[0:00] Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 8 says that the end of a matter is better than its beginning. Now, I suppose that all depends on what the matter is.
[0:14] But surely, with regard to our salvation, it is true that the end is better than the beginning. For it is nothing less than our glorification, God glorifying us.
[0:31] Now, last week, as Brother Sam has just mentioned, we looked at two points about glorification. It's certainty for all who are in Christ.
[0:44] It's sure to happen, absolutely certain. Now, in some churches, just claiming to be absolutely sure that you are saved and will be saved in that day is to receive glances at you of how could you be so proud and presumptuous as to believe such.
[1:05] Who are you? In many Amish churches, it will get you excommunicated, kicked out of the church to just believe that your salvation is sure in Jesus Christ.
[1:19] And so what we see is how churches themselves are doing the devil's work of robbing the believer from their birthright, their assurance of salvation.
[1:32] The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, representing the heart of the Lord Jesus, wants all who are in Christ by faith to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing is more certain than your being glorified.
[1:47] And Romans chapter 8 is hammering this home. It begins, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. And it ends, there's no separation from Christ's love.
[1:58] And in between are arguments after arguments of why the believer in Jesus is absolutely certain to one day be glorified.
[2:11] Now, the thing that makes our glorification so certain is that all five of these links of salvation are acts of God.
[2:23] They're things that God does. Now, if there was any in that link that depended upon what we do, well, then uncertainty would surely be introduced.
[2:36] But it's because these are acts of God that we can be so certain that they will happen. Because God fulfills all His plans.
[2:46] Not one of His purposes shall fail. Having begun the good work of salvation in you, He will complete it. So that was the certainty. And then we came to the essence of it.
[2:58] What does it mean to be glorified? And indeed, in the broadest sense, it will take all of eternity to unpack that because it's all that awaits you on the other side.
[3:11] The new heavens, the new earth. I mean, that's... Paul speaks much of it in this very chapter, doesn't he? Of how the curse will be removed and redemption itself will share in the liberty of the children of God and the wonders that that provides.
[3:26] But we summarized the essence of what it means to be glorified as seeing and sharing the glory of Christ. It's something that God will do to us.
[3:42] It's a... He will glorify us. That's an action. And so it means knowing Christ with a face-to-face intimacy and familiarity, but also having God change us into His exact moral likeness, a sinless perfection.
[4:07] Our Lord is determined to bring back the glory that we lost by sin and to bring it back in fullness to where our holiness will match Jesus' holiness.
[4:22] Not just in our record in heaven, that's justification, but now in our actual heart and life. Totally... Sin must be totally eliminated as we're made into His perfect image.
[4:37] He's already begun the process in this life by the new birth. You've received a new heart in the calling of God and then in the progressive sanctification.
[4:50] As we with unveiled faces behold the glory of the Lord, and where do we behold that glory? In His Word, by faith. And as we behold His glory, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3.18 that we are being transformed into His likeness from one stage of glory to another.
[5:12] That's going on right now. That desire that God has planted in your heart to be like Jesus, to be perfect, that will one day be satisfied when we awake in His likeness.
[5:30] Psalm 17.15 Well, for most, this glorification comes in two stages. There's first stage one, at death, the death of the believer.
[5:44] The believer's body goes into the ground and awaits the final resurrection at Christ's return. Oh, but their spirit, at the moment of death, departs and goes to be with Christ, which is better by far.
[5:58] And it is immediately glorified and made like Christ's spirit. So that Hebrews 12.23 can say that right now in heaven, there are not only myriads of angels in joyful assembly, but there are also the spirits of just men made perfect.
[6:19] Their spirits have already been perfected. Their spirits are as perfect and as morally holy as Jesus right now.
[6:30] That's phase one. But they're not to remain disembodied spirits. God made us spirit body creatures. And He has a plan for our bodies to be glorified as well.
[6:42] And that's phase two. As I said, for most, the body must wait till the final resurrection when Christ returns. And then our bodies will be raised in perfection, reunited with our perfected spirit.
[6:58] And so in body and spirit, we will be perfected, glorified. These lowly bodies that went into the ground will come out like Christ's glorified body, Philippians 3.20 and 21 says.
[7:12] Our bodies were sown perishable. They will be raised imperishable. Incapable of death. They were sown in weakness. They'll be raised in power.
[7:24] They were sown in dishonor. They will be raised in glory. Glory, you see, is coming for our bodies as well as our spirits.
[7:36] And then it will be seen that Jesus Christ has lost none of those that the Father gave Him, but just as He has promised, has raised them up at the last day. But for believers who are alive at the return of Christ, it will not be two phases.
[7:54] It will all happen at once. As they see Christ returning and they will be caught up with the Lord in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, they will be changed, body and spirit, into the likeness of Christ.
[8:10] And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, Adam, so we shall bear the likeness of the man from heaven. Our glorified state, though, is even better than the original state of man.
[8:27] Adam and Eve, though created perfect, were yet capable of falling into sin. And fall they did. But not so the glorified.
[8:38] We will be like the Lord Jesus made in His image totally incapable of ever sinning. Well, that's glorification.
[8:49] Forever we will be with the Lord. And we will be very conscious as we meet Him face to face that there is not a spot or wrinkle or any blemish within me. But only the perfect beauty of holiness.
[9:04] And we will see that He is enjoying and delighting in us and in that image that we are His own handiwork, His own new creation.
[9:18] The hymn says, Eternal light, eternal light, how pure that soul must be when placed within thy searching sight. It shrinks not, but with calm delight can live and look on thee.
[9:36] That's what we're headed to. Not shrinking in His presence, but looking back into His eyes and living with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
[9:50] Well, that's what it means to be glorified. It's certainty. It's essence. Now for today, it's influence. It's influence. Though our glorification is future, it's to have a profound influence on our lives today.
[10:08] We were never meant to live as Christians without knowing the certainty of our future glory. And so something this great and glorious should stir you and affect you.
[10:24] I've got four ways that it should affect you this morning. The first, in the first place, it should move you to make your calling and election sure. Listen how Peter puts it in 2 Peter 1.10.
[10:37] Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. Is this seeing and sharing in Christ's glory forever and ever and a new heaven and new earth, is that a reality?
[10:52] Then make sure that you'll be there and share in it. That's the first application. Be sure that you're one of these that's going to be glorified.
[11:03] Make your calling and election sure. How do you do that? Well, as we said several weeks ago, you can't go back to look into the book of God in His eternal decree when He chose those that He would save and when He foreknew them and predestined them to be conformed to the image of Christ.
[11:27] We can't pry into that. Neither can we find ourselves directly in the future and somehow look into the future and see ourselves, oh yes, there I am in heaven.
[11:38] We're forbidden. That's the secret of God. But there is a way that we can make our calling and election sure and it's by our calling. We make our election sure by making our calling sure.
[11:53] Have you been effectually called to Jesus Christ? Not just invited as all are invited, but by a supernatural power of the Holy Spirit actually brought to Jesus Christ and faith in Him.
[12:12] Has the word of the gospel come to you with such power that you were drawn to Jesus Christ and to put all your hopes for salvation in Him.
[12:25] Paul told the Thessalonian believers that's how he knew that they were chosen. That's how he knew that they were the elect of God. 1 Thessalonians 1, 4, and 5.
[12:36] For we know, brothers, loved by God that He has chosen you before the creation of the world He chose you. Why? Because when our gospel came to you, it came not simply in word, but it came with power.
[12:51] It came with the Holy Spirit. It came with deep conviction. And it came with such power that you didn't just sit there and hear the invitation and say, not today.
[13:02] No, you came to Jesus Christ. You turned from your idolatry all the God substitutes and you trusted in Jesus Christ to save you.
[13:13] That's your effectual call. And because you have been called, Paul says, I know that you were one of the elect. You were one of the chosen because there's no break in that chain of salvation.
[13:27] If you've been called, you've been predestined. If you've been predestined, you've also been foreknown. Well, this is the way that you make your calling and election sure.
[13:40] that faith that you put into Christ also justified you. God declared you righteous.
[13:52] And those He justified, He also glorified. So that's how you can know that you're going to be there in that day. Make sure of it, Peter says, to the brothers.
[14:04] You who are brothers and sisters in Christ, don't be doubting this. Have you received the Word of God to assure you that this salvation is yours?
[14:14] That's why God has Romans 8 in our Bibles as well as many other passages. God wants you to be assured, child of God, of your glorification.
[14:28] And lost friend, this amazing salvation is being offered to you again this morning. The offer is free. It's sincere. If you will come to Christ, He will never reject you.
[14:40] But there is a question in the Bible. How will you escape if you neglect so great a salvation? Well, you simply won't escape. There is no other way. There is no other name.
[14:52] There is no other lamb that God has accepted on the altar of Calvary to wash away your crimson stains and sins. So neglect the call no longer.
[15:04] But right now where you're sitting, cast your soul on Jesus. Trust in Him for eternal life. And you will join these who are sure that one day we will be glorified.
[15:20] So that's the first influence. Is there such a thing as glorification? Then make your calling in election sure, brothers. Secondly, rejoice in hope.
[15:32] Of the glory of God. Now this is why we read Romans chapter 5. The future glory of living with Christ that will soon be yours, Christian, is to splash some of its joy back into this present life.
[15:50] And so Paul brought this matter up in Romans chapter 5. If you just turn over there, after laying out justification by faith in chapters 3 and 4, he comes to summarize some of the blessings then that are ours since we have been declared righteous by God.
[16:08] He says in chapter 5 in verse 1, therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God is no longer in opposition with me.
[16:22] we have peace. We've been reconciled. That's not all we have. We also have joy. And that's what he says later on in verse 2. Being justified, we have peace, but being justified, we also can rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
[16:44] Because all whom God justifies, He also glorifies. So the fruit of justification is not only peace with God, it's joy in God that I can be joyful because I know one day I will experience seeing and sharing in the glory of God.
[17:06] Rejoicing in the hope, the hope of the glory of God. Now we've heard of that great joy in Jude chapter 24 when Christ will present you before His glorious presence without sin and with great joy.
[17:24] It will be great joy. And some of that joy that we are to experience in the future is to be ours here and now. Enabling us to rejoice even in our suffering as he says here in verse 3.
[17:40] Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings. The glory is such that even in our sufferings, even in our trials and troubles here and now, we can rejoice.
[17:53] Think of the school boy and he's laboring away at his math test and it's the last week of school. Is there not some anticipation and joy for that boy in knowing that next week I'll be down fishing and I won't be sitting here in the class?
[18:10] Already, that which is coming joy has been brought into his present experience. That pregnant mother and it's hot July and she's a week overdue and that baby's still not here and all the troubles of that.
[18:30] Yet, it's the joy of thinking of that, holding that child and that joy can help her in her present struggle. Take the hardworking farmer.
[18:43] There he is out working all night long to get the seed in the ground or to get it cultivated before the rain and what keeps him going? There's something about the joy of the coming harvest that spills over into his earlier works.
[18:58] I have a friend who's going to retire shortly and his present job is full of stress and problems that wear him out and so he made a chain, a paper chain.
[19:11] Kids, you know what a paper chain is. And so every day left at work is one link. Every night he comes home and he tears off a link and he finds a certain joy in that because the chain's getting shorter and something of the joy of what's going to be when he tears that last link is now spilling over into his difficult life and helping him to endure another day.
[19:41] Well, that's it, you see. Child of God, the glory that is coming is so amazingly full of joy that however many days we have left, it won't be long and we'll be going home.
[19:58] Going home to see the Lord Jesus face to face and to be made like him as we just sang where there is no sorrow, no death, no parting, where there is perfect peace, perfect joy, perfect love in that forever.
[20:20] So let the joy of that day influence your present days, your warfare. Think of the soldier.
[20:30] there he is, sweat and blood and he's on the field of battle but he's looking forward to victory and going home to be with his wife and children.
[20:42] There's something of that that keeps him going. You're in a battle with sin and Satan and this world and the flesh and battle on and let something of the joy of coming victory and perfection keep you going.
[20:57] You're in the school of affliction. The lesson's long, the lesson's hard. Remember, heaven's around the bend.
[21:09] There's hills difficulty that you're climbing, doubting castles, giant despair, slough of despond, valleys of tears, disappointment, frustrations and losses but let it remind you it won't be long and all of that will be undone and undone forever.
[21:31] As we look at Romans 8, we've been here several months now, the whole context, it's becoming clear, the context is that of suffering.
[21:43] He picks up this theme in verse 17 and he'll carry it on to the end of the chapter. The whole last half of the chapter is about suffering. That's the backdrop of what he's telling us.
[21:57] But in chapter 8 and verse 17 and 18 that we will be co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
[22:11] And I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And so he unpacks more and more of this suffering, the groaning that we are going through and the waiting.
[22:32] And the principle is this, that the more suffering and groaning that you are facing now, the more you need to focus on the coming glory.
[22:43] That's what Paul's doing for us here. That's the principle. You've got it hard now. Rest is coming. You're struggling with sin now, sinlessness is coming.
[22:57] You're struggling with the sins of others splashing upon you. There's coming a day where the new heavens and the new earth will be the home of righteousness and nothing unclean will enter in. There will be no injustice, no mistreatment, no temptations, no threats.
[23:17] You see, we can't even think correctly about our present sufferings without the perspective of future glory. We see our present sufferings altogether wrong.
[23:29] They're too big. We've got to see the backdrop of glory or our sufferings will crush us. Oh, but when we see our sufferings in comparison to the backdrop of what's coming, well, they become light and momentary troubles that are achieving for us a far weightier, far greater weight of glory, an eternal weight of glory.
[23:59] And then our sufferings are put in perspective and what is, yes, hard to go through and painful and excruciating, it's ameliorated by the joy of what's coming.
[24:16] It's total absence in your eternal future. But that doesn't happen automatically. It doesn't happen without you thinking about glory.
[24:28] So I have to ask you, are you thinking about the coming glory? How much do you think about it? Are you visiting the coming glory often to keep your trials and troubles in perspective?
[24:42] If not, then I don't expect to find you rejoicing in your sufferings. I rather expect to find you crushed and complaining and discontented in your sufferings.
[24:54] Oh, but if you are looking to the coming glory, I expect to find you rejoicing even in your sufferings and even through your tears, though sorrowful, yet rejoicing.
[25:09] And that's the wonder of the Christian life that we can be weeping our eyes out and yet have a deeper joy and peace in our hearts because of what's coming.
[25:22] This God does not disappoint us. And this is so critical then if we'd not lose heart in our trials. And that's why Paul spends so much ink here reminding us of future glory.
[25:35] And it's not just Romans 8. It's throughout all of his letters. Remember what's coming, brethren. And it's one of Satan's chief strategies to get you to forget what's coming because of the difficulty of the present.
[25:51] Earth has no sorrows that heaven will not heal. And there will come a time in heaven when you will see that the things that caused you the greatest sorrow here were actually working for your greater glory there.
[26:06] believe it. Believe it. 2 Corinthians 4, 17 and 18. So we fix our eyes then. What does it mean fix your eyes? It means that that we set our mind not on what is seen for what is seen is temporary but on what is unseen because that's the eternal glory that's coming.
[26:27] And you see this is why we can be sure why we can start Romans 8, 28 with those first three words and we know how can we know that God is working all things together for good?
[26:46] We know it because we know the good that's coming and it cannot fail. So rejoice in the hope of the glory of God remembering that the joy of the Lord is no small thing.
[27:00] It's not an accessory to the Christian life. The joy of the Lord is your strength. It's the power. It's that which will energize you in the Christian life.
[27:14] The joy of the Lord is your strength to endure suffering. The joy of the Lord is your strength to endure persecution. and trial to wait patiently for your best things to persevere to the end with no good in sight to keep doing the hard right though there are no present rewards to labor on to suffer on.
[27:36] You know it was that forward look at the coming glory that got poor Asaph out of his troubles in Psalm 73 as he looked around him and all he had was trouble every morning he woke up to it every day there it was staring him in the face and he looked over at the wicked and he saw them without troubles and he started to envy them and his feet started to slip which is to say he was ready to chuck it all and to join the wicked in this present search for peace and joy.
[28:12] what got him out of that? He went in the sanctuary and there he saw the end of the wicked and he saw his end and oh that that fixed it all for poor Asaph and he says those who are far from you will perish will destroy all who are unfaithful to you but as for me it's good to be near God to have him as my portion forever you guide me with your counsel and afterward you will receive me into glory.
[28:45] You see what helped him out of that mess he was in? You're guiding me and leading me and holding me and taking me through this life with your counsel but there's an afterward for the believer afterward you'll receive me into glory and he was jerked out of his funk and his slippery feet and counted God as his great delight.
[29:11] It was the same calming assurance for David when he's living in the midst of enemies that were stronger than him. And he says right here and right now you will surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
[29:28] Oh but then there's something after that and afterward I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever there to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and their security and peace and joy and that was your Savior on the cross as well who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross scorning its shame until he could sit down with the job complete.
[29:55] What was that joy set before? The joy of bringing many sons to glory. the joy of bringing you brothers and sisters to heaven. That joy kept him going even in the suffering of the Father's wrath on your behalf.
[30:12] Well the joy of glory is to give you endurance to the end even as it did for Jesus but you must think about it to know its influence.
[30:27] Secondly, not only make your calling election sure I should say thirdly but also rejoicing in the hope of the glory that's coming but thirdly purify yourself even as he is pure.
[30:46] Again, I'm just lifting this right out of scripture we saw the first that this last application out of Romans 5 2 this comes to us from 1st John 3 2 and 3 and you're familiar with the passage.
[30:59] Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known but we know that when he appears we shall be like him we know that much for we will see him as he is.
[31:13] and we often period there and don't go on but it doesn't stop there. It goes on to say we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.
[31:30] Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure. Isn't that interesting? Everyone who has this confident expectation of seeing Jesus and being made like him every one of them are purifying themselves.
[31:54] Present tense, right now even as Jesus is pure. How do you know if you're going to be one of those who are to be glorified? Who is it that when they see Christ will be made like him?
[32:07] John says it's obvious. It's everyone who's purifying themselves. That's what the hope does. That's what the confident assurance that glory is coming does for the person.
[32:18] It makes him pursue holiness, purity of life. Now consider the thinking of many professing Christians as they look at this whole matter of glorification.
[32:30] It goes like this. Well if when Christ appears I'm going to be changed immediately into his present into his perfection his likeness in a perfect way then there's no use for me here and now trying to perfect myself and trying to purify myself.
[32:50] I'll just wait and let him do the whole thing at the end. Right? That's logical isn't it? But it's the devil's logic. Because everyone without exception who has this hope of one day being glorified is showing that by right now purifying himself even as he is pure.
[33:14] So in other words the hope again the sure certainty of glory that's coming is an animating energizing hope. It doesn't make you sit back passive and say well I'm sure glad he's going to do the whole deal when I see him face to face.
[33:31] No, no. No inactivity here it rather spurs you on right now to be pursuing that goal of purity of sinlessness.
[33:42] John says it in 1 John chapter 2 1 John 2 I write these things to you that you sin not. That's the goal of my writing to you. Not that you sin a little but that you sin not.
[33:53] That's what we're pursuing. But if any man does sin well then then we have an advocate with the Father but the goal is to purify ourselves. And this glorious hope spurs us on to right now aim at purity of life moral transformation into the likeness of Christ.
[34:21] Hebrews 12 14 says make every effort to be holy. That doesn't sound like wait till wait till heaven and he'll do it all then. No, right now make every effort to be holy.
[34:34] Without holiness no one will see the Lord. So we're to pursue this Christ-like purity of heart and life right now. It's the sure sign of all who have been effectually called and justified and will one day be glorified.
[34:50] They're busy about purifying themselves. They want to be like Jesus. Remember, that's what's implanted in the new nature desire to be like Christ and that desire will not be denied them.
[35:03] Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, a people who are preparing themselves for heaven by purifying themselves. He is holy.
[35:14] I'm going to see the holy one. I want to be like him. I want to be more like him. And I'm pressing in even now after holiness.
[35:26] Purity. Well, how do you purify yourself then? And again, let me just remind you, that's the Holy Spirit's language. It's not my sermon notes.
[35:38] It's 1 John 3, 3. That they purify themselves. I know that sounds a bit odd to our ears, but hear me out.
[35:49] How do you purify yourself? Well, let me say it right up front. It's not something done apart from God. That's impossible. Job asked, who can bring what is pure out of the impure?
[36:05] Answer, no one. So, it's not talking about the non-Christian here. He's talking about those who when they see Christ, they will be like him.
[36:16] These are the children of God. He's writing to the children of God in 1 John 3. They've been born again. They've been justified by faith. The Holy Spirit dwells in them and is working, but they're not yet perfect, so they still have sins to be purified.
[36:34] Daily sins. And Philippians 2, 12, and 13, Paul commands believers, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who is at work within you, giving you both the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
[36:50] It's not something that you just sit back and God does without your effort. No, we must be working out our salvation. We must be purifying ourselves and know that any purifying that we do, it is God working in us, giving us both the desire, the will, and the power to do.
[37:09] So how do you purify yourself, Christian, of your daily dirt of sin? Well, you do it by coming daily to Christ, the fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness.
[37:23] And there you wash your crimson stains and they become whiter than snow because the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses from every sin, 1 John 1, 7, and two verses later, if we confess our sins.
[37:38] Right now as Christians, if we confess and we say, God, what I did was wrong, what I thought was evil, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.
[37:56] How do you purify yourself? You confess your sins and you receive purification as well as forgiveness so we purify ourselves as we cry with David in Psalm 51, cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow, create in me a pure heart.
[38:17] There it is, a pure heart. How do you purify yourself? You go to God and ask Him to purify your heart and we receive from Christ the free gift of forgiveness and purification from sin.
[38:32] How do we purify ourselves? Well, with the cleansing agent of God's holy word. John 15, 3, Jesus says to His disciples, you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
[38:43] John 17, 17, He's praying to His Father, sanctify them, make them holy. How? Through your word. Through your word. 1 Thessalonians 2, 13, the word of God which is at work in those who believe.
[38:58] It's at work, it's active, there's an active ingredient, doing something. The word of God. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word.
[39:12] Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. That's how a young man keeps his way pure. That's how an old man keeps his way pure.
[39:24] It is through the word of God, the cleansing agent. What place does the Bible have in your daily life then I must ask? Because it's in the Bible that we see the glory of our Lord and as we see Him we are being changed from one stage of glory to another being purified you see into His likeness.
[39:49] That's how we purify ourselves through the word, through prayer, through confession of sin and then through worship. worship. In worship we focus upon the glory of God and it's as we see His glory that we are being changed.
[40:05] Worship is a transformational activity. How many times have you come in discouraged and weighed down and you've gone home with some spring in your step?
[40:17] Something happened. You met God here. He did something to you. Yes, and that's true in the area of purity too. There is something about meeting with the thrice holy God that makes us want to be like Him.
[40:34] And so we are purifying ourselves. Meetings with Him that purify us. Fellowship with the saints. That's how we purify ourselves.
[40:45] Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2.22 flee the evil desires of youth, run from them, and instead pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.
[40:58] Not a period yet. Along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Isn't that interesting? Timothy, how are you to purify yourself?
[41:08] Well, you're to run like crazy from all sin. Treat it like the plague. And instead pursue righteousness. Pursue that which is right in God's eye.
[41:19] And don't do it alone, but do it together. He says, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. This purifying yourself is to be done with others who are purifying themselves.
[41:34] And so just as bad company corrupts good character, a good company can lift up, lift you up to greater purity and likeness to Christ and encourage you in purifying yourself.
[41:47] And lastly, by mortification of sin. It's verse 13 of chapter 8. That if by the Spirit we put to death the misdeeds of the body, we shall live. And so you are to be putting to death, killing these temptations and sins in your life.
[42:09] Starving the flesh. Cutting off opportunities. And as you do this, eternal glory is shouting down encouragement to you.
[42:22] You're not fighting a losing battle. One day, all sin will be gone. So fight on.
[42:33] This isn't an exercise in futility, though some days it feels like it. How do I get rid of my skin? This indwelling sin, it's part of me.
[42:44] Fight on. One day it will be no more. And so we're encouraged, we're energized that the war will one day be gone.
[42:57] And so we're strengthened to fight on with our eye on the joy of that day. So, how should this idea and reality of glory influence me?
[43:08] Well, I should make sure I'm going to be there. Secondly, I should rejoice now in hope of what's coming. And thirdly, I should be purifying myself. And lastly, I should be seeking the glory that is coming from the only God.
[43:27] Seeking the glory. You know, it's interesting that the last phase of our salvation is called us being glorified. Does that not shock some of you when we've learned that our whole purpose in life and chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever?
[43:48] That when we are looking at this panorama of salvation, we see that the last link is God glorifying us. Well, let me walk you through that to hopefully put it in context.
[44:04] All men are glory seekers. But there's two different kinds. And that makes all the difference in the world. There are those who seek glory from men.
[44:16] And there are those who seek glory from God. And Jesus says this in John 5, 41, to the Jewish leaders of this day, I do not accept praise from men.
[44:28] Now, the word there for praise is doxa. It means glory, honor, praise. Take your pick. Jesus saying, I do not receive glory, honor, praise from men.
[44:40] No, I'm seeking. I'm living before an audience of one. I'm looking for His approval, His praise, His glory, His honor. And He says, you refuse to come to me to have life.
[44:53] And how can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? How can you ever come to me in saving faith when your concern is to receive glory from others, from man?
[45:10] Jesus points them out, doesn't He, in the Sermon on the Mount, chapter 6, the reason you do all your works of righteousness is that you might be seen by men. And you do not seek the glory that comes from the only God.
[45:24] Jesus later in chapter 12 of John talks about many even among, or John talks about many even among the leaders believed in Him.
[45:35] But because of the Pharisees, they would not confess their faith for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praises of men more than the praises from God.
[45:46] They loved the glory that men gave them rather than the glory that God gives them. But you see, according to Jesus, it is a virtue to love and seek the glory that comes from the only God.
[46:00] To live not for men's praises, but to live to hear the Lord's praise of well done, good and faithful servant. That's a virtue.
[46:12] And so this is our last application is glory, glory coming. Then seek that glory from the only God. What will the praises of men be in that last day when you stand before God?
[46:27] They won't mean anything. What will the glory and honor and praise of God mean in that day and for all eternity? Oh, it will mean glory for us.
[46:39] He will glorify us. He's not going to have people seeking His glory to be confounded and disappointed. No, He will glorify those who have sought the glory that comes from the only God.
[46:56] Paul speaks of the same thing in Romans chapter 2, the day of God's righteous judgment. God will give to each person according to what He's done to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality.
[47:11] They're seeking glory, honor and immortality. He will give eternal life. It's right to seek glory. It is right to seek honor.
[47:22] It is right to seek immortality if it's from God. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
[47:33] Romans 2, 6, 8. Peter says the same thing in chapter 1. That these trials have come to call your faith into exercise so that it might prove genuine in the end and result in praise, honor and glory when Jesus Christ is revealed.
[47:53] That that praise, honor and glory might be yours that you've been seeking all your life even through the hardest trials that you've faced. So we're all glory seekers. But what kind of glory are you seeking?
[48:05] The glory that comes from man or the glory that comes from the only God? The glory of man is so fickle. And will one day mean nothing.
[48:17] The glory that comes from the everlasting God will never fade away. Are you longing and seeking and looking for the day when Jesus and you will lock eyes face to face?
[48:34] And do you want to receive his well done? Then right now, seek it. Love it. Pursue it.
[48:45] Go for it. You will not be disappointed. Oh, but someone says, Pastor John, won't that make us proud if God's going to glorify us?
[48:59] Well, remember, we're sinless. There is no pride left. And we will know in that day, like we have never known in these days, that if there's any likeness of Jesus in us whatsoever, it's all due to God.
[49:16] It's his work in us, strengthening us to pursue purity, likeness to Jesus. For from him, from him, through him, and to him are all things.
[49:33] To him be the glory forever and ever. And when you are glorified, oh, how God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be glorified. You in heaven?
[49:45] You sinless? How did that happen? And we'll cast our crowns at his feet. And we'll give him all the praise, honor, and glory.
[49:57] Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. May he cause you to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[50:09] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[50:32] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.