1267. The Glory of God and the Saints

The Glory of God and the Saints

"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" (2Co_3:18).

We are earthen vessels, yet God shines within us, the glory of the Lord. We, who once were ungodly, serving divers lusts, are transfigured into the image of Him Who hath begotten us; we are transformed from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. In this purpose of the Father, there are four things we wish to consider:

1. Saints are transfigured from glory unto glory. These words plainly set forth that saints do not perfectly manifest God's glory. Even believers may stumble and fall, and bring dishonor instead of honor to their Lord.

But God proclaims the growth of the believer, both in the grace and in the glory of God. As the days come and go we are changed from glory to glory.

The Christian's life should be one of spiritual development. We should desire the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby. We should steadily approach unto the measure of the stature of a full-grown man in Christ Jesus.

The chief concern of a believer should be the daily dying to sin and to self, and the daily transformation from glory to glory.

We do not mean that saints are privileged to sin less every day. We do mean, that day by day the new man should grow from glory to glory.

2. Saints are transfigured from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. We must not seek to develop ourselves through sheer fleshly effort into the image of Christ. We must recognize the indwelling Spirit, and yield unto Him. He will transfigure our lives.

The fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy," etc. The flesh profiteth nothing.

How often do Christians yearn for victory! They cry out, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Let such know that deliverance comes only to those who walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.

3. Saints are to glorify God in what they do. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1Co_10:31).

Our Lord Jesus did always the things that pleased the Father. This should be the consuming passion of saints. How beautifully does the account of certain saints read, and they "glorified God" (Act_11:18).

Saints should never go anywhere nor do anything that they cannot do to the glory of God. The supreme question that should be put before every undertaking, that should test every act, every deed, is this–Is it to the glory of God?

4. Saints are to the glory of God in what they are. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

Many of us are more concerned with our doing than our being. We guard our words and neglect our thoughts. We are interested in our acts, but we neglect the heart from which the actions spring.

We need to show forth the Lord Jesus Christ by a character established in Him. We can never magnify and glorify Christ as we should, until we have been transfigured into the image of Christ.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR