June 8, 2020
These past few weeks we have dealt with the Biblical doctrines of “REDEMPTION”, “JUSTIFICATION” and “SANCTIFICATION”. Today I would like to make an attempt at tying these all together and look at the final step for a Christian, “GLORIFICATION”.
Let’s review some of the truths that we have seen learned:
- Our “Redemption” was purchased with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ when He offered himself a ransom and tasted death on the cross for each and every one of us. Once we accepted the free gift of salvation, we are now no longer our own, but we have been bought with a price.
- At the moment of our conversion (passed from death unto life), we received “Justification” which means that in the eyes of God we were made “just as if we had never sinned” and we received the greatest of all gifts, “Eternal Life”.
- When we entered into this “new life” with Christ, a process began in our lives called “Sanctification” whereby we are “set apart for the service of God”.
Now as we look to the future, we are longing for that day when our journey on this earth will be complete and we’ll spend eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all those loved ones who have gone on to heaven. The Bible tells us for that to happen, we must go through one more final act of God’s grace which we call “GLORIFICATION”.
The word “Glorification” is not found in our Bibles, however this basic truth is revealed in scripture. The Apostle Paul tells us that the children of God are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and that we will be “glorified together”.
(Romans 8:16-18) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Now, what is it going to look like when we are “glorified together”? Let me give you the theologically correct answer, “I don’t know” and I would be very careful about listening to some theologian that tries to explain what this is going to look like because they don’t know either and it would only be speculation on their part. (1 Corinthians 2:9) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
I don’t believe God meant for us to know all these things or He would have revealed them to us. However, He has given us enough insight into this “glorified state” for the believer to be excited about our future. For example, look at what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit describing a time in the not too distant future we will be “glorified together”.
(1 Corinthians 15:50-58) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
With our eyes on the future, let’s be stedfast,unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord and be encouraged with knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Bro. Rick
