Raised in Splendor: The Hope of Gloryნიმუში

Glorification - What Is It?

I like to read the writings of old dead guys.

This quote is one of my favorites: “Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . through His transcendent love, [became] what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.” —Irenaeus of Lyons

It’s from Irenaeus, and it is said that he was a student of Polycarp who was a student of the apostle John. My fascination with Irenaeus is his proximity to John who walked with Jesus in His earthly ministry, and, therefore, through Irenaeus’s writings, we get close to the theology of the early church outside of the Scriptures. His way of writing is not as familiar to those of us who live 2,000 years removed from him, but nonetheless, there is great benefit in reading what he has written, especially in light of Scripture.

Considering Irenaeus’s quote above as we think about the scriptural and theological idea of glorification, we get a glimpse of the early church’s view of the doctrine. Let me expand on this quote a bit. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, put on humanity, lived a perfect life, died in place of sinners, and rose again so we can be reconciled to a holy and triune God. This was so He could bring us into that eternal resurrection life just as He has resurrection life.

John Gill, a great post-Reformation pastor and theologian, helps our understanding of glorification when he speaks of this conforming of the believer into the image of Christ not as conformed to His image as the eternal Son of God, but rather:

"conformity to Christ in his human nature, both here and hereafter: here in holiness; the image of God was in man, in his first creation, this is defaced by sin; and in regeneration, the image of Christ is instamped, his grace is wrought in them, his spirit is put into them, to enable them to walk in him, and after him: this will be complete hereafter, and will consist in perfect holiness, being freed from the very being, as well as the power and guilt of sin; in perfect knowledge of everything that will tend to their happiness; and in glory like to Christ, both in soul and body."

Here’s a definition of glorification, then: Glorification is the final stage of the triune God’s overarching work of salvation in believers in which He fully conforms them to the image of the glorified human nature of the Son and by which they will be totally free from sin and its effects.

Explore with me this rich doctrine in this devotional reading plan during the next four days and find hope for now and for the future.