Daily and even hourly, they were also in the process of being transformed into the same image, the image of the glorified Christ. “And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit” (3:18). This transformation did not happen once for all; it was a gradual matter. The apostles were transformed from one degree of glory to another. They were transformed from glory to glory, as from the Lord Spirit.
It is possible to understand the word rendered “even as” in 3:18 to mean “that is.” Hence, the apostles were being transformed from glory to glory, that is, from the Lord Spirit. They were being transformed into the image of the Lord from the Lord Spirit.
According to the book of 2 Corinthians, the pattern of living Christ for the church includes the aspect of daily transformation. Anyone who lives Christ for the church must be one who is daily being transformed. If we are not in the process of transformation, then something is wrong with us in our Christian life. Day by day we need to be transformed.
The word transformed is a good word; however, it does not convey the full meaning of the Greek word. Instead of transformed, some versions of the Bible use the word “changed.” This word is very inadequate; it is a poor equivalent of the Greek word. The King James Version renders this Greek word transformed in Romans 12:2, but translates it as changed in 2 Corinthians 3:18.
We need to know the difference between change and transformation. Transformation involves the process of metabolism. However, something may change without being affected metabolically. Many things may change in an outward way without any inward metabolic transformation.
In the process of metabolism a new element is supplied to an organism. This new element replaces the old element and causes it to be discharged. Therefore, as the process of metabolism takes place within a living organism, something new is created within it to replace the old element, which is carried away. Metabolism, therefore, includes three matters: first, the supplying of a new element; second, the replacing of the old element with this new element; and third, the discharge or the removal of the old element so that something new may be produced.
The digestion and assimilation of the food we eat involves metabolism. First we take the food into our stomach. Then the food is digested metabolically to supply our being so that new elements may be added to replace the old and that new cells may be brought into being. Through this process of metabolism we grow and are strengthened. Also through proper metabolism we may be healed of certain illnesses. Constantly a healing is taking place in our physical bodies through the process of metabolism. This healing is not caused by medicine given by a physician; it is the healing that is caused by the proper functioning of the body itself. Daily by the process of metabolism we can experience healing.
I wish to emphasize the fact that transformation is a metabolic process, a metabolic change. We may define transformation as spiritual metabolism. Concerning this, I appreciate Paul’s care in choosing words. Paul, a marvelous writer, is always precise in his choice of words. In 3:18 he deliberately chose a Greek word which is best translated by the English word transformed.
We have pointed out that transformation involves metabolism and that metabolism includes the supplying of new elements to replace what is old. Now we must ask what in Paul’s concept is the new element supplied to us as we undergo transformation. According to Paul’s understanding, this new element is the glory of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is actually the resurrected Christ. We have seen that the glory of the Lord in 3:18 is the glory of the Lord Jesus as the resurrected and ascended One, the One who is both God and man and who has passed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection to become the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit dwelling in our spirit. How rich is this resurrected Christ! The resurrected Christ with all His riches is the new element added to us for our transformation. This element, the resurrected Christ with His riches, is the glory of the Lord. This is not simply the meat of the Word; it is a choice portion of the meat.
The word transformed implies the unsearchably rich supply of Christ. As we receive this supply, it replaces the old element within us and causes it to be discharged and carried away. The result is that something new will be brought forth in us, just as new cells and tissues are produced in our body through the process of metabolism. This is Paul’s concept of transformation in 3:18. Otherwise, Paul would not have said that we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit. We are being transformed from glory to glory, that is, from one degree of glory to another.