Glorification

We have considered in all of these doctrines - how God has affected our salvation and continues to work in us even after our salvation is effected to us.

Last few weeks we have seen how God even in our santification - that is - working holiness in our life, is intamily close to us in that he even gets the praise when in our desire to holy for him - For he wills and works in us. And what great news that he provides for us what he desires for us. His presence, power, and love for us while we live.

But now we move to the last - even though we could examine many more doctrines that completment our salvation - the last work of God is what all human history is working to - the final and consumate redemption of all that He has made and for his glory.

God wants us to know this so that we may even now, live as though we are already with him. And if your like me you forget at times and think that once we close our eyes in death, that the end has come and there is nothing else to look forward to.

OPENING ILLUSTRATION:

Glorification can be defined

Many of us have been to concerts or plays. You all know what happens when the show is over. There is an anchor request. That the performers come out to have a final bow; a show of praise by the audience, or if its a concert, then theres the chant of “one more song.” In which the artists usually fulfill.

I think many of us though think that our salvation or redemeption ends when we die and go to heaven. Like life being the great performance and when we die, that is it. No curtain call, no request for an anchor. Turn the lights off and go home. Show is over.

But Scripture doesn’t end with our death - it declares that there is one more act to be performed. That being the final act of God of God - in the application of our redemption. Think of it as the completion of the whole process of redemption

As one theologian wrote:

“For glorification is THE GOAL wot which the elect of God were predestined in the eternal purpose of the Father and it involves the consummation - that is, the point at which something is complete or finalized, of the redemption secured and procured by the vicarious work of Christ.”

And we see this in a very known passage which we have seen before and helps us understand where this fits in in the chain of Redemption.

the point at which something is complete or finalized

Romans 8:30 ESV

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8L:

This morning by God’s grace we are going to see what Glorification is. Seeing that this final event in our salvation it is not an individualized event, but actually a single event by God which affects corporatly. That is for all the redeemed of God. All of God’s children at one time. All the elect will be glorified together at one time.

So with that, if we could define Glorification then, we could say, which is written in your notes that GLORIFICATION IS:

THE FINAL AND CORPORATE ACT OF OUR REDEMPTION - That is a final act in which we receive our new Bodies and finally declare that the sting is swallowed up in victory.

A very simple definition but a glorious truth that should cause us to glory in God and see how glorious our salvation really is. We will examine this doctrine then get into points of application at the end.

In the end we will hope to see that God himself will receive all the glory that is due to Him.

Ultimatly in the end, God himself will receive all the glory that is due to Him.

TRANSITION TO FIRST POINT:

STATE FIRST POINT: When does glorification take place? What it is and what it is not.

1. First what it is not: Glorification is not an act of God that is forced upon Him and affected to us at our death.

If you are like me, you once thought that once you died, you entered into paradise and received your new perfect bodies and that was it. Your new glorified self then enabled you to live in a perfect world an do some pretty amazing things. Like here on earth, only perfectly. But that is not the final phase of your salvation.

It is true that the single solo event that we must take part in is death (save the Lord Jesus Christ returns in His second advent)

“To be away from this body is to be present with the Lord.”

And that when we die and are separated from our bodies, our souls do go into the presence of Christ and are perfect - without sin:

Hebrews 12:23 ESV

and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Hebrews 12:23 ESV

23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Hebrews 12:23 ESV

23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Hebrews 12:23

Hb 12:23

Those present with Christ are called “the spirits of the righteous and made perfect”

Our confession of faith is also clear on this:

Ch 31: para 1:

“The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having immortal substance, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light and glory”

And believe me this is glorious news for those of us in Christ! That we, once we have closed our eyes in death - immediately go to be with Christ and are made absoultley perfect! But this is not the final act in our redemption. Death and pure spiritual life in heaven. While this is a great hope - it gets better than that - that being it is not the GOAL of our hope and what we are to be looking forward to! There’s an anchor when the curtain of our life closes! There is another act of God.

You see death is the wages of sin - sin being any disobedience to God’s law. A promise that God made to Adam, who as the head of all humanity - the promise of death - was transferred to all his posterity. So death being a promise, and because we all come from Adam - will face - but though we will face death - being free from death - by dieing is not the end and completion of our salvation.

John Murray in his excellent book “Redemption Accomplished and Applied writes:

“The last enemy, death, has not yet been destroyed. it has not yet been swallowed up in victory. Hence glorification has in view the destruction of death itself.” All death! Death being eternally vanquished. A song that isn’t sang until the future.

QUESTION: So what can be better than entering into the presence of God and being with Christ? What will we still be groaning for? What will be missing?

We will be waiting for the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES!

Listen to Romans 8:23

“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

We will get into creation’s glory later - but here Paul writes that there is by the Spirit a holy anxiety that “we” the children of God - are pacing the room with - even those in heaven - and what is it? THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES.

THIS IS THE GLORIFICATION!

As one man wrote:

“It is the complete and final redemption of the whole person when in the integrity of body and spirit the people of God will be conformed to the image of the risen, exalted, and glorified Redeemer, when the very body of their humiliation will be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory.”

QUESTION: WHEN THEN WILL WE RECEIVE THESE NEW GLORIFIED BODIES TO FULLY ENJOY OUR REDEMPTION? Three Points for you to consider here:

CHRIST WAS FIRST

THEN US AT HIS COMING

IT WILL BE SOMETHING WE WILL ALL EXPERIENCE TOGETHER

A FINAL ACT OF CHRIST TO THE FATHER.

Like the ordo salutis, there is The ordo Glorification-ious

This will take place at Christ’s second coming and will effect all of Christ’s people at once together. Not before - but a beautiful final corporate act of our redemption.

First point:

1. CHRIST WAS FIRST: He paved the way and is the type we look at.

Christ in his incarnation came to earth to live amongst us as one of us without sin; who then himself died and was raised again in new life and in a new body; the Bible tells us that he was the

Who came to earth to live amongst us as one of us without sin; who then himself died and was raised again; the Bible tells us that he was the “firstbegotten from the dead; he is the firstborn among many brethren”

“firstbegotten from the dead; he is the firstborn among many brethren” Colossians 1:18

This means that the ressurrection of the people of God will be like that of Jesus Christ. As His resurrection was a bodily ressurection, and ours will be the same kind of ressurection.

Christ in the order of his redemption for us

Came in the form of a man, though he was God and obeyed God perfectly

Then he willingly was bound and nailed to the cross - taking on God’s wrath against our sin as our perfect subsitute

Then He died and was placed into the grave and on the third day - he rose again to a new glourous life and with a new gloriious body

He asended into heaven And now as a man he sits enthroned in heaven and will one day come again in his second advent to the earth - physcially, visibly and powerfully and with His people.

2. Then it will be our turn and at His coming when he will ressurect our bodies to gloroius new bodies. Where body and spirit will unite in glory. The Bible calls this event the Final Resurrection of the dead and at the time of Christ’s return - His second advent or visit to the earth.

Salvation has to do both with the redemption of men as individuals and as a society. Salvation of individual believers includes the “redemption of the body” (). We must not only be saved from the guilt of sin, and delivered from the power of sin. Redemption is not completed until we are delivered from the very effects of sin in our mortal bodies. The Biblical doctrine of the resurrection is a redemptive truth: it means the salvation of the body. This salvation will be realized only by the personal second coming of Christ.

In this coming the hope of the believer is centred on the coming of the Savior again the second time without sin unto salvation. Paul calls this the “blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

declares that

“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

TURN TO 1 CORINTHIANS 15 AND LETS TEASES THIS OUT JUST A BIT MORE...

Paul here is arguing against false teachers in the church who say that there is no ressurection of the dead - connects Christ’s own physical ressurection with out own and provides a bit more about what our bodies will be like and how they are fit for our new eternal life...

English Standard Version Chapter 15

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Now move to veres 21-23

English Standard Version Chapter 15

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

TRANSITION:WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR THIRD POINT: IT WILL BE AN ACT THAT WE WLL ALL EXPERIENCE TOGETHER.

So Christ first, then all of us who belong to Christ - whether in heaven now or still alive at His coming - will be united to our final glorification…and this being accomplised not one by one - but a corpirate act of glorificaition

Each saint of God - each of his precious children - who dies has his own appointed season and time to depart to be with Christ. It’s highly individualized.

Yet with glorification - all together will be glorified.

Turn to 1 Thessalonianss 4 to build on this corporate act.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord

Did you notice that Paul writes that this will be the “with them event!”

What a glourius truth. The last corporate act of our salvation will be a corporate event in which we will all experience together! And because we are all united to Christ now! And will always be untied to Christ.

Here we see the corporate nature of our corporate redemption of our bodies.

Beleivers are united to Christ’s own death and ressurection (v14) that those who have died are united to him and are safe with him

Where our bodies - will be perfect, without sin, and perfectly formed for our new life with Christ and for eternal life and worship to God. And all connected to our union with Christ.

Also that those in Christ will have a particular honor of being ressurected first - then us with them - all an instantious act when Christ returns

V15-17 (17 showing us that we do this together- with them!)

Hear also

Where our bodies - raised in power, will be perfect, without sin, and perfectly formed for our new life with Christ and for eternal life and worship to God. And all connected to our union with Christ.

“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then (and only then) shall come to pass the saying that is written:

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

55 "O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?"

Glorification - that is our new life to come in our new bodies - is not disconnceted ever to Christ. We can never get around the implicaitons of our being united to Christ.

Joh Murray writes:

“Our Glorification is glorification with Christ! Remove this and our future glory is connected then only to us and what we get. Our confiedence is bound up in the promises that Scripture gives us that this event is with Christ. And that we will be like Christ and eternal life - immortality.

Joh Murray writes:

Where these bodies are currently decying and death is knocking on all of our doors; the new life the new body will never decay, or die. And death will be forever removed. The thoughts of facing death - the sight of the aging self - is always a reminder of the conseqences of sin - and the promises that sin means death.

This is all removed in our glorification! In that day - death is swallowed up forever and the sting that death brings is gone.

As one man wrote -

The believer who knows him whom he has beleived and loves him whom he has not seen says “Amen, come Lord Jesus ()

As one man wrote -

We don’t have time to get into all the aspects of Christ’s return but Paul wants them to be encourged by these words - so he doesn’t get into the escatological aspects of Christ’s return - does…but I am convinced that we go to him and he then comes immediatley to the earth - with the saints in their ressurected bodies to excute judtement on the earth.

The believer who knows him whom he has beleived and loves him whom he has not seen says “Amen, come Lord Jesus ()

Here then we get to our last point:

4. A FINAL ACT OF CHRIST TO THE FATHER.

The final act of Christ with us and directed to the father

For this last point turn to

We read verse 23 earlier and lets put these total acts together and finish with this last point:

23 “But each in his own order. Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”

24 “Then comes the end (this is after the final judgement) when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority power:”

The end here is “the final stage” the final redemptive act of all history and plan of God.

The word is used in where the author tells us that God’s final act of revealing himself through Christ in these last days, the final stage of his revelation; here we have the last phase in God’s escatological plan. When the end comes!

When He Christ “delievers" or more descriptively “hands over” the kindgom to God the Father....”

Handing over to God the sinless glory of the new heavens and the new earth and the saints perfectly glorified and make fit for eternal worship.

Here we see what the pattern of the kingdom is going to be. A rebuilding of the garden where God and man dwell once more - where we by sight and clothed for eternity we are God’s people and He is our God. Where all sin and rebellion are removed; those who rejected Christ are put away in eternal punshment and those of us whom God has loved from all eternity - are with him. And it is finished!

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 ESV

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 ESV

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

1 Corinthians 15

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

The future body is to be immortal. This is something different from, something higher than incorruptible; the latter is negative, the other positive; the one implies immunity from decay; the other not merely immunity from death, but perpetuity of life.

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

The body is sown in dishonour, it shall be raised in glory. Glory is that which excites wonder, admiration, and delight. The bodies of the saints are to be fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body. We shall be like Him when we see Him as He is. More than this cannot be said; what it means we know not now, but we shall know hereafter. We already know that when the body of Christ was transfigured upon the mount, the Apostles fainted and became as dead men in its presence; and we know that when He shall come again the second time unto salvation, the heavens and the earth shall flee away at the sight of his glory. Let it suffice us to know that as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

The present body is sown in weakness, it will be raised in power.

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

These expectations cannot be extravagant, for we are assured that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

Institutes of the Christian Religion 7. Resurrection of that Body in Which We Have Been Clothed in This Life

For this perishable nature,” says Paul, “must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.”

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

(1.) That the bodies of men must be specially suited to the state of existence in which they are to live and act. (2.) That our present bodies, that is, our bodies as now organized, consisting as they do of flesh and blood, are not adapted to our future state of being.

Yet with glorification - all together will be glorified.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

Here we see the corporate nature of our corporate redemption of our bodies.

Beleivers are united to Christ’s own death and ressurection (v14) that those who have died are united to him and are safe with him

Also that those in Christ will have a particular honor of being ressurected first - then us with them - all an instantious act when Christ returns

V15-17 (17 showing us that we do this together- with them!)

Hear also

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

55 "O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?"

Paul wants them to be encourged by these words - so he doesn’t get into the escatological aspects of Christ’s return - does…but I am convinced that we go to him and he then comes immediatley to the earth - with the saints in their ressurected bodies to excute judtement on the earth.

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, “

POINTS OF APPLICATION: How do we live our lives in this fallen body and let the truths of what we are expecting to come - drive our lives now.

It helps us to be holy people and to live in this world. To actively be seperating ourselves from sin and this world. The already-not-yet tension helps us live up to our calling.

The Bible is very clear in showing this.

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, “

Colossions 3:1-4

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

It is only with the eyes we have now of our glorified bodies - that we seek to live in them now. Notice how Paul draws our eyes to heaven first and only then does he ask us to live accordingly on this earth. You could say that our santification is living our our glorification. And because of the power of our new birth - we can live like this.

Listen to

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Paul would also encourage us to with the eyes of faith and desires of the heart to “press on toward the goal of the upward call” To mediate upon the blessed ressurection and let that truth drive how you live now. Content with being a child of God and striving to life like on in heaven.

2. It changes our view of each other; each member of the body of Christ - here locally and around the whole world.

That our fellowship will never end, it will only be that much more glorious. We are always going to be together but soon it will be in glory and we will be apart of that wonderful day and expereince it together.

3. It helps us communicate and package the entire gospel. That glorification is the end goal of our salvation - that God will be rightly and perfectly worshiped, we will be free from sin and the effects of sin, all sin and evil will be judged and removed for eternity, the new heavens and new earth will reflect this new glory - even creation will be free from adams sin - we look forward to glorification

Systematic Theology Nature of the Resurrection Body

If then our future bodies are to retain the human form; to be easily distinguished by those who knew and loved us on earth; if they are to be endued with an unknown power; if they are to be incorruptible, immortal, and spiritual; if we are to bear the image of the heavenly, we may well bow down with humble and joyful hearts and receive the exhortation of the Apostle:

4. Live in light of your furture glorification. Don’t make this world the world to come. Let your dissatsifcation with the world and the problems of the world drive you to praise as you get it!

our future glorification is not apart from Christ’s own work - but thethered to Christ and a corporate act of God when Christ returns.

1 Thessalonians 4:14–17 ESV

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

corporate act of God when Christ returns.

V17 “Together” “hama” together or as a “company”

2 Thessalonians 2:1-

2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 ESV

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

Second coming of Christ and the day of the Lord

Day of the Lord is a day of Judgement

2 Thessalonians 1:5-

Caught up together with them

2 Thessalonians 1:5–10 ESV

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

Not so much that we will have new bodies in heaven but what sort of existience and life that we will have because the end has come and the tottality of our salvation is complete. We can even use the new body as an idol. I can’t wait to get my new body so that there will be no more suffering, while that is going to be awesome, we also should not forget what we will be doing and what all has been accomplsihed -

The Blessed Hope Introduction

Salvation has to do both with the redemption of men as individuals and as a society. Salvation of individual believers includes the “redemption of the body” (Rom. 8:23). We must not only be saved from the guilt of sin, and delivered from the power of sin. Redemption is not completed until we are delivered from the very effects of sin in our mortal bodies. The Biblical doctrine of the resurrection is a redemptive truth: it means the salvation of the body. This salvation will be realized only by the personal second coming of Christ.

The Blessed Hope Introduction

The second coming of Jesus Christ is an absolutely indispensable doctrine in the Biblical teaching of redemption. Apart from His glorious return, God’s work will forever be incomplete. At the center of redemption past is Christ on the cross; at the center of redemption future is Christ returning in glory.

**Footnotes:

Systematic Theology The Identity of the Future with Our Present Body

And all the passages already quoted as proving the resurrection of the body, assume or declare that it is the same body that rises. It is our present “mortal bodies;” “our vile body;” it is “this corruptible,” “this mortal;” it is that which is sown, of which the resurrection and transformation is predicted and promised. Our resurrection is to be analogous to that of Christ; but in his case there can be no doubt that the very body which hung upon the cross, and which laid in the tomb, rose again from the dead. Otherwise it would have been no resurrection. This identity was the very thing Christ was anxious to prove to his doubting disciples. He showed them his pierced hands and feet, and his perforated side. On this subject, however, there is little difference of opinion. Wherever the resurrection of the body is an article of faith the identity of the present and future body has been admitted

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