I see on this Fourth July that many of my Facebook friends are posting 2 Corinthians 3:17 as their status. But the liberty we celebrate having on our Independence Day is far different from the liberty so stated in this verse. We must dig deeper than merely the middle English definition given. While we as a nation celebrate our independence from foreign rule, the birth of our nation as a whole, we as Christians must ask ourselves 'what does it mean to have liberty in The Spirit'?
2 Corinthians 3:17 is near the end of this chapter. So, we must go back and read from the beginning to see a glimpse of what we are reading and trying to understand. 2 Corinthians 3.
The Spirit verse 17 refers to is referenced to us back in 2 Corinthians 3:3, it is The Spirit of The Living God.
The veil of sin and darkness covers the heart that has not yet believed in The Name of The LORD Jesus Christ for their salvation. When that veil is removed upon belief, then The Spirit of The LORD is there in that heart and soul; then liberty of The Spirit can move and have Its being in our lives.
But we must read this correctly and not misinterpret the verse itself or its meaning: "Now The LORD is that Spirit and where The Spirit of The LORD is, there is liberty." THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT. Without Him there is no liberty. Without Him there is no revealing of The Word. Without Him we are nothing and have nothing.
Liberty from errors which prevent the heart from discerning that The LORD Jesus Christ is The Holy One of Israel, The Messiah whom they had been waiting for. Liberty to discern that The Promise of God was revealed in His Son and the means of salvation through His Son's death on the cross; the means of eternal life through His Son's resurrection from the grave.
Liberty to see the glory of The LORD for themselves, as Moses had seen on the mountaintop, when he was in the presence of The LORD. Liberty to have The Spirit of The LORD remove their hardened hearts and replace them with fleshy hearts, that He might write on them THE WORD OF GOD.
This same liberty which is spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church is spoken to us as well. Have we let The Spirit of The LORD change our hearts, write on them? Can we see the glory of The LORD for ourselves? Are we being changed from glory to glory, as The LORD wills? Do we live in the liberty of The Spirit of The LORD? Does The Spirit have liberty to live and move and have His being in us?
2 Corinthians 3:17 is near the end of this chapter. So, we must go back and read from the beginning to see a glimpse of what we are reading and trying to understand. 2 Corinthians 3.
The Spirit verse 17 refers to is referenced to us back in 2 Corinthians 3:3, it is The Spirit of The Living God.
The veil of sin and darkness covers the heart that has not yet believed in The Name of The LORD Jesus Christ for their salvation. When that veil is removed upon belief, then The Spirit of The LORD is there in that heart and soul; then liberty of The Spirit can move and have Its being in our lives.
But we must read this correctly and not misinterpret the verse itself or its meaning: "Now The LORD is that Spirit and where The Spirit of The LORD is, there is liberty." THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT. Without Him there is no liberty. Without Him there is no revealing of The Word. Without Him we are nothing and have nothing.
Liberty from errors which prevent the heart from discerning that The LORD Jesus Christ is The Holy One of Israel, The Messiah whom they had been waiting for. Liberty to discern that The Promise of God was revealed in His Son and the means of salvation through His Son's death on the cross; the means of eternal life through His Son's resurrection from the grave.
Liberty to see the glory of The LORD for themselves, as Moses had seen on the mountaintop, when he was in the presence of The LORD. Liberty to have The Spirit of The LORD remove their hardened hearts and replace them with fleshy hearts, that He might write on them THE WORD OF GOD.
This same liberty which is spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church is spoken to us as well. Have we let The Spirit of The LORD change our hearts, write on them? Can we see the glory of The LORD for ourselves? Are we being changed from glory to glory, as The LORD wills? Do we live in the liberty of The Spirit of The LORD? Does The Spirit have liberty to live and move and have His being in us?
