Glorification

Intro:

It wasn’t always like this...

George Orwell’s 1984

dystopian novel (dystopia-society that is undesirable or frightening, etymological roots to some Greek words that could be translated “not-good place, dystpoia is an antonym for utopia, which would be a societal blueprint)

depicts a world in with the ministries of Love=ministry of war, Plenty=rations food and goods, Truth=Propaganda, Love=secret police

the main character, Winston, vaguely knows that this miserable existence is wrong, but can’t remember…only knows “it wasn’t always like this”

in the beginning “it was good” in fact it was “very good”

it wasn’t always like this, but something has changed, something has gone “wrong”

this causes angst for many of us

“dear God I can't believe in

I don't believe in I won't believe in heaven and hell No saints no sinners no devil as well No pearly gate no thorny crown

You're always letting us humans down The wars you bring The babes you drown Those lost at sea and never found

And it's all the same the whole world round The hurt I see helps to compound That Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Is just somebody's unholy hoax

And if you're up there you'd perceive That my heart's here upon my sleeve If there's one thing I don't believe in... It's you, dear God.”

-The effects of sin in the world.

Here is the promise of God, and our hope: It wasn’t always like this…and it won’t always be like this. Glorification

1. This world is cursed, and so are we.

We are physically cursed

According to the American Cancer Society, 1/3 people will get cancer, 1/5 will die from it.

1/5 have a physical or mental disability and 1/10 have a disability that would be considered severe (United States Census Bureau)

Note the language in our “tent” “destroyed” “mortality” “groan earnestly” and “groan, being burdened”

It is language imbued with the effects of the curse of sin!

Romans 8:18–25 NKJV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Romans 8:18-

important words

-glory (what we are talking about, glorification), glorious liberty, hope, adoption, redemption, saved, perseverance

-revealing (yet to come)

-subjection, bondage, corruption, groans, labors, birth pangs, groan(this time human)

->-eagerly waiting (2x), earnest expectation -glory (what we are talking about, glorification), glorious liberty, hope, adoption, redemption, saved, perseverance

-eagerly waiting (2x), earnest expectation -glory (what we are talking about, glorification), glorious liberty, hope, adoption, redemption, saved, perseverance

-glory (what we are talking about, glorification), glorious liberty, hope, adoption, redemption, saved, perseverance

2. We are spiritually cursed

Even when saved we have a sin nature to deal with (to battle with)

Consider the tension Paul articulates in

we recognize this agonizing reality in our own lives

we are set apart (sanctified) for God’s glory and delight, and yet we wrestle mightily with indwelling sin

it is a constant war of holy and unholy affections

2. The hope of glory—body and soul

Body

Christianity does not share a platonic outlook on the world

Platonic philosophy (simplistically): natural/material world = bad, spiritual world (of the forms) = good.

It is why the gospel was foolishness to the Greeks

If the material world is evil, then the thought of the incarnation, God in the flesh, seems an absurdity

DANGERS of this platonic thinking:

compartmentalize sin: (sin in the body doesn’t affect state of the soul)

self loathing (much of the inclusivity movement present today is a reaction against some platonic worldviews and the damage caused to human lives)

lack of participation in kingdom work (we love not only people souls, but we are concerned about their physical plight)

3. Living in light of the end