2Cor. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit; that is, it is a total work of grace. Holiness is not an external performance or act. Instead, it is a fact that flows from within, as an authentic work of the Spirit of God. True Christianity is not something that can be memorized and then mimicked; it is something that is realized experientially and released. It is not just a set of principles to be followed; it is a person Who has principles, living His life in us.
Even though this work of transformation that changes us from the inside out is the work of grace by the Holy Spirit, we do have a part, and that part is to BEHOLD. That word “BEHOLD” literally means to “mirror.” Mirrors look at images and reflect the image that it is beholding. The image that we are to BEHOLD, and thus reflect, is the GLORY OF THE LORD. 2 Corinthians 4: 4c tells us that the glory of Christ is the image of God, and in 4:6 Paul says that the glory of God is in the face of Christ. Therefore, to behold the glory of the Lord is to behold Christ, who is both with us and indwells us. Mirrors don’t just look at; they look to. In other words, a mirror is totally dependent on an image outside of itself if it’s to reflect that image.
To mirror Christ is to, in absolute utter dependence, look to Him. To do so with an unveiled face, is to look to Him in total transparent need. This is at the heart of faith. To exercise faith is to lay down all pretense and faking; simply acknowledging our need as we look to Him.