God's Mirrors

2 Cor 3:18(NASB) – 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.

2 Cor 3:18 (JB) - “And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting, like mirrors, the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we re­flect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit”

God's Mirrors

It is important to read and understand different versions of the Word.  In the JB version it tells us that believers reflect the Glory of the Lord.

Do you realize that you and I are to be His mirrors?  If we were to reduce the human job description down to one phrase, this would be it: Reflect God’s glory!

Perhaps you have read the passage above more than once. And it sounded different. In­deed it may have. Well, perhaps it’s because you are used to reading it in a different translation.

One translation says, “Beholding as in a mirror” another says, “reflecting like mirrors.” One implies contemplation; the other implies refraction.  The question is; Which is accurate?

Actually, they both are. The verb katoptrizo can be translated either way.  Translators are in both camps:

• (RSV) - “with unveiled face, beholding”
• (KJV) - “beholding as in a glass”
• (JB) - “rerlecting like mirrors” 
• (TLB) - “be mirrors that brightly reflect” 
• (NIV) - “we . . . all reflect the Lord’s glory” 

But which meaning did Paul intend? In the context of the passage, Paul paralleled the Christian experience to the Mount Sinai experience of Moses. After the patriarch beheld the glory of God, his face reflected the glory of God. “The people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 3:7 NLT).

The face of Moses was so dazzling white that the “people of Israel could no more look right at him than stare into the sun” (2 Corinthians 3:7 MSG).

Upon beholding God, Moses could not help but reflect God.

The brightness he saw was the brightness he became

Beholding led to becoming and Becoming led to reflecting

So then,

Did Paul mean “beholding as in a mirror”? Yes.

Did Paul mean “reflecting like a mirror”? Yes.

Could it be that the Holy Spirit intentionally se1ected a verb that would remind us to do both?

To behold God so intently that we can’t help but reflect him?

What does it mean to behold your face in a mirror? A glance? A casual look? No. To behold is to study, to stare, to contemplate. Beholding God’s glory, then, is no side 1ook or occasional glance; this beholding is a serious pondering.

What about us? Have we contemplated, or even beheld God’s glory?

When we do, we find that His -

• Wisdom? Unsearch­able.
• Purity? Unspotted.
• Years? Unending.
• Strength? Undaunted.
• Love? Immeasurable.

Glimps­es of the glory of God.

As we behold His glory, dare we pray that we, like Moses, will reflect it?

Dare we hope to be mirrors in the hands of God, the re­flection of the light of God?

Our Call

This is the call:   “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31 NKJV).

Whatever we do, it doesn’t matter what we are doing, do we do it to the glory of  God?

Does our message reflect His glory? What does our life reflect? -- “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NW).

Do we live in such a way that demonstrates that we have been save? and

Does our salvation reflect God’s glory? -- “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemp­tion of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13—14 NIV).

Do we reflect God's glory through our body? How do we take care of our bodies? What do we eat? What do we drink?  -- “You are not your own. …Glorify God in your body”(l Corinthians 6:19—20).

Do we reflect God's glory in our struggles? How do we respond to struggles?  Do we understand the purpose for our struggles?  Do we accept our struggles as a benefit? -- “These sufferings of ours are for your ben­efit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank him for his great kindness, and the more the Lord is glorified” (2 Corinthians 4:15 TLB; see also John 11:4).

What about our success, do we honor God in them? Do we honor God in our successes or do we forget about Him?  When we are blessed financially do we contribute to God’s work or do we just use it for ourselves? -- “Honor the LORD with your wealth” (Proverbs 3:9 NIV). “Riches and honor come from you” (1 Chronicles 29:12 NCV). “God is giving you power to make wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Your message, your salvation, your body, your struggles, your success—Do they all proclaim God’s glory?

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17).

As we look around us the events that are happening in the world tell us that we are living in the last hours of this world's history, what the Lord prophecied would happen is coming to pass in front of our very eyes.  The Lord also gave us a call: 

Matthew 28:19-20(NASB) -- “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Think about this; can a person that does not reflect God, preach God?

Remember this:

• He is the source; we are the glass.
• He is the light; we are the mirrors.
• He sends the message; we mirror it.

Are you reflecting God's glory? Are you ready to be used by the Lord?

Let us then "behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord" and "be transformed into His image from glory to glory" -- that we may be used for His Glory!

Have a Blessed Day!