Passage
ESV 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 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.
Outline
Sanctification is the process in which we are transformed into Christlikeness. It involves a lifelong cycle of sin, repentance, renewal, and spiritual growth. No two Christians are at the same point. There are different degrees of grace that God bestows upon Christians in bringing them to maturity. We are no longer who we once were and are not yet what we will be. This passage describes how we are being transformed progressively from one degree of maturity to another. In vs. 18, Paul gives us three aspects of this transformation process:
- We are being transformed by beholding the Lord Jesus Christ.
- We are being transformed into the image of Christ.
- We are being transformed by grace.