Glorification

Sanctification & Spiritual Disciplines

Session 10: Glorification: The Completion of Sanctification

ANNOUNCE:

NEW STUDY COMING in SUMMER—STAY TUNED...

ANY THOUGHTS on CHANGES to FORMAT???

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I. Introduction: Sanctification a Journey to Be Completed

Glorification is the completion of sanctification.

Millard Erickson writes, “Glorification is the point at which the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of the last things overlap, for it looks beyond this life to the world to come.”[1]

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TURN & READ: Phil. 1:6 ESV “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

· Illustration: Unfinished projects around the house??

OUR COFFEE BAR

PAUL POINTS OUT:

GOD = the ONE WHO BEGAN the WORK

WE DIDN’T START OUR OWN WORK!!

GOD = the ONE WHO WILL FINISH IT...

HE’S STILL WORKING on ME…BUT ONE DAY HE WILL FINISH!

Reference: Phil. 2:13

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(T) WE AWAIT the COMING DAY of GLORIFICATION...

TURN & READ: Romans 8:18-30 ESV “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

NOTE the SENSE of ANTICIPATION:

(V19) CREATION AWAITS W/ EAGER LONGING...

(V23) WE WAIT EAGERLY

The CREATION = SUBJECTED to FUTILITY/EMPTINESS @ FALL...

REMEMBER: COSMIC CONSEQUENCES to the FALL! NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL...

BOTH WE & CREATION ITSELF AWAIT the DAY of OUR GLORIFICATION....

AWAITING W/ GROANING: “SIGHING”

CREATION = SIGHING,, READY FOR THAT DAY!!

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READ: 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD

PURPOSE: CONFORMING us TO IMAGE of HIS SON...

THOSE WHOM GOD KNEW, HE PREDESTINED,

HE CALLED,

HE JUSTIFIED,,

AND JUST as SURELY…HE GLORIFIED! (AORIST TENSE! EVEN THOUGH THIS AWAITS the FUTURE!)

Millard Erickson again writes, “The doctrine of perseverance guarantees that the salvation they possess will never be lost. And the doctrine of glorification promises that something better lies ahead.”[2]

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II. Our Future Hope: A Resurrection Body & Dwelling with God.

The Intermediate State Prior to Resurrection

TURN & READ: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

PAUL’S FOLLOW UP to HIS TRIALS as an APOSTLE...

IN LIGHT of THESE TRIALS…HE LOOKS FORWARD!

READ: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11 ESV “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

THIS TENT (BODY) WILL BE DESTROYED—BUT WE AWAIT a FUTURE GLORIOUS BODY,, A BUILDING FROM GOD...

(V2) IN THIS TENT (BODY) WE GROAN “SIGH!”

BDAG: “to express oneself involuntarily in the face of an undesirable circumstance.”[3]

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(V4) IN THIS TENT—WE’RE BURDENED

REMEMBER: PAUL WAS ACQUAINTED W/ SUFFERING...

MORTAL BODIES AREN’T the END GOAL...

WHEN PAUL SPEAKS of “SIGHING” in LIGHT of MORTAL EXISTENCE,,

CAN ANYONE SAY AMEN??

PHYSICAL PAIN & LIMITATIONS = COMMONPLACE...

RUN— IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

THEN KNEES HURT!

ALL of US CAN ACKNOWLEDGE a “SIGHING” W/ PRESENT BODIES...

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(V5) THIS CAUSES US to ANTICIPATE BEING “FURTHER CLOTHED!” W/ GLORIFIED BODY...

MORTAL SWALLOWED UP BY LIFE!

HOLY SPIRIT = DOWN-PAYMENT,, GUARANTEE… GOD’S PROMISE THAT MORE is TO COME!

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READ: 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

GOOD COURAGE! REALLY????

PAUL’S SUFFERING = VASTLY OUTWEIGHS OURS!

READ LIST in 2 COR. 11....

WHIPPED

STONED

SHIPWRECKED

ADRIFT @ SEA

PERSECUTED

HUNGRY & THIRSTY

IN COLD & EXPOSURE…

DESPITE SUFFERING: HE CAN FIND HOPE in FUTURE...

(V7) WALKING BY FAITH & NOT SIGHT!!

SIGHT = DEPRESSING!!

FAITH = ENCOURAGING!!

IN BODY = AWAY FROM the LORD

ABSENT FROM BODY = WITH the LORD (INTERMEDIATE STATE)

FOR ME to LIVE is CHRIST…TO DIE is GAIN!!

(V8) I’D RATHER BE AWAY FROM the BODY & WITH JESUS!!

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(V9) IN MEANTIME— AIMING to PLEASE GOD!

THIS = LIFE’S GOAL

(V10) ONE DAY WE’LL HAVE to GIVE AN ACCOUNT!

KEEPING OUR EYES on ETERNITY SHOULD PROVOKE US to WALK in a WAY PLEASING to GOD

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THIS ABSENT-BODIED EXISTENCE ISN’T the END of the STORY THOUGH!!

The Timing of the Resurrection: WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN

TURN & READ:· 1 Thess. 4:13-18 ESV “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

·WHEN CHRIST COMES & TRUMPET SOUNDS:

DEAD in CHRIST WILL RISE

THOSE WHO REMAIN WILL BE CHANGED

(V18) ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS!!

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The Nature of the Resurrection Body

TURN & READ:Phil. 3:18-21 ESV “18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

(V20) AGAIN NOTE the EAGER AWAITING! ((SAME VB. USED 3X in ROMANS 8!))

CITIZENSHIP in HEAVEN— IT’S OUR HOME!

WE AWAIT the SAVIOR,, WHO WILL BRING TRANSFORMATION!

OUR LOWLY BODY WILL BE LIKE HIS!!

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TURN & READ:1 Corinthians 15:35-49 ESV

The Resurrection Body

TURN & READ: 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT RESURRECTION BODY:

There WILL BE CONTINUITY W/ FORMER BODY

THERE WILL ALSO BE DISCONTINUITY W/ FORMER BODY!

FIRST BODY = FOLLOWING in ADAM—MAN MADE of DUST...

RESURRECTION BODY FOLLOWS 2ND ADAM,, CHRIST—WHO CAME FROM HEAVEN.

(V42-44) DIFFERENT QUALITIES:

§ One is perishable—the following is imperishable.

§ One is sown in dishonor—it’s raised in glory.

§ Sown in weakness—raised in power.

§ Sown natural—raised spiritual

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EARLIER (V20) PAUL CLAIMS CHRIST = FIRSTFRUITS...

TO SOME EXTENT WE’LL FOLLOW in NATURE W/ CHRIST’S RESURRECTION BODY....

TO WHAT DEGREE? HARD to SAY

SCHOLAR Robert Letham: “Since our resurrection shares the characteristics of Christ’s, there will be dimensions of human activity that transcend our present experience (1 Cor. 2:7–10). Furthermore, we will be like Christ in glory, transformed, partakers of the divine nature. What this will be we do not know now (1 John 3:2), but “we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”[4]

(V54-57) THERE is A FINALITY to CHRIST’S VICTORY!

BOTH SIN & DEATH WILL BE CONQUERED!!

Ciampa and Rosner write, “So in a very basic sense sin is the result of death just as death is (originally and ultimately) the result of sin.”[5]

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III. TAKEAWAYS/Implications of this Hope:

HE’S STILL WORKING on ME = ENCOURAGING,, BECAUSE ONE DAY HE’LL FINISH the WORK!

HE BEGAN IT,, NOT US,,, SO HE’LL FINISH IT!!

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ABSENT FROM BODY = PRESENT W/ LORD...

REGARDLESS of TIMING of RESURRECTION… WE’LL BE WITH HIM! —INTERMEDIATE STATE!

&& THIS IS BETTER THAN LIFE!!!

CAN TAKE COURAGE,, DESPITE the FAILINGS of OUR PRESENT “TENT”

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THE FINALITY of CHRIST’S RESURRECTION SECURES the FUTURE VICTORY OVER DEATH FOR ALL BELIEVERS!

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1 COR. 15:58--LABOR in LORD ISN’T in VAIN,, THERE’S ETERNITY to FOLLOW!

OUR AIM in LIFE = GOD-PLEASING...

KNOWING WE’LL HAVE to APPEAR B4 JUDGMENT SEAT of CHRIST....

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ESCHATOLOGY = SOURCE of JOY & HOPE....

1 THESS. 4:18— “ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!!”

IF WE’RE SCANNING the DOLLAR BILL & NEWS for ANTICHRIST WE’VE MISSED IT!!!!

CLOSING:

THERE’S a LOT WE DON’T KNOW… WE DON’T HAVE ALL the ANSWERS…

BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH to KNOW IT’S a REASON for HOPE!

REV. 21— ALL TEARS WIPED AWAY

2 PETER 3:13—NEW CREATION = PROMISE FROM GOD & RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS THERE...

GOD WILL FINISH the WORK…

HE’LL BRING US THROUGH…

AND THAT DAY WILL BE TRULY AMAZING....

Close in Prayer

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[1]Erickson, M. J. (2013). Christian Theology(3rd ed., p. 924). Baker Academic. [2]Erickson, M. J. (2013). Christian Theology(3rd ed., p. 928). Baker Academic. [3]Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). In A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 942). University of Chicago Press. [4]Letham, R. (2019). Systematic Theology (p. 904). Crossway. [5]Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S. (2010). The First Letter to the Corinthians (p. 835). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. [6]Erickson, M. J. (2013). Christian Theology(3rd ed., p. 926). Baker Academic. [7]Strong, A. H. (1907). Systematic theology (p. 1020). American Baptist Publication Society.