… to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Summary: Understanding the word “glory” is important if we are to understand the Scriptures. Paul gives us a clue to what the Lord’s church looks like in this passage about glory.
When Paul writes, “to him be glory,” who is he talking about? We have to look back at verse fourteen for the answer. The last eight verses are a prayer that Paul is describing. He kneels before the Father to pray for believers to be strengthened with the power of God’s Spirit. He asks that Christ will live in our hearts through faith. He wants us to be able to comprehend the magnitude of Christ’s love for us.
As he closes his prayer, he gives a benediction. To God our Father be glory. Specifically, glory in the church. He also declares that Christ Jesus should be glorified and then adds, “throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”
Glory is one of those things that is hard to describe. It is like light reflected off a diamond. Without light, the diamond is just a hard stone. In the light, the diamond reveals its beauty. The glory of the diamond is in the way it reflects light. When it comes to seeing God’s glory, physical light is not enough. Instead, we need the spiritual equivalent of light.
Has the glory in the church remained consistent throughout all generations?
If we look at the outward physical appearance of the church, it is easy to be unimpressed. There are splits and schisms interspersed with arguments and disagreements. But is this really the church? Is this what Paul was thinking of that reflected glory on the Father?
When Jesus prayed the night he was arrested, he prayed for his disciples and “for those who will believe in me.” (John 17:20) We are those people. If you believe in Jesus and follow him, Paul was talking about you.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”(John 10:14) He also said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)
Jesus knew it would not be easy for his people to exist in this broken world. The “ferocious wolves” he warned about would appear to be sheep on the outside, but inside, they would plot to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).
So how do we know what his true legacy is? It is our Lord’s desire that his followers live in “complete unity” (John 17: 23). Why? His answer is telling. “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (Ibid)
The church that brings glory to Jesus Christ through all generations is not the fractured in-fighting you see on the surface. There is only one Jesus Christ, one Lord, and one body. The church Paul is thinking of brings glory to the Lord.
Application: Don’t be distracted by the devil’s lies. Stay focused on God’s Word.
Food for Thought: How do we know that the church is glorifying our Lord Jesus?
How do we know that the church is glorifying our Lord Jesus?
Luke 6:43 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
I have more recently been praying about the divisions in the body. I want to understand it, find peace about it. I like the analogy of the Church being the body of Christ, and Christ being the head. It puts everything into perspective for me. To me, I understand the doctorial divisions in the Church. Each plays a part in understanding the Spirit. There are hands, and there are feet (many more, but the list is too large). As long as Christ is the head. The hands and feet cannot be above the head. We debate theological truths that speak specifically to our own hearts as if all our relationships with Christ are a “one size fits all.” Mankind is not “one size fits all.” Hands cannot run, and feet cannot hold. The Word tells me “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) As long as Christ is the head. As long as Christ is the cornerstone of your faith. Anything that diminishes the sacrifice of the resurrected Christ becomes a thorn in the body. It diminishes the body’s effectiveness.
I have attended churches that were more like “church theater.” A body full of thorns; Christ was not the cornerstone. I have attended church’s that were a beautiful dynamic of feet that carried the hands to unending “outward reaching”; led by the Spirit. Christ was the cornerstone.
To understand if a church is glorifying our Lord Jesus is not necessarily looking at what is going on inside the church but what is happening around it. The fruit. Is a mighty river flowing from within, or is it a spigot that needs to be pumped in order to trickle a few drops?
Chris,
I appreciate the reminder that the body of Christ includes both hands and feet. Also, I am intrigued by your observation that we need to look at what is happening around a church in order to understand what is going on inside. Good comments. Thank you!
Thanks for the devotion brother. I am interested in how others respond to this more than how I respond. I appreciate CH’s response above.
A good start would include accurately communicating Jesus to the world; being obedient to Him – especially on the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (Loving God and others as ourselves and making disciples of Christ); demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit; and practicing all the “one another’s in Scripture.
Brother Rich,
Your summary dovetails nicely with Chris’s comment. What kind of fruit do we look for? One is whether or not there are Bibles in the pews. Another has to do with how we live out our faith. The “one another’s” that you refer to are all really about how we love each other.
06-09-2023, How do we know that the church is glorifying our Lord Jesus?
People are being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ, living and teaching life in obedience to God and pursuing a life of fellowship with God through prayer and sharing the love of Christ with all those around us.
There is no salvation apart from faith, and there is no believing without hearing the message. Spiritual darkness and blindness are exposed and overcome by the light of the truth. As Jesus, the Living Truth said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Acts 4:12, Romans 3:21, 10:13-17
We are redeemed by Christ, our sins are forgiven and we enjoy God’s eternal blessings, we are to be transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus, as He reveals the image of God’s will for all mankind in our lives.
Colossians 1:15, Romans 8:29
We are created to obey God over all other rival gods, including life itself, and we glorify Him with our obedience as we show what God is worth in our hearts. It is not enough that we hear the Word only, but that we do it as well.
James 1:22
We need God, and He desires to have fellowship with us. If we want to see His kingdom come in our own lives, in our communities, and throughout this world, we must pray – and pray with persistence and perseverance.
James 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18
We must glorify God as Christ did. We must allow Him to genuinely love and value all people as precious in the sight of God. We must be mindful to see the various needs of others in our spheres of influence and act with kindness to serve and bless them, even when it costs us something. We should never consider anyone beyond the reach of God’s redemptive love.
James 2:14-16
Ron,
I like your opening statement, that believers are “being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ.” If we are on the path of becoming more like Christ, we will not go far wrong.
Thank you Ron. I need to remember that “We should never consider anyone beyond the reach of God’s redemptive love.”
Amen!
Great point Mr. T, We need to always remember, ,
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23.
The thief on the cross tells all we need to know about our Lord and His forgiveness of sinners.
I’m going to start with a side thought….. what goes into a prayer?
Paul has just prayed for God to receive glory through us and through Christ.
‘Through us’, yes we need God’s help with that. 0 % accomplished without Him.
My curiosity is stuck by the ‘through Christ’ part. Hadn’t that already happened? Christ already gave God the glory in his life, in his death and resurrection. Are we supposed to pray for what has already happened?
How do we know that the church is glorifying our Lord Jesus?
I think of the passage “one cannot serve two masters, you will inevitably love one and hate the other” (paraphrase) although about the love of money, it certainly holds true in many other scenarios as well.
So the simple answer would then be: when you stop glorifying anything other than Jesus, then you have a good chance of glorifying Him as He deserves.
Beautifully said, Angela!
Thank you! 🙂