Life in the Word 67 the likeness of Christ; so that all believers might be able to say with Paul, "‘We have the mind of Christ. I t will, therefore, surely repay the reader to note carefully the usages of this particular word. Its first occurrence is in the Gospel narratives of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, and is in fact the very word there translated “transfigured” (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2). The word is literally “metamor- phosed.” “His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.” This may well serve to teach the nature of the change contemplated. It is one that brings the radiance of heaven into the mind and tinges even the commonplace things with a glow of heavenly light. The next occurrence of the word is, as we have already seen, in Romans 12:2, where believers are enjoined to be not cut out on the pattern of this age, but to be metamorphosed or transfigured by the renewing of their minds. The third and last occurrence of the word tells us plainly how this great transformation is brought about. For the Bible is a very practical book. It comes, moreover, from One Who understands perfectly the limitations of man, Who knows and declares that the latter is, in his natural state, “without strength,” that is to say, utterly impotent (Rom. 5:6). We may be sure, therefore, that when God calls upon the quickened soul to do a thing, He puts the means required for it within His reach. And so, in these plain words we read the con- ditions requisite for effecting the desired transformation: We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3 :18). The word here translated “are changed” is the same word (metamorphosed or transfigured) used in the other passages cited; and these are the only occurrences of that word in the Bible. The teaching is very clear. When the Jews read the Word of God a veil is. over their hearts, their minds being blinded
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