Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

Bible Book: 2 Corinthians 3 : 18

Subject: Jesus, Focus on; Dedication; Christian Living

Introduction

Dr. Andrew A. Bonar (1810-1892) shares these words written by Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843) to the Rev. Dan Edwards on October 2, 1840, after his ordination as a missionary to the Jews: “MY DEAR FRIEND—I trust you will have a pleasant and profitable time in Germany. I know you will apply hard to German; but do not forget the culture of the inner man—I mean of the heart. How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his sabre clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God’s sword—His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.’”1

Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960) penned the following words:

O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.2

The background of the context is recorded in Exodus 34:29-35, “Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.”

The context of our text is recorded in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 reads, “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 by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Note three things from this verse.

I. There is a veil that is graciously removed

2 Corinthians 3:18 reads, “But we all, with unveiled face. . . .” 2 Corinthians 3:16 reads, “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Turning to the Lord involves repentance (Acts 17:30) and faith (1 John 3:23), the two universal commands in Scripture. Acts 17:30 reads, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” 1 John 3:23 reads, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” Romans 5:1-2 reads, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 8:28-30 reads, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 10:17 reads, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23 reads, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 reads, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

Beware of another gospel. 2 Corinthians 11:4 reads, “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” Galatians 1:6-9 reads, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 reads, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

II. There is a vision that is grandly required

2 Corinthians 3:18b reads, “[We all]. . . beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord . . .” This is not just to be a fleeting glance it is to be a fixed gaze. It is on a grand scale because it involves reading Scripture and observing Jesus as the main character of the Bible in His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. Our vision of Jesus must be according to the Bible or we will be admiring and adoring another Jesus. Proverbs 29:18 reads, “Where there is no [vision] revelation, the people [perish] cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” Dr. Thomas Guthrie (1803-1873) warns, “Liberty without the Bible is either dead or delirious.”3

Beware of another Jesus. 2 Corinthians 11:4 reads, “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!”

Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961) penned these words:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Dr. Vance Havner (1901-1986) writes, “The Christian looks and lives even as the snake-bitten Israelites were healed by a look at the brazen serpent. ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved,’ is God’s invitation (Isa. 45:22). Then we live the Christian life, ‘off-looking unto Jesus’ (Heb. 12:2). And we live looking for His return (Lk. 21:28; Heb. 9:28). But the value of faith lies in its object, and our look of faith has meaning only if ‘we see Jesus.’

A lot of our present-day looking up sees nothing, for it is not looking at anything. Any object other than Jesus is only a disappointment. He is the only satisfying object of the soul’s gaze. ‘They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed’ (Ps. 34:5). ‘Looking up’ and ‘smiling through,’ with a Micawberish hope that something will happen will never get you through. Fix your eyes on Jesus!”4

III. There is a value that is gradually received

2 Corinthians 3:18c reads, “[We all] are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Sanctification is one of the benefits of the believer. Spending time with Jesus in His presence through prayer and a devotional study of His Word is essential in this transformation or transfiguration.

Exodus 34:29b reads, “. . . Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.” Rev. Leigh Robinson explains, “This change is not the product of fleshly self-effort, but of the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not a superficial outward imitation, but a fundamental inward transformation. Neither is it a mere facial reflection as in the face of Moses. Rather, it is an inherent character likeness to Jesus Christ Himself.”5

Dr. F. W. Robertson (1816-1853) writes, “It is a very lofty thing to be a Christian, for a Christian is a man who is restoring God’s likeness to his character.”6 Genesis 1:27 reads, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” After the Fall we read in Genesis 3:22-23, “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.” Genesis 5:1-3 reads, “This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Romans 5:12-21 reads, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

2 Corinthians 3:18c reads, “[We all] are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (Emphasis mine)

Beware of another spirit. 2 Corinthians 11:4 reads, “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” 1 John 4:1-3 reads, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

Conclusion

On 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Rev. Matthew Henry (1662-1714) writes, “It is the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness, or clearness, of speech. The Old Testament believers had only cloudy and passing glimpses of that glorious Saviour, and unbelievers looked no further than to the outward institution. But the great precepts of the gospel, believe, love, obey, are truths stated as clearly as possible. And the whole doctrine of Christ crucified, is made as plain as human language can make it. Those who lived under the law, had a veil upon their hearts. This veil is taken away by the doctrines of the Bible about Christ. When any person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance is taken away. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is happy, for the heart is set at liberty to run the ways of God's commandments. They have light, and with open face they behold the glory of the Lord. Christians should prize and improve these privileges. We should not rest contented without knowing the transforming power of the gospel, by the working of the Spirit, bringing us to seek to be like the temper and tendency of the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and into union with Him. We behold Christ, as in the glass of his word; and as the reflection from a mirror causes the face to shine, the faces of Christians shine also.”

Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel (1935-2009) shares, “I remember an old chorus from the days of my youth:

May Christ be seen in me, O Lord.

Hear thou my earnest plea.

O take me, fill me, use me, Lord,

‘Til Christ be seen in me.7

1 John 3:1-3 reads, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne also wrote to Rev. Dan Edwards in the aforementioned letter, “How sweet it will be to drop our old man, and be pure as Christ is pure.”8 Not even three years later, he did, on March 25, 1843, at the age of 29. Indeed, “How sweet it will be to drop our old man, and be pure as Christ is pure.”9 We confess in the words of Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

1Andrew A. Bonar, The Life and Remains, Letters, Lectures, and Poems of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne (New York, NY: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860), 211. Accessed: 07/26/16 https://archive.org/stream/lifeandremainsl01bonagoog#page/n220/mode/2up/search/minister .

2Thomas Obadiah Chisholm, “O To Be Like Thee!” Young Peoples Hymnal (1897) Accessed: 07/19/16 http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/o/t/b/o2belike.htm .

5Leigh Robinson, “Spiritual Transformation” Sermon Notes (2 Corinthians 3:18).

6Pearls, comp. Rev. J. B. McClure, 110.

7Holman New Testament Commentary, gen. ed. Max Anders Vol. 4 John, Kenneth O. Gangel (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2000), 322.

8Bonar, McCheyne, 211.

9Ibid.

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, pastor First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort 30775 Jay Drive Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527

Author of Don’t Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and

Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Amazon.com in hardcover, paperback and eBook]