look: i, paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.  i testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. (galatians 5:2-3)

 

this is really an important point that paul is making, and he emphasizes it by saying “look-behold-see:” 

 

how do we enter into the presence of God? not by rituals and law keeping.

we enter into the presence of God through Christ, by looking. beholding. seeing.

look! see! behold!

 

the next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,

and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “behold, the Lamb of God!”  [john 35-36]

and Jesus cried out and said, “whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. and whoever sees me sees him who sent me. i have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. [john 12:44-46]

 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. [2 corinthians 3:18]

look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for i am God, and there is none else. [isaiah 45:22 kjv]

 

how are we to be saved, sanctified, glorified unless we look? being in the presence of God is as simple as looking upon the cross and beholding the Glory of God!  stop trying to obey, to work, to “do”–all of it, brothers and sisters, all of it has been accomplished on the cross–live out of the overflow of seeing and savoring Christ!

 

~ conor eastman