What is Glorification?

Toye Akinoso

04/09/2020

In Romans 8:29-30 we read of the unfolding of God’s purpose, or intention, for every one of His children in the words “foreknew”, “predestined”, “called”, “justified” and “glorified“. In the purpose of God (2 Timothy 1:9), all the redeemed are already foreknown, predestinated, called, justified and glorified. Here is the guarantee of our eternal security – of the fact that if we are now truly the Lord’s then our certain and ultimate experience will be one of glorification. The following references also bear directly upon the biblical doctrine of glorification – Psalms 73:24; 84:11; 1 Corinthians 15:43; Colossians 3:4; Hebrews 2:10 and 1 Peter 5:10. What is meant by all these references to our glorification? Of what does the future glory and blessings of the saved consist?

The Glory and Blessings of Being Forever with the Lord.

The chief attraction of future glory will be that we shall be with Him, our beloved Lord and Saviour – look up John 14:3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Now the Lord is with us (Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 23:4; Hebrews 13:5-6), but then we shall be with Him! The unbeliever cannot enter into this at all, and only those who want Him with them now will desire to be with Him in His glory.

We shall not only be with Him, but we shall be like Him – look up 1 John 3:2. God’s programme for every believer is ultimate conformity to the image of His Son – Romans 8:29; thus the psalmist says – Psalm 17:15. Every believer will have a body like His body – 1 Corinthians 15:20 and 43 – also look up Philippians 3:21, and compare Ephesians 5:27. We shall not be angels or disembodied spirits, but we shall live in new, glorified bodies, and we shall be like Him!

Our first parents lived in a perfect environment in the Garden of Eden, but through the “first man”, Adam, sin entered (Romans 5:12), and thus also the curse, and Paradise was lost. Then, in the fulness of time (Galatians 4:4), “a second Adam to the fight and to the rescue came”, and through His work upon the cross, and by virtue of all that He is in His glorious Person, Paradise has been regained and will be the eternal dwelling place of all believers. Glory for the believer will mean living in a world of perfect order and complete harmony – Matthew 6:10 – and read Revelation chapters 21 and 22 for a prophetic preview of the glories of the Heaven.

While we are in the body we groan to be freed from it and to enjoy the blessings of the “unlimited expanses of eternity”. Down here sin limits us; we are freed from its guilt and penalty, but we possess a fallen nature and we live in a fallen body which is subject to sin’s power and Satan’s attacks. Down here our bodies give us a great deal of trouble, and we experience weakness, sickness, pain and the infirmities of age, and ultimately death itself – Romans 8:23 tells us this. Meditate upon the things which will be missing in Heaven, such as tears, death, sorrow, crying, pain, etc.! (Revelation 21 and 22).

The Short Answer

The short answer is that “glorification” is God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints (i.e., everyone who is saved) in the eternal state (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17). At Christ’s coming, the glory of God (Romans 5:2)—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; instead of being mortals burdened with sin nature, we will be changed into holy immortals with direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity. In considering glorification, we should focus on Christ, for He is every Christian’s “blessed hope”; also, we may consider final glorification as the culmination of sanctification.

Final glorification must await the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:14). Until He returns, we are burdened with sin, and our spiritual vision is distorted because of the curse. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Every day, we should be diligent by the Spirit to put to death what is “fleshly” (sinful) in us (Romans 8:13).

Must-read articles

What is Glorification? https://www.gotquestions.org/glorification.html

Glory through Glorification – https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/glory-through-glorification/

Must-watch videos

Conclusion

Glorification is the final link in the golden chain of redemption. The glorification of a Christian occurs when are in our resurrected bodies in the new heavens and new heart where we shall share in God’s glory. It describes God’s final removal of the presence of sin from the life of the believer. Just like justification and santification, our glorification is not a result of man’s work or cooperating but rather the grace of God. The glory we share in eternity is a ‘reflected’ glory. All the glory comes from Him and goes to Him.