Foundation
of the Christian Faith
Course: Salvation
Concluding
Lesson Ten
Title: Glorification
Text: Romans 8:29-30
‘For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate,
them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he
justified, them he also glorified.’
Introduction: Meaning of glorification
Glorification
is the process where the believer is changed into the image of Jesus.
Glorification
begins with regeneration, develops through the process of sanctification, and
is completed at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is
being conformed into the image of Jesus
Regeneration
- New life;
Sanctification
- Discipleship (Learning Christ);
Resurrection
– Salvation completed.
Everything
in the Christian life is for this purpose that we will be like Jesus.
Introductory
Story: The beauty of Jesus seen in the life of the
believer.
New life in Christ.
There was a Tuesday night in the Summer of 1975 when I was brought into a completely new life. My life changed completely from that night. People I worked with saw the difference instantly. The new life changed the way I spoke, the way I worked and gave me completely different desires. Old habits dropped away and a new way of life took their place. I did not make new resolutions; I had new life.
I had made commitments to Christ before this but my life was changed when I received new life.
Discipleship
When I became a Christian it was easy to be nice. But after a while I began to think that I should stand up for myself. I then made it hard when the new life had made it easy. Jesus said ‘my yoke is easy’. Living for Christ is learning to let Him live in us.
Resurrection
The glorious hope of the believer is to be changed physically into the likeness of Jesus. I have been in the clouds many time in an aeroplane but one day those who belong to Jesus will be there without an aeroplane.
Main
Points:
1. The glory of His life in us. Glorification begins when the
believer is raised to new life in Christ. The resurrected
life of Christ in us.
A Christian is a person who has the life of
Christ in them.
A person who confesses Christ may not have new
life.
Matthew 25.
10 virgins – only 5 were saved.
All professed to be believers but only 5 had
oil.
How can we tell who are saved?
By their fruit – the power of
God in the life of the believer.
Natural fruit takes time to grow.
Jesus cursed the fig tree because there were no
figs. The tree did not have fruit
because it was not the season but the fig tree symbolised
What is the initial evidence of salvation?
Initial evidence is the same. The fruit of the Spirit will be seen, love,
joy, peace… etc. will be as the new believer expresses forgiveness, joyfulness
and love.
The extent that the fruit is seen will increase
as the believer grows in Christ but the fruit will be seen from the moment of
salvation.
2.
The glory of His power in us. Glorification
takes place in the believer through the process of sanctification. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer as he or she is changed into the image of Jesus. 2 Corinthians
3:18, ‘But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’
The first epistle of Peter puts
it this way: 1 Peter
The believer is able to live a victorious life because the glory of the Lord dwells in us filling us with His strength; His power; His love.
a.
Strength that will endure in trials.
The trial of your faith being much more precious than gold. God will perish but the trial of your faith
produces the beauty of the life of Christ in the believer.
Paul wrote ‘we rejoice in tribulation’. A person can only rejoice when he or she
understands that the trial produces the beauty of Jesus in us.
Cannot produce anything if there
is no new life.
Do you have a difficult situation to face?
Rejoice in it. We should use our intellect to work out how
to deal with situations but we need never become angry, worried or unduly
concerned.
b.
Power that will overcome temptations.
It is not possible for a believer to be tempted above that which he or
she is able to resist.
I can never say the devil made me do it.
Devil’s power is the power of suggestion.
The word of God empowers us to overcome the
devil’s power of suggestion.
The 3 areas of temptation.
i.
Lust of the flesh
ii.
Lust of the eyes
iii.
Pride of life.
Greatest temptation to Church leaders is the
Pride of Life.
The devil can stop a church moving in the
power of the Holy Spirit by making the leaders proud.
c.
Love that will endure all things.
Love that seeks to lift others – makes us like Jesus ‘…the glory the Father gave the Son’ John
3)
Glorification. Glorification will
be complete when Jesus comes again. The glory of being raised
in His likeness.
Romans 8:18, ‘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.
The glory that shall be revealed is the life of Christ in us.
His life is seen in His people right now through the fruit of the Spirit.
His love shows the beauty of His character
in contrast to the self seeking nature of the world.
His peace stands in contrast to the anxiety of a world without Christ.
His joy stands in contrast to a world
that can only find temporary happiness in things that do not last.
When Jesus returns then the same glory that dwells within His people
will be able to shine in our outward appearance.
a) We shall be like Jesus. 1 John 3:2 ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.’
b) We shall have a glorified body.
1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ‘Behold, I show 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.’
Corruption (defilment and decay) – changed to incorruption. The defilement of sin will be removed from us. No battle for the mind; no pull of sin on the heart; no conflict of will. Pure and holy in every area of our life. Right now we should aim to be holy; and desire holiness because then we will only know holiness.
Mortal (sickness and death) – changed to immortality. Death will no longer be known. Right now we are united with the One who is eternal life but our body still dies. When Jesus returns the resurrection life will change our mortal body into an immortality.
Question: How do we know this is true?
The scripture is confirmed within by the Spirit of God who has been given to us as a down payment of our full inheritance.
c) We shall be removed from sin; sickness; death; sorrow.
Revelation 21:4 ' And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.' Only in Christ Jesus can we find certainty in an uncertain world. We know we have eternal life because Christ lives in us. We are not like the world. Our trust is not in the prosperity of the world. We can endure the trial because Christ is with us. We can look beyond the tears because we have a glorious future in Christ. Our life has meaning because Christ has overcome for us. We do not trust in fables. We know we shall be with Him forever.
Summary:
The three phases of Glorification
1) The glory of His life in us.
2) The glory of His power in us.
3) The glory of being raised in His likeness.