And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. 2 Co 3:18 ESV
I have been repeatedly drawn to verses this week speaking of the believer's glory in Christ and in the future. This has been a little uncomfortable in that my life is so flawed that I can hardly imagine being glorious in any way particularly in some relation to God who is unimaginable in his infinite glory. The verses in question are here:
Romans 2:7
We are to seek glory.
Romans 8:18
Glory will be revealed in us in the future.
Romans 8:29-30
Believers are glorified by God.
1 Cor 2:7
God desteind for our glory in through the gospel before time began.
1 Cor 15:40
Created things have variable kinds of glory.
2 Cor 3:18
Beholding the Lord's glory transforms us from one degree of glory to another.
2 Cor 4:17-18
Our suffering achieves for us an eternal glory.
2 Thes 2:14
We are called to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In prayer and in driving to work today it occurred to me that the creator receives glory from that which he has created. So, an artist paints a beautiful painting, and those who look upon it honor the artist for his creation. The more beautiful the painting, the more honor and glory given to the artist. In the same way, the Grand Canyon and the stars in the sky glorify God their creator (Ps 19:1, 1 Cor 15:40). So, to one degree or another, God is glorified by all of creation. The more glorious the creation, the more glory to God. Sin, however, detracts from the glory God receives for his creation. It is not that God is less glorious. It is that creation is subject to futility, and we are influenced by our sin nature and thus do not maintain the "beauty" in which we were originally intended. Sin causes the fading of the beauty of God's creation and thus detracts from the creations' effectiveness in glorifying the Almighty. God hates sin because he is Holy, but also because, I believe, it detracts from his justifiable glorification. Therefore, the more Christlike a believer is the more he becomes as God intended him to be. And the more one becomes as God intended him to be, the more God is glorified. We as we become like Christ receive glory because of Him in that our beauty, bestowed by God, is seen. We reflect the glory of God as we display his image in the transformation that he causes (2 Cro 3:18). We receive glory from God in his love for us, in our belonging to him and obeying him and in manifesting his original creative plan. Any glory we receive now or in the future is from God, by God and to God. It is not based on ourselves or what we do but what God does in and for us. God is glorified by us being glorified by God. It is incomprehensible to consider. Lord, what is man that you are mindful of him? Why do you love us so?
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