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Glory Is the Goal

A devotional by John Piper for reading on December 28th

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ( Romans 5:2 2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. )

Seeing the glory of God is our ultimate hope. “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God” ( Romans 5:2 2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ). God will “present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24).

He will “make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory” ( Romans 9:23 23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory, ). He “calls you into his own kingdom and glory” ( 1 Thessalonians 2:12 12 to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. ). “Our blessed hope [is] the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” ( Titus 2:13 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ).

Jesus, in all his person and work, is the incarnation and ultimate revelation of the glory of God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” ( Hebrews 1:3 3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ). “Father, I desire that they . . . may be with me where I am, to see my glory” ( John 17:24 24 Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. ).

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” ( 1 Peter 5:1 Chapter 5 1 The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ). “The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” ( Romans 8:21 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. ).

“We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory” ( 1 Corinthians 2:7 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, `even' the `wisdom' that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: ).“This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” ( 2 Corinthians 4:17 17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; ). “Those whom he justified he also glorified” ( Romans 8:30 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. ).

Seeing and sharing in God’s glory is our ultimate hope through the gospel of Christ.

Hope that is really known and treasured has a huge and decisive effect on our present values and choices and actions.

Get to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God, the glory of Christ, the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ.

Treasure the glory of God above all things.

Study your soul. Know the glory you are seduced by, and know why you treasure glories that are not God’s glory.

Study your own soul to know how to make the glories of the world collapse like Dagon ( 1 Samuel 5:4 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands `lay' cut off upon the threshold; only `the stump of' Dagon was left to him. ) in the pitiful pieces on the floor of the world’s temples.



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