from one to another. But in the true faith it is unveiled. The secret of living the Christian life is in the power and personality of the Spirit of God. We surrender to Him and He empowers and transforms us.

There are different levels of maturity due to commitment and surrender (Phil. 3:15) and different levels of knowledge due to personal study (1 Cor. 15:10), but the goal of complete Christ-likeness is the same for every Christian, as is the transforming power of the Spirit and the methods of God. This should remove pride and invite us all to come to the Lord of grace and love with open and dedicated hearts.