Be Glorified
Do you ever, or have you ever, experienced doubts about your relationship with a parent or sibling? Do I measure up to their expectations? Do they make unfair demands of me, or does my difficulty in fulfilling fair demands cause them to love me less?
And because all members of the human family have various and differing frailties, these relationship concerns can become all the more difficult for wading through and finding satisfaction.
What about God? Do you ever experience these kinds of doubts in your relationship with Him?
It’s important to remember when pondering such a question, that if we are to believe the Bible, we can be certain God is not frail...
Deu 32:3 For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
So, if God is truthful, just, righteous and upright, does he love me less than another person? Does He care about me less?
2Ch 19:7 Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes."
Again, in Chronicles it is iterated with the LORD is no iniquity, and it also clarifies no partiality or susceptibility to manipulation. God can’t be bought.
Peter reiterates this immunity from partiality in Acts...
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
Act 10:35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
So, any struggle you and I might have in determining the value of our relationship with God is a struggle owned by us. It is up to us to turn to God’s word to see how He treats us, and what that means for our current life as well as our future.
Following is a scripture that applies to every saint equally...
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
I want to focus on glorification, here. What does it mean? Let’s look at an early reference fro the Old Testament...
Gen 45:13 So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here."
From Genesis 45:13, “glory”
kaw-bode', kaw-bode'
From H3513; properly weight; but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness: - glorious (-ly), glory, honour (-able).
From Romans 8:30, “glorified”
dox-ad'-zo
From G1391; to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application): - (make) glorify (-ious), full of (have) glory, honour, magnify.
dox'-ah
From the base of G1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literally or figuratively, objectively or subjectively): - dignity, glory (-ious), honour, praise, worship.
2 Corinthians 3 covers more thoroughly the subject of glory as it relates to God and the fellowship of the saints.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
So, the Spirit is involved with defining us “from glory to glory”, and it must also be applied in Romans 8:30...
The Father selects. The Father calls. We respond positively, are baptized in a watery grave to arise out of the water a new person in Christ. So, the Father justifies us (we don’t justify ourselves and will never be able to justify ourselves), an elder of God lays hands on us and asks God to impart us with His Divine Holy Spirit as a down payment on the work He is completing in us, so God in that moment glorifies us.
You may notice here that all of these statements in Romans are in the past tense.
From Volume 10, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 1976 edition.
“Verse 30 states the various steps involved in the realization of the divine purpose: the call (cf. V.28), justification, and glorification. The marvel is that the final item is stated as though it had already occurred. This led Denney to declare (in loc.) that this is ‘the most daring verse in the Bible.’”
Wow! If I’m already glorified; If you are already glorified, what else is there for us to do, for God has done it all, HASN’T HE?
Well, the referenced commentary in the next paragraph goes on to relate the following,
“Why is sanctification not mentioned in this verse? It is probably left out deliberately because sanctification is the one area in which human cooperation is essential. There is no appeal anywhere to be called or justified or glorified, but there are numerous appeals to cooperate with God in the realization of the life of holiness.”
Reference (example of many scriptures) Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Begotten children of God. Not pseudo... EXPLAIN – full-fledged – relationship – two great commandments from God’s perspective – confidence in God’s love for you.
End with scripture...
Luk 12:32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
