The Spirit as Our Sanctifier

Text: 2 Corinthians 3:12–18 Thesis: The Holy Spirit sanctifies us by lifting our eyes to Christ and transforming us into His image.

2 Corinthians 3:12–18 NKJV

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—13 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. 14 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. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 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.

1. He Redirects Our Eyes to Christ

“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” (v16)

Explanation:

Here Paul draws from Exodus 34, where Moses veiled his face which is a picture of the inaccessibility of God’s glory under the old covenant. Why are we unable to directly access God? Because of our sinfulness.

However, in the New Covenant, when we are turned from sin and to Jesus, the veil is removed and we are able to behold His glory.

The Spirit removes what blinds us, hardens us, or keeps us from truly seeing Jesus. In this passage, this is concerning our conversion experience where the Spirit opens our blinded eyes, however, it is also true that the Spirit regularly points us to Jesus since we have a tendency to lock our eyes on the things of this world.

Application:

So, since we discussed definitive sanctification last week, we remember that sanctification begins at the moment we are saved and it progresses not with striving, but with seeing Christ as He truly is.

In Galatians, Paul was concerned for the Church as these false teachers came in and tried to get them to add works to the gospel. If we aren’t careful, we will do the same thing, so it’s helpful to ask ourselves, “Where have you allowed the veil to return? Legalism, distraction, pride?”

Ask: “Holy Spirit, where am I spiritually blind? Redirect my gaze to Jesus .”

Pastoral Word: We don’t grow holy by looking inward, but by looking upward to Christ.

2. He Reveals the Glory of Liberty

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (v17)

Visit Matthew Henry’s commentary here.

Explanation:

This is not just political freedom or freedom from rules. Matthew Henry does a great job capturing the depth of this idea. He says that this is a:

Freedom From The Ceremonial Law.

Freedom From Serving Sin.

Freedom to Access God.

Freedom of Speech in Prayer.

Under the law, people were bound by fear and guilt. Under the Spirit, they are free to love, obey, and come before the Lord in prayer.

Application:

Are you walking in gospel freedom or still bound by the weight of performance? The Devil is a crafty deceiver and one way that he attacks us is by convincing us that we aren’t worthy to read our bibles, to worship, and to pray because we’re nothing more than sinners. And in one sense, he’s right. Outside of Jesus, we have no right to worship God. But because we have been saved, God has forgiven our sins and forgotten them completely and now we can worship Him freely.

Liberty in Christ is not license — it is liberation into life.

The Spirit doesn’t enslave — He emancipates.

Pastoral Word: If your version of holiness feels like a prison, it’s not the Spirit who built it.

3. He Uses Christ’s Glory for Our Growth

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed… from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (v18)

Explanation:

Beholding leads to becoming. This is the engine of sanctification: we gaze at Christ and are gradually made like Him.

It is progressive ("from one degree of glory to another") and personal (we all… are being transformed).

Application:

Regularly fix your eyes on Christ — through Scripture, prayer, worship, and meditation.

Expect gradual, Spirit-empowered growth, not instant perfection.

Ask: “Am I more like Jesus than I was a year ago?”

Pastoral Word: The Spirit is not done with you. The glory that sanctifies you today will glorify you tomorrow.

Conclusion:

The Spirit is not merely a force or feeling — He is the Person of God who opens our eyes, sets us free, and transforms us into the image of Christ.

He does not point to Himself, but always lifts our gaze to Jesus.

So the question is not, “Are you working hard enough?” but “Are you beholding Him?”

“Sanctification is not about what you do for God — it’s about what the Spirit is doing in you, as you behold the glory of Christ.”