Glorification 120624

Romans 8:18-23, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

As we go through Romans we need to look back and remind ourselves of the truths we have seen so far. Paul has introduced the theme of salvation and the importance of the gospel at the very beginning. Then he introduced the theme of certainty and assurance. In fact, beginning with the fifth chapter the theme of glorification comes in. The ultimate object of salvation is our glorification. Everything that happens to a Christian is "in Christ", and because we are united to the Lord Jesus Christ. Glorification is the ultimate goal of salvation; and we must never stop short of it. We were not saved in order to be observers in heaven.

Instead, we are to be glorified. Glorification is the final step in our redemption and it will not happen until our spirit and soul is reunited with our resurrection body. Our text for today talks about this process and the glory that is to be revealed in us. This is a glory beyond our imagination and is usually not included in Christian teaching, or thinking. John tells us that when Jesus appears we will be like him! We have some examples in the Bible of what it means to be "like him". On the Mount of Transfiguration the three apostles saw Jesus in his glory along with Moses and Elijah. When this happened Jesus glowed whiter than anything they had ever seen. They were so awestruck that they wanted to set up three Tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah! The disciples saw him several times after his resurrection. He seemed to be much the same person except for his scars.

Later on, Stephen saw the risen Jesus standing at the right hand of the glory of God. Then, of course, Paul had his vision of the risen Lord. He was on the road to Damascus to arrest and kill Christians when Jesus appeared to him. The story is found in Acts chapter 9. As they were proceeding on their way a bright light suddenly surrounded them and they heard a voice speaking to Saul of Tarsus. The voice said, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?" Saul, later to be called Paul, answered the voice, "Who are you Lord?". Then he heard, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…". Then Saul found that, having looked at the glorified Jesus, he could no longer see! The glory of the Lord was so great that it blinded him. In Revelation chapter 5 we see one example of the glorified Jesus, “I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." And then in chapter 19, we see another example of the glorified Jesus. Let me read it for you, "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." Of these examples we see something that to me is amazing. The risen Lord Jesus appears in many different shapes and forms all of which are awestriking. And we shall be like him!

So, for us, what does suffering have to do with it?

Suffering and future glory. Our text tells us that our present sufferings is not worthy of the glory that is to be revealed in us. Some modern translations, including the ESV, translates the end of verse eighteen, "revealed to us." I believe this is an incorrect translation. Instead it should be, "revealed in us". If we are to be like him then we are not just to observe the glory, we are to experience the glory.

But again, what does suffering have to do with it?

Jesus said we would endure persecution. Let's read, John 15:18-21, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."

Paul had counted everything worthless that he may come to know Jesus Christ. He gave up privilege and position. He knew that his righteousness was worthless and only the righteousness of Christ could count for him. He knew this would cause suffering and it certainly did! But he was perfectly willing to do anything to be like Jesus even if it meant sharing in his sufferings and becoming like him in his death.

Every generation of believers have suffered. Beginning with Stephen, and the other disciples in Jerusalem, persecution followed the Christian faith wherever it went. Paul describes his life this way, turn with me to, 2 Corinthians 11:23b-28 "… far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches."

Throughout history, Christians have been persecuted for no other reason than the fact of their faith. And it continues today. I could read you story, after story, of those who've given their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel. Today there are many countries where the only kind of worship is in secret. Sometimes I wonder why there is so little suffering for the gospel in the United States. Is it because we have "freedom of religion"? Or is it simply because we have been brought into the culture and are not distinctly separate from society? We think we are being persecuted when the code enforcement officers won't let us break the rules. Well, in most of the rest of the world persecution is very real. Churches are burned, pastors are killed, people are forced out of their jobs, families shun Christian believers and so on and so forth. But, it's really worth it. We should do everything possible to help those who suffer and be prepared for a time when it may come here.

Glory will be revealed in us — it's worth it! Let's read, 1 Peter 1:3-9, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." Peter describes the suffering of the church as being like a refiners furnace. Going through the fire tests the genuineness of the faith of the church and its individual members. But it's worth it because we have stored up for us in heaven an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. We are to rejoice in this. It serves the purpose of God. In Romans 5, Paul says much the same thing, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Suffering produces endurance, which gives us character, which gives us hope. As a result we are not put to shame. Paul was ready to lay down his life for his Lord. And he did not expect that he would fail when it came time to face his death in Rome. He had certainly suffered enough to have plenty of endurance; plenty of character; and plenty of Christian hope.

But what does our suffering and his glory revealed in us have to do with the creation?

The creation and Christians.

The sin of man put the creation in bondage. Read with me, Genesis 3:17-19, "And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” As Paul said to the Romans, "the creation was subjected to futility". "Futility" is not used very often today. But we might say, "It would be futile to try that." "Vanity" is very much the same. It might be that being subject to futility could be translated as "brought to hopelessness". The whole creation lost its sense of hope when Adam subjected it. You see, it was the sin of Adam, that brought the hopelessness into the world.

We don't know what that world of Adam looked like exactly but it was very likely much more magical place than it is now.

The creation waits for our glorification. See what Isaiah had to say in, Isaiah 55:12-13, For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

I have a vivid imagination and every time I read this passage I begin to visualize the thorns going away and the briars disappearing and beautiful trees and flowers replacing them. I begin to imagine the creation that has been groaning, and travailing, waiting for the appearing of the sons of God, suddenly breaking out in singing and applause. Because finally the creation will be set free!

It will be set free. Look with me at two passages, Revelation 21:1 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." and, 2 Peter 3:11-13, Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Both John and Peter describe a new heaven and new earth. You see we will have bodies! Our resurrected body will not be a "ghost" or a disembodied spirit. It will be real, and glorified, in order to live in a real glorified world.

In order to overcome suffering and to be "more than conquerors", we need to be certain about the glory which is coming to us. We need to always, as the writer of Hebrews says, "…run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus, the founder perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set for him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand the throne of God." Jesus could endure the pain and suffering because he knew without a doubt what the result would be. If we're going to follow Jesus, we too will suffer. We can endure it because we see the glory that will be revealed in us. We walk by faith not by sight. We will look at more of this next week.

All Scripture quotes are from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001, Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.