Where the Spirit of the Lord Is: Unveiling the Glory of the One True God

Where the Spirit of the Lord Is: Unveiling the Glory of the One True God


In 2 Corinthians 3:17–18, Paul declares, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Many have used this verse to support the idea of a multi-personal God, but a Biblical Unitarian reading offers a more grounded and coherent interpretation. Paul is not identifying the Spirit as a separate divine person, but affirming that the risen Lord Jesus now operates by and through the Spirit of God—the active, personal presence of the one true God. This Spirit brings liberty from the veil of the old covenant and transforms believers into the image of Christ, reflecting God’s glory more and more. This transformation is not mystical fusion into a triune being, but a real, personal relationship with the Father through the Son, by the Spirit. The veil has lifted, and with unveiled faces, we reflect the glory of God—not as ontologically divine beings, but as image-bearers being renewed into Christ’s likeness.

 

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 reads:


"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (ESV)




1. "The Lord is the Spirit":


A Unitarian reading can interpret "the Lord" here not as referring to a Trinitarian "God" but as referring to Jesus (the "Lord"), who, as the Messiah, is the one through whom the Spirit works. The passage doesn't need to imply that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the same person (as in Modalism) but rather that the Spirit is Christ’s agent—the one who continues Jesus' work after His resurrection and ascension.




2. Understanding "Lord" as Jesus:


Paul often refers to Jesus as "the Lord" (1 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 2:11). In this passage, "the Lord" could be referring to Jesus as the one who sends and works through the Spirit, not as an identification of Jesus with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, in this context, is the empowering presence of God that enables believers to experience transformation into Christ's image.




3. Spirit of the Lord as Distinct:


The Holy Spirit can be understood as distinct from Jesus in function and personhood, but still working in close association with Him. Paul’s emphasis here is on the role of the Spirit in bringing freedom and transformation in believers' lives, which can be understood as something Jesus sent (John 14:26, John 16:7) but not identifying the two as one and the same person. In a Unitarian reading, this means that Jesus continues His work through the Spirit but is not identical to the Spirit.




4. Transformation and Glory:


The process of believers being "transformed into the same image" can be viewed as a work of God through the Holy Spirit but still in alignment with the Unitarian belief in the Father as the ultimate source. The "Lord who is the Spirit" can be understood as referring to the Spirit’s role in the ongoing work of Jesus’ mission, not a blending of the persons of the Trinity. The emphasis here is on how the Spirit, sent by God, brings about the change that is grounded in the person of Jesus (the Messiah).




5. "For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit":


This statement can be taken to mean that the power to transform believers comes from God’s work through the Spirit, but the "Lord" here does not need to mean that the Spirit is Jesus. It could refer to the authority of Jesus, who sent the Spirit to carry out His work. This allows for a Unitarian interpretation where Jesus is the Messiah, distinct from the Spirit, but still has authority over and is involved in the work of the Spirit.





Conclusion:


To prevent a Modalist reading and maintain a Unitarian understanding of 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, interpret the passage as referring to the work of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives, sent by God through Jesus. The "Lord" who is the Spirit does not need to mean that Jesus and the Spirit are the same person. Instead, Jesus, the Lord, works through the Holy Spirit to bring transformation, but this does not imply that the Spirit and Jesus are the same entity in a modalistic sense.

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