The Glory of God and the Letter to the Hebrews, by Pastor Charlie Handren

Gaining sight of the glory of Christ is the key to everything in life. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil [that covered Moses’ face] is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [Freedom for what?] 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.”

Christ set us free that we might see his glory, and that by seeing his glory we might be transformed into his image. This incremental dynamic is most often called sanctification, and it will come to its appointed end when those who believe in Jesus see him face to face. As the Apostle John wrote, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him [Jesus]. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he [Jesus] appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-2).

The unrestricted sight of the glory of Christ will radically transform our minds, hearts, and bodies so that we will become like the one we behold. We will never be Jesus, for he is God and we are not, but in some profound sense we who believe in Jesus will be like him when we are fully exposed to his glory.

For now, the will of God is that we would behold more of the glory of Christ each day and thus become more like Christ each day. Each new advance in the comprehension of Jesus is custom designed by our Father to shape us into the image of Jesus.

The primary way we gain a clearer sight of the glory of Christ is by meditating on the Word of God, not the least of which is the Letter to the Hebrews, for while this great letter is known for its theological depth and richness, that depth and richness is intended to help us see Jesus, worship Jesus, and become like Jesus.

So I encourage you to listen carefully and prayerfully today as Mark Beck quotes the entire letter from memory. May the Lord inspire you to memorize as well, but more so, may he reveal his glory to you!

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