God Glorifies Who He Justifies

“Man's thought is always of the punishment that will come to him if he sins. God's thought is always of the glory man will miss if he sins. God's purpose for redemption is glory, glory, glory.”

- Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

“And those…He justified, He also glorified.”

- The Apostle Paul, Romans 8:30

The idea behind glorification can be a bit confusing, as we (as Christ followers) have always been taught to glorify God, not ourselves (which is absolutely true, by the way). What we have trouble grasping is that, while we are not to glorify ourselves, when we place our trust in Jesus, God glorifies us.

I have always understood the process of salvation to be Justification (being declared innocent of the penalty of sin because of what Jesus did on the cross), Sanctification (being set apart to worship and serve Jesus in this life) and Glorification (my eternal reward in Heaven). But, as we learned during the Forever You series, eternal life begins now when we accept Jesus, not later when we die.

Not only are we being sanctified (becoming more life Jesus every day), but in God’s eyes, we are already Glorified, for He already sees us as His eternal child.

According to the Apostle Paul, we can only see dimly at this point, but God already sees what we will one day see clearly:

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

- 1 Corinthians 13:9-12

May we begin now embracing the glory God has already granted to us and live our lives as a reflection of His majesty.

Pastor Ken

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