Sunday School Lesson Notes for 7/25/04

Glorification
Relationship Builders Sunday School
Sunday, July 25, 2004

 
I) Introduction
     a)      The end result of Redemption is glorification (WSC Q/A 1)
     b)      Glorification has three objects
          i)        God is glorified in redemption
          ii)       God’s people are glorified in redemption
          iii)     God’s creation is glorified in redemption

II) God’s glorification in redemption
     a)      Ultimately, God has in His sights his own glory in all that he does
          i)        Would seem selfish/haughty if it were a man doing so
          ii)       However, would we want God to seek anything else? (He would not be God!)
     b)      Several aspects of redemption bring glory to God
          i)        God is glorified in the pervasiveness of redemption
               (1)   “all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” (Num 14:21)
               (2)   see also Isa 11:9, Jer 31:33-34 
               (3)   Entire nations are called upon to give the Lord their glory (Ps 29, 96:7-10), and God is glorified by “increasing the nation” (Isa 26:15)
          ii)       God is glorified in the means of redemption (or, how He does it)
               (1)   Salvation itself is said to glorify the name of God (Ps 79:9, 1 Pet 5:10-11)
               (2)   Salvation and delivery of “thy beloved” causes God to be glorified “above all the    earth” (Ps 108:5-6)
               (3)   God is glorified in the suffering, death, and victory of Jesus (Jn 12:28)
               (4)   Passing over transgressions glorifies the Lord (Pr 19:11, Isa 44:21-23)
          iii)     God is glorified in the effects of redemption, for example:
               (1)   God is glorified in supplying our needs (Phil 4:19-20)
               (2)   God is glorified in setting worship right (Lev 10:1-3)

III) His People’s glorification in redemption
     a)      Individual glorification has its basis in union with Christ
          i)        Jesus will come in his own glory—Titus 2:13
          ii)       Glorified together with Christ—Rom 8:17, Eph 2:5-6
          iii)     the church as a glorified bride—Eph 5:27
     b)      Our glorification is bound up and associated with the coming of Christ in glory
          i)        Glorification is glorification with Christ; that is, there is no glorification outside union with Christ
               (1)   Heresies that argue against this
               (2)   “unknown Christian”
          ii)       we will rejoice when Christ’s glory is revealed—I Pet 4:13
     c)      Other texts
          i)        The wise—those that fear God—shall inherit glory (Prov 3:35)
           ii)       God’s glory is our hope—Rom 5:2
          iii)     God’s glory shall be revealed in us—Rom 8:18, 1 Pet 5:1
          iv)     Glorification is the end of justification—Rom 8:30
          v)      Our being received into union with Christ glorifies us and God—Rom 15:7

IV) Creation’s glorification in redemption 
     a)      The creation eagerly awaits its redemption/glorification—Rom 8:20-23
     b)      Creation will be made new—2 Pet 3:12-13, Rev 21:5
     c)      Reversal of the curse—Rev 22:3,4
          i)        Redemption leads to renewal of “all things”, from renewed men to a new heavens and a new earth
          ii)       The “old order” is not merely destroyed—it is renewed/resurrected (remember, God always works via death and resurrection—this is his pattern for redemption)