• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection On shining faces

On shining faces

Posted on September 16, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment


ex34_29In Exodus 34 we find that as a result of being in close relationship with God, Moses’ face shone to the point where the people were afraid of him. As a result, Moses went around with a veil over his face so that the people could bear his presence.

This was an anomaly, this is something that doesn’t normally happen. There is no other instance in Scripture that I can think of where someone’s face shone after spending time with God.

But should that be an anomaly? Should we not, in some measure, all reflect the glory of God after spending time with him? While it is unlikely that we will need to wear veils to avoid freaking people out, we can indeed reflect God’s glory as a result of our relationship with him.

We reflect God’s glory when we live in the freedom that the Gospel brings to our lives. We are redeemed and forgiven and the closer we are in our relationship with God, the deeper the knowledge of that forgiveness. The deeper knowledge should result in a deeper the impact on our behavior.

We reflect God’s glory when we walk in humble obedience to him. In a sense, using the term humble obedience is a redundancy, because any attempt at obedience without humility would be disobedience.

Historically, Christians have lead the charge with regard to humanitarian effort. Christians have often been a shining example of those who live in community and act for the benefit of others. Christians have faced death rather than compromise their relationships with God.

We reflect God’s glory when we gather to worship him in our local fellowship.

We reflect God’s glory when we respond to the people and situations in which we find ourselves in the same way that Jesus would respond. John tells us that Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). When we respond to our circumstances with both of these traits, we reflect God’s glory.

We should all have shining faces after spending time with God.


Filed Under: Bible Reflection

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Name Label

When labels are (mis)applied in the church

Church leaders should resist the temptation to categorize and apply labels to the people they lead. This labeling is misguided and destructive.

18 Words

J. I. Packer on our response to Scripture

This reminds me that the goal of reading Scripture is not the gathering of knowledge for its own sake. The goal of theology should not be understanding for its own sake.

Question 4

What is God?

But Jesus, on many occasions, showed them that they missed the point. Holiness is not attained through rule keeping. Holiness is more about heart and attitude than about external action. Rule keeping cannot change my heart. Legalism always results in failure. That is the bad news.

Self-pity

No room for self-pity

I do a lot of whining to God. One one hand, God is the perfect target of whining because he can take it, and he can bring correct to me and the situation that I’m whining about. But in thinking about this, I realize that there is no room for self-pity in Christian maturity.

Question

Submit a question or topic to Attempts at Honesty

I would enjoy hearing from you if you have a suggested topic for a post or if you have a question about the Bible or church life.

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
February 2023
SMTWTFS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728 
« Jan    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in