Hello Folks,
This will be a new 10 part series on glory and what God has to say about it and what it "does". Many people want to be like Christ, but what they don't know, is that the bible says that it is his glory that changes us into Christ. Really? Yep.. It takes Christ and His essence to turn us into Christ. From that perspective what this series has to say will make a lot of sense. Christ himself changing us into Christ-likeness by his own glory. He does it by his glorious presence! Now, if you have "worm" theology, then you will most likely have problems with all the scripture and discussions that will be part of this. What is "worm" theology? After receiving Christ, you still believe that you are a dirty sinner. Are you a sinner that has been saved by grace, or a child of the King? Big difference and big understanding difference. When you receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit, you become a child of God. Child of God identity versus sinner but still saved by grace. Is He your Father? Have you become one with Jesus and the Father through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Does He see any spot or wrinkle through the blood of Jesus? Are you forgiven and justified, or still working on it by your own merit of continually saying sorry? The answer is we do both. We are forgiven and justified and the following action is sanctification, the continual process of working out the flesh out of minds so that we may have the Mind of Christ. But first lets start with one thought
Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
It seems that the bible is saying we should know something about it! To have the amount of knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea is a lot of knowledge! We would know it inside and out and it would permeate us to the fullest degree. It would cover every depth and crevice of our being, fully understood inside and out. Many people think about glory as worship, as in I give you glory, etc. Or glorifying the Father as Jesus said many times in the New Testament. This is the sticking point, looking at it from that angle only leaves room for God to receive glory, which you may be thinking is the only option. Thankfully glory is much more than our praises otherwise it would sound like we wanted God's glory (read worship) for ourselves. However, the texts use glory in many more ways than our praise and honor to the Father. That is one way glory is manifested. However, if Jesus says in John 17:5, 20-23 that He gave US the glory He had before the beginning of the world, that would expound upon what glory is.
Verse 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Next week, I will expound upon this notion that God wants us to be like him by his glory, so that we may be one and with complete unity, just like Jesus said above.
Take care and God bless,
Jared Walther
Apostle
Ascend Church & Apostolic Center
