新元素是主的荣光
变化与新陈代谢有关，而新陈代谢包含了供应新的元素，以顶替旧的元素。现在我们必须问，在保罗的观念中，当我们经历变化的时候，供应给我们的新元素是甚么？照保罗所领会的，这个新的元素就是主的荣光。主的荣光实际上就是复活的基督。
我们已经看见，在三章十八节里，主的荣光就是复活并升天之主耶稣的荣光；祂是神又是人，经过了成为肉体、人性生活、钉十字架和复活，成了包罗万有赐生命的灵，住在我们灵里。这位复活的基督，是何等的丰富！这位复活的基督连同祂一切的丰富，乃是加到我们里面来变化我们的新元素。这个元素─复活的基督连同祂的丰富，就是主的荣光。这不仅是神话语中的肉，更是肉的上好部分。
变化含示基督那追测不尽之丰富的供应
我们领受这供应，这供应就顶替并排除我们里面老旧的元素。结果就有新东西在我们里面产生，就像新的细胞和组织藉着新陈代谢的过程在我们身体里产生一样。这就是保罗在十八节中变化的观念。否则保罗就不会说，我们渐渐变化成为与祂同样的形像，从荣耀到荣耀，乃是从主灵变化成的。我们渐渐变化，是从荣耀到荣耀，也就是从一种程度的荣耀到另一种程度的荣耀。
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The Glory of the Lord – 2 Cor. 3:18
The New Element Is the Glory of the Lord
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 2 Cor. 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.
Transformation Implies the Unsearchable 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 2 Cor. 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.