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WHO DO YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR?
Someone says; “I see me in the mirror!” And, of course, they are probably correct, but in the big question above, I am asking the question from a spiritual point of view and not a natural perspective.
“But we all, with open face (unveiled, uncovered face) beholding as in a glass (the mirror of the perfect law of liberty) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Cor 3:18
Of course, the “unveiled face” has reference to the New Testament rather than the Old Testament of the Law which Moses had when he descended from the Mount Sinai putting a veil or covering over his face to (shield? Or was it to hide) the glory from the children of Israel.
If you look into a mirror, who are you looking at, who do you see? If any one of us were to stand in front of a mirror more than likely we would see the reflection of our own face. However, if we were to look into that mirror with an UNVAILED face, stripped of all the exterior mask of the flesh, who do you suppose we would see? Of course, it would have to be the Christ of our Inner Man.
In the natural sense of things when we look into a mirror of glass we are going to see our natural face being reflected back to us. But, in the spiritual sense of things someone else will be seen. The natural face we see in the mirror is but a natural veil, which actually at present covers, obscures, and hides, an inner spiritual identity. For when our face (which acts as a veil because of an old identity) is taken away, then our true face is seen.
“And not as Moses, put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament (They are still not able to see the Christ, their Messiah!); which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail (of blindness, ignorant of the truth) is (still) upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away (there comes spiritual revelation and enlightenment). Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face (uncovered face) beholding as in a glass (the mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2nd Cor. 3:13-18 (emphasis mine D.L.)
When our face/mind/understanding is uncovered, unveiled (by being enlightened by the Spirit of God) the blindness of the “letter that killeth,” namely the external law which came by Moses (Jn. 1:17), we begin to see with the eyes of the spirit to behold the Life and truth of the new covenant found in Christ Jesus.
There was a “glory” in the ministration of the Law given by Moses, but it was a “glory” which was to be abolished and brought to an end, consummated and fulfilled and brought into the greater glory ( 2Co 3:10) in Christ Jesus. The law given by Moses was never intended to become permanent, and an end for the Lord’s people of Israel. The apostle Paul explains that the law was added because of transgressions (Gal. 3:19), till the Seed should come to whom the promise of inheritance was made. The law also acted as a tutor and school master for the Children of Israel until Christ Jesus should come to whom the promise of inheritance in God was made, thus redeeming them/us out from under the old covenant of the law, bringing them/us into the liberty and freedom in Christ Jesus (The Seed) in and through the new covenant.
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (mirror): For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty (the gospel of Jesus Christ), and continueth, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:22-25.
So, when we look into the mirror of the perfect law of liberty (in the gospel of Jesus Christ) we do not see who we once were after the natural sense of things, but after the spiritual sense of things. Therefore, we are not beholding ourselves after the natural and soulish man of the first man Adam, but after the spiritual man, the second man, Jesus Christ. In other words, we are not to identify ourselves in and with that old man after the flesh, but after the new man which we are in the New Creation Man in Christ Jesus. The external law given by Moses will always bring death to the natural man, for the natural man can never comply with the letter of the Laws’ demands. In fact, the Law was given to reveal just how far mankind had missed the mark (of the glory of God).
“For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment (Law) came, sin revived (revealing Adam for who he was), and I died. And the commandment (Law), which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death (to the Adamic man).” Romans 7:9-10.
But there is “the perfect law of liberty” which is found in Christ Jesus! Those who identify with the external Law of Moses are abiding under the “law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-4. It is only when we are given birth into the new creation of God in Christ Jesus and are made one in union IN Him that we abide in God’s perfect law of liberty, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”
The unveiling, uncovering, of our (true) face (identity) is by the Spirit of the Lord. And it is by the Spirit of the Lord that we are also “changed” (metamorphosed) into His same image (face/identity/nature/life). Our old identity in the first man Adam was dealt with at the cross of Jesus Christ, for it was there that that old Adamic man died! There was only ONE Man who survived the crucifixion, it was Christ Jesus! Our Lord took all of the old Adamic identity/face/image upon Himself taking it all to the cross, and they killed him there. But, when they took the dead body of flesh down off the cross and laid it into the stone tomb, that flesh body laid there UNTIL “it” was raised up out of the tomb by the Spirit of God. “It” was the body that Mary gave to her child (Jesus), but the life that raised that body out of the tomb was the Christ life of God, the true identity of the One Who lived within that body of flesh called Jesus. On resurrection’s morning the body of flesh called Jesus which came from the womb of Mary was wonderfully and gloriously RAISED, and CHANGED into incorruptible immortal Life! 2nd Tim. 1:10.
There has to be a change in the perception of who we are today. That perception comes as we find our true identity IN Christ Jesus. We must come out of the perception of who we once were after the flesh, and enter into the perception of our reality IN Christ Jesus, realizing our TRUE identity is in our union IN Him!
Then when we can look into any mirror, and be able to see beyond the natural face looking back at us, to see the face of Christ Jesus. As we once identified in and with the first man Adam after the flesh, now we are being made more and more conscious and aware in our minds and spiritual understanding that we are no longer a part of that old man. We are being awakened more and more to the reality that we are one in the body of Christ. For He is our true reality! 1st Cor. 12:12-13.
Dale Luttrell
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