THE GLORY OF GOD OR THE GOD OF GLORY

“What would you rather have: the Glory of God or the God of Glory??? Think about this!"

Thank God that we do not ever have to answer this question. God and His glory are inseparable. You simply cannot have the One without the other. There is no glory of God without God Himself radiating His glory. Any and all understanding of  glory must begin with God Himself. All other glory is either a reflection of His glory or the vainglory of human activity.

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Rev. 21: 22-23

“So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” Ps. 102:15-16

“The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.” Ps. 113:4

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isa. 6:3

“Thus says God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that gives breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isa. 42: 5-8

“Then at last the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will himself be Israel’s glorious crown. He will be the pride and joy of the remnant of his people.” Isa. 28: 5

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9: 26-27

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Col. 3:4

“For ye remember, brethren, we preached unto you the gospel of God.  As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory.” 1 Thess. 2: 9-12

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Pet. 5:10

“I have… the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1: 25-26

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD

To the Roman believers Paul says, ““Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

What is the hope of His calling?

The HOPE of His calling IS the GLORY OF GOD.

What is Hope? Hope is the confident expectation of future blessing. Hope looks forward to the future fulfillment of the promises of God. Faith looks backward to the record of the past promises that God has fulfilled. And thus, both Hope and Faith give us the confidence to Love in the present. I do believe this is what the apostle meant when he said that, “We are saved by Hope.” So, we rejoice in the present because of the promise of the hope of the glory of God in the future.  This hope keeps us moving forward to the Day when we stand in His presence!

The Glory of God is the prize that the apostle Paul so earnestly sought at the cost of ALL his earthly treasures and accomplishments.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13, 14  

So, what do we know of this glory of God?

He has not left us without witness.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen. 1:1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Ps. 19:1

The majesty of the sunrise and the sunset; the wonder of life at the birth of all creatures; the beauty and design of a single flower; the immensity of the canopy of stars displayed at the dark of the moon; the fury of the stormy seas; the deafening silence of snow falling; the terror of rumbling thunder and lightning strikes or the earth moving beneath our feet are all the works of His hands that we witness with our own eyes; and are common to all men.

He sent his own Son to walk the earth to redeem His world.

  “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Jn. 1:14

We witness the glory of God with the eyes of faith as we read the historical accounts of the life and work of His Son Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” Acts 2: 32-35

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Col. 3: 15-20

“I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,… I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw… someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Rev. 1: 9-18

“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousand saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,   “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

And so our hope is to enjoy the glory of God in His Person, forever.   

 

PIE IN THE SKY

When I Googled “pie in the sky” I found the following post on Phrase Finder.

“Pie in the sky: A promise of heaven, while continuing to suffer in this life.

This is an American phrase and was coined by Joe Hill in 1911. Hill was a Swedish-born itinerant labourer who migrated to the USA in 1902. He was a leading light of the radical labour organisation The Industrial Workers of the World - known as the Wobblies, writing many radical songs for them. The phrase appeared first in Hill's The Preacher and the Slave, which parodied the Salvation Army hymn In the Sweet Bye and Bye. The song, which criticized the Army's theology and philosophy, specifically their concentration on the salvation of souls rather than the feeding of the hungry, was popular when first recorded and remained so for some years.

Long-haired preachers come out every night,
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right;
But when asked how 'bout something to eat
They will answer with voices so sweet:

              Chorus:
              You will eat, bye and bye,
              In that glorious land above the sky;
              Work and pray, live on hay,
               You'll get pie in the sky when you die.

The phrase wasn't taken up until the Second World War, when it began to be used figuratively to refer to any prospect of future happiness which was unlikely ever to be realized;….”

 

So we find another lying Marxist using a clever parody of Christian Truth to provide a catch phrase for those who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”. (I know from personal experience that the Salvation Army is and has always been one of the most generous of welfare organizations.)

 

I cannot know exactly when the men who filled the lecterns and pulpits of the Mainline Christian Seminaries and Churches in America self-consciously began to minimize the doctrine of Heaven with its promise of future joy and rewards in the presence of God, but I suspect that it happened gradually between 1850 and 1950. Today the preaching of the Hope of Heaven as THE motive to godly living, regardless of one’s circumstances,  is practically absent from the Christian pulpits of America. When was the last time you heard a sermon on the particulars of Heaven. Or for that matter, even a song about Heaven during worship?

Consider and ponder the importance that the Apostles John, Peter and Paul placed on the importance of constantly focusing on the HOPE OF HEAVEN as it relates to the quality our daily living.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 Jn.3: 1, 2


All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. 1 Jn.3:3

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Pet. 3:10-14

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things; for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry; because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Col. 3:1-10


Is it any wonder then that when we immerse ourselves in the practices of our existential, materialistic, pleasure seeking culture that we find ourselves, even as professing Christians,  stressed, discouraged and depressed? 

 

“This world is not my home.  I’m just ‘a passin’ through. If heaven’s not my home, O Lord what would I do?”

OUR INHERITANCE

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance,.. Eph. 1

I pray: “... that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1: 16-18-  

And what are “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”?

In this world at the expectation of a large inheritance there is talk of all that money can buy: perhaps several new, expensive cars; a beautifully furnished home in the best part of the city, as well as one in the country; a new wardrobe; first class world travel while visiting the most interesting places, and staying in the best of hotels, with the best of foods and wines; and the increase of capital that we can use to create even more wealth. All such imaginings are exhilarating because they hold out the promise of the future enjoyment of all the wonderful experiences that this world has to offer. Think Downton Abbey. But in this cursed world even the richest inheritance is accompanied with trouble. For in this world the more we have the more we have to care for and protect.  And when it’s time to leave, we leave it ALL behind. Naked comin’ in, naked goin’ out!

But, in the New Heavens and the New Earth we will enjoy every good thing and every good experience this old world offers, but there will be no more Curse, no more sin, evil, death, fear or sorrow. And, the Lord Himself will be there to rule over a New Creation, a true Land flowing with Milk and Honey, that exists in perfect harmony

Let’s consider just one of the many riches prepared for us.

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when HE is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:1-2

He shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, Phil.3:21

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body, we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.  2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Heaven is the place where we will be given new bodies that are designed for living in the New Heaven and New Earth. Imagine, no more fear of crippling, wasting disease, the constant irritation of aches and pains, the loss of strength and vitality and the need for cosmetics or perfumes to deal with the effects of aging. And we will have brains that think clearly, learn thoroughly, create effortlessly, and never forget! And a spirit made perfect like His, and that will be in perfect knowledge of divine things, and completely at peace.

 

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  Mt.4:17

The good news that Jesus of Nazareth declared that day begs the question: “What do I have to repent of to gain entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom?”

The Bible is clear as to what needs to be repented of so that you may be received with joy into the Kingdom of Heaven.

“…do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:9, 10

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Col. 3

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal: 5:19-21

“… God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love and no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Rom: 1:26-32

“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Rom. 2:5-8

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Rev. 22: 14, 15

 

OUR BLESSED HOPE

The author of the book of Hebrews said, “We heirs of promise enjoy a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,.. Heb.6:17-20

And the apostle Paul said: “He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:5,6

We have a hope that saves us. Yes, saves us. That hope of standing in the presence of the living God, the Creator of all that is; that hope of being with the Lord Jesus in the New Heaven and the New Earth; that hope of having eternal rewards that will help us fulfill our eternal purpose is an anchor set deep in the heart of Christ Jesus as He sits on His throne at the right hand of the Father, reigning and ruling over the nations of men.  And that anchor is securely attached to the Cable of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. The little boat, that is your life in Christ, is secure. Your life and eternal soul will not be lost in the turbulent seas of this world’s trials, troubles, tragedies and temptations. The Cable will hold until the day the Lord draws our souls to the Heavenly shore. Therefore, stand firm in your faith, and hold tight to your hope until you see His face.

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Jer. 31:

When a story begins with, “Once upon a time and, ends with, “And they lived happily ever after,” it has universal appeal for the child in all of us. And, for that matter, it has an appeal for the adult in all of us as well.  

I love the classic fairy tales and the old school super heroes. The protagonist (good guy), the antagonist (the bad guy) and the hero (the deliverer) who comes to save the day! I believe every story ever told that becomes a classic is only a type of the true redemption story. Homer’s “Ulysses”, Hugo’s “Les Miserable” or Lucas’s “Star War Trilogy” all hold this in common – in the end the good overcomes the evil. The desire for things to end well is common in the hearts of us all.

I’ll be, Lord willing, threescore and ten in July. 70! The last few years every time I shave I am confronted with my mortality. The travel itinerary is set.  I’m leaving this earth. I am going to die, and, so are you. And I certainly want things to end well for me. And, I assume you feel the same about your eternal future.

“…. it is given unto men once to die, and then the judgment.” Heb. 9:27
So, experiencing the Glory of God, or what most folks call Heaven, or the New Heavens and the New Earth, forever; OR experiencing no hope in the torment of the Lake of Fire, forever, are the only two possible destinies for each of us. That’s it! It will be one or the other.

So, while it is yet today and the final destination of our lives has not yet been set, let’s listen as the Scriptures tell us the true tale of hope. 

Once upon a time, “…God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Gal. 4:4-6

And they lived happily ever after, “…because the Spirit itself bears 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. Rom. 8:16, 17

This happy ending is what I call a very large slice of “The Children’s Bread”!

And what the apostle Peter called the exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature; and so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1:4

Despite the certainty of death that seems to be rushing towards me, I live each day as one of the beloved characters in this tale of hope we call the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because Jesus made the same promise to me that He also made to all of you.  

He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he was dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Jn. 11