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In this third and final look at the transfiguration
I want to consider the purpose of the great work of the cross for us.
We first considered the incredible truth revealed in this metamorphosis
atop a mountain north of Galilee, that it was God the Son who died for
our sins. Then we looked at the absolute authority he had as endorsed
and confirmed by Moses as the fulfilment of the law, Elijah as the fulfilment
of the prophets and God as the fulfilment of the plan of the Father.
An authority that he exercised over sin and death as he died and rose
again the third day.
In meditating on this remarkable scene and the incredible sight the three disciples witnessed, I remembered the promise of Scripture that:
"…we eagerly await a Saviour from [heaven],
the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything
under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will
be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)
The "power that enables him" is none other than the power of God, for he is Emmanuel, God with us working a mighty work of Salvation. The "bringing everything under his control" is the result of the finished work of the cross as he worked to subdue both sin and death that all things are, indeed, under his control. The incredible truth is that this same power "will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body". The transfiguration, then, does more than give us a glimpse of his true glory. It gives us a glimpse of our eternal future in glorified bodies "like his glorious body".
In Paul's letter to Roman believers he triumphantly reminded them that:
"In all things God works for the good of
those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For
those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness
of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And
those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified;
those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)
There are those who see these verses as an indication of our growing to be gods ourselves, but this is a misunderstanding of Scripture. We need to remember that while he has life in himself (John 1:4) we are created beings and dependent on him for life; while he was a sinless Saviour who knew glory from before the world was made (Phillip.2:6&9; John 17:5) we are fallen creatures in need of that Saviour.
In his first letter to Corinth Paul describes our true eternal glory:
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect
the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians
3: 18)
Ours is a reflection of the Lord's glory and he is the origin of the
glory we are to share. That the Son of God should sacrifice to the uttermost
that we may reflect in our bodies the glory that was revealed at the
transfiguration is humbling. It is also encouraging as we "…we
eagerly await a Saviour from [heaven], the Lord Jesus Christ, who by
the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will
transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body".
Just as we eat and drink the wine of communion in anticipation of his coming, let us live our lives also in anticipation of his coming and of the glory that will be ours who have looked to him alone and trusted in his name.
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