CHANGING THE GLORY
Romans 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Romans 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
What is it to glorify God? – Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. We cannot add anything to God’s glory! But we can ascribe to God the glory that is His!
The Samaritan leper was said to glorify God by giving thanks. Luke 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Why is it important that we glorify God? First, because we are advised to do so. Psalm 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. That is, “To be honored and kept holy is thy name.”
If it is required that none might come before an earthly king without being proper in their dress, how much more should we enter the Lord’s courts adorned with praise? Esther 4:2 for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Secondly, because we are made in God’s image. Therefore to change His image reflects upon ours! Reread verses twenty-one through twenty-four in our above listed text where this is clearly stated. Mankind is the only creation that is said to receive the very breath of God for his existence. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And so it is with the spiritual man, created in Christ Jesus unto true holiness. John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
For it is only in His light which we can see any light of ourselves. Psalm 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
John has well said that His Life is our light. Therefore to alter His image is to corrupt our own. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Consider the following passages in which idolatry is said to corrupt those involved. Exodus 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Psalm 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
And when God revealed Himself to them, he did not reveal Himself in any form or image! He is to be revealed by His word. Deuteronomy 4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude (that is, you saw no physical image), on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
And He is to be spiritually revealed by the experiences of the believer’s daily crosses. Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
And we are to be very careful with our imagination! We need a sanctified imagination to spiritual envision God by faith, and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We do have a great mental warfare. That’s why we need to stay under the word as much as possible. For his word, like water, is said to provide a ‘spiritual bath.’ Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, We are commanded to “Think not;” (Matthew 10:34), and to “Let this mind be in you.” (Philippians 2:5) Even when we are not in an actual physical trial, we always have this spiritual battle to contend with. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Our spiritual birth is our justification. It is a one-time thing. The believer, like a human being, only needs to be born once. But our growth in grace is our sanctification which is a daily matter. And by this progressive growth we are increased in glory. 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 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.
And as the daily, spiritual look at the Lord Jesus by faith increases our spirituality, so the look at Him in His final degree of glory, (when God becomes all in all), shall be the cause of our eternal glorification. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 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.
With these understandings we come to realize more plainly just how we can comply with being required to “see the Son” in order to have eternal life. John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. For, as the Apostle Peter infers, it is not by the eye of physical sight by which we see the Lord; but through the vision of love! 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: gb
