Day 81: You Are (And Will Be) Glorified in Christ
One of the most profound, almost unbelievable truths that we learn in The Scriptures is that we will possess/partake/share in the glory of our Lord Jesus:
2 Thessalonians 2:14
He called you to this salvation through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is what we will discuss today.
Take a minute to reflect on this passage that we considered earlier:
Romans 8:28-31
And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, 29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Take note of all that is done for us and to us in this passage. Chart it out to get a view of how it all fits together.
What is Glory? What Does It Mean to Be Glorified?
“Glory” is a big idea in the Bible. If we start with God, glory is used to describe His very essence, His luminous and radiant perfection and beauty that is profoundly remarkable. (The Hebrew Rabbis called this aspect of God’s glory His shechinah—His visible presence.) Glory also speaks about God’s holiness and splendor as the source of all that is true, good and beautiful.
When we “glorify” someone we are praising them or ascribing honor to them because of who they are. When you apply these ideas to God, you can see how they fit. God is glorious and therefore worthy of our praise and honor.
The incredible news for us is that Father-God has glorified us in Christ and will glorify us in the completion of our salvation! God honors us now by giving us the greatest name He could: His beloved children. In the end, He will transform us completely (at the resurrection) so that even our bodies will be glorious—radiant, reflecting His glory. He is now shaping us spiritually to be His holy children, full of His grace and truth.
In the Romans passage above, notice that the verb “glorified” in this text is in past tense. Even though we do not yet share the full glory of Jesus (our “condition”), we are nevertheless “positionally glorified.” Because of God’s faithfulness we will be finally glorified. God has set us apart for His purposes, He has called us, He has declared us to be in right relationship with Him by faith, and in the end He will glorify us—make us completely like His Son Jesus and then display us proudly has his beloved children.
Consider this passage:
Colossians 3:1-4
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, 3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.
We Will Possess the Glory of Our Lord Jesus!
One of the most profound truths that we learn in the Scriptures is that we will possess/partake/share in the glory of our Lord Jesus:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 He called you to this salvation through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is transforming us to “possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What an amazing idea! One day, we will be like Christ and possess His truth, goodness and beauty. This does not mean that we will take on Jesus “Godness” but it does mean that we will finally be restored to the standard of His Glory from which we have all fallen (see Romans 3:23). Right now, in the present, God has set us apart as His children and He is working this transformation process in us. It is a process that now takes place little by little, degree by degree:
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
This passage should give us confidence. It reinforces the truth the God’s Spirit is working in us to bring freedom and to transform us into people who truly reflect His glory!
Notice how many times the idea of freedom in linked together with attaining God’s glory in these passages that we have considered. In order for us to become “free indeed” as Jesus said, we will have to become people who are ruled by truth, goodness and beauty in all things. God is transforming us into people who are “gloriously free.” Only when we are completely like Jesus will this be completely true of us.
God has glorified us by calling us His sons. He is now glorifying us as He transforms us to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus. God will finally glorify us when we see Jesus face to face and become perfectly holy as He is. As God is transforming us, we are reminded that all we do should be motivated out of our desire to please Him for His glory:
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
We should also remember, as Paul says, “We have been bought with a price, let us then glorify God with our bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Christ has bought us for Himself and His greatest desire is that we glorify Father God in the way we use our bodies. As we allow ourselves to be used as “instruments of righteousness” displayed in self-sacrificial love, we glorify Father God by showing the world the reality of what we believe to be true.
How can you practically live out the truths you have considered this week?
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
