Some people think that our lives are transformed at the altar. They refer to the altar call. Others think that encounters transform us. If this is true, then Jesus and the apostle Paul must be misled to think otherwise.
Nowhere in the Gospel and the epistles talk about transformation at the altar call. Jesus talked about knowing the truth to bear fruit (John 8:31-32; John 15:5), while Paul wrote about renewing your mind for transformation (Romans 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18). While Paul indeed had an encounter on the road to Damascus, it was what he did with the truth that transformed him (Gal 1:17-18). Else he would not have written Romans 12:2.
There are far too many who go to the altar call and have many encounters over and over again, without any life transformation. Besides, there are also many who don't experience dramatic encounters. If encounters really transform lives, does that mean they cannot be transformed?
I submit to us that the key to transformation lies with mind renewal.
Most believers know how the Father sees them. But that in itself, won't change them. It is not enough to know how the Father sees you.
You need to know how to see yourself the very same way the Father sees you. When you stand and look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see?
2 Corinthians 3:18 says "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..."
Apostle Paul was comparing Old Covenant with the New Covenant (from glory to glory). In the Old Covenant, the Most Holy Place was veiled from our face. We couldn't see clearly who Christ is and who we are. But in the New Covenant, the veil was torn (rent open) when Christ died on the Cross. Now we see clearly who He is and who we are.
Because we now have an unveiled face before the Most Holy Place, there is nothing we need to hide or feel ashamed of when we look at the mirror.
"...are being transformed into the SAME image from (Old Covenant) glory to (New Covenant) glory..."
The Old Covenant glory was the Law = ministry of death = ministry of condemnation. The New Covenant glory is Christ = ministry of the Spirit = ministry of righteousness (2 Cor 3:7-9).
Thus, what you see in the mirror affects your transformation. Because what you see in the mirror is the SAME image you become. If you can look in the mirror and see yourself the same way the Father sees you --- righteous, holy, blameless, above reproach, pure, loving, patient, etc., you are transformed into that image.
It says in 2 Cor 3:18 that the transformation is "...just as by the Spirit of the Lord..." In other words, it is the Holy Spirit who conforms you into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), but He can't transform you unless you renew your mind (Romans 12:2 - "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind...") to see yourself in the mirror the same way the Father sees you.
I used to think that we should see Christ when we look in the mirror. But if you look at the mirror and you see a Jewish guy with long hair and white robe, it will be pretty flaky or even scary. Especially if you are a girl. If I look in the mirror, I should see Wilson.
What does that mean? I should see Christ IN me when I look in the mirror. I need to acknowledge every good thing which is IN me in Christ (Philemon 6), because of the New Man He has put IN me (2 Cor 5:17).
When I look in the mirror, I see Christ IN me, the hope of glory.
It is not enough to know how the Father sees us. We need to know how to see ourselves the same way the Father sees us.
So the next time when you look in the mirror, you should go, "Looking good, baby!" #identity #transformation
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