A Glorious Life
Today’s Verse:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:38-39
Romans 8 is one of the most powerful and favored chapters of the Bible. It is a chapter of Scripture we should read over and over again. It is a chapter that gives us encouragement and hope when we face insurmountable challenges and setbacks. Romans 8 powerfully describes for us the doctrine of glorification. Glorification is simply the fact that we are free from the presence of sin. It is the ultimate and permanent state of the believer in eternity. It is what we have to look forward to. Romans 8 describes for us “a glorious life”. Let us be encouraged this morning about this matter of the glorious life.
We see the STATUS of the glorious life.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, vs. 1. The acceptance by faith of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior makes every believer free from the penalty of sin. From the moment of faith acceptance and onward, there is therefore NOW no condemnation in Christ Jesus! We are adopted into God’s family as sons of God. We can cry out, “Abba, Father,” as His sons. We have received complete forgiveness of our sins. We are justified in his presence. Once you are saved, you are always saved!
We see the STATION of a glorious life.
Glorification is when we have left this life and have entered into the presence of God. We are absent from the body and present with the Lord. We have put off this earthly tabernacle and a building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. What is the status of a glorious life? There is no more suffering, pain, heartache, sorrow, temptation, sin, decline or death! We have attained Christlikeness. We are made perfect. There is no death, cessation, or stoppage. We have what Paul describes as “gain”. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified,” Rom. 8:29-30.
We see the STEPS in a glorious life.
We do not work for glorification. This is the gift of God for having accepted Christ as our Savior. However, the prospect and hope of glorification has a spiritual path for us to follow in this life. That path is a life controlled and walking in the Spirit. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” Rom. 8:12-14. The only means by which we can have a victorious life in Christ is by walking in the Spirit. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to have control in every aspect of our lives and producing powerful spiritual results.
We see the STEADFASTNESS for a glorious life.
As we remain here in this body, there is hardship, suffering and tribulation. Suffering will discourage us. Discouraged people are tempted to murmur, become bitter, and quit. We must remember God is for us and not against us, Rom. 8:31-34. Jesus is praying for us. Instead of being dominated by our pain and suffering, we need to bask in the glorious fact, that we are more than conquerors through God’s love for us. If we are going through an extreme season of suffering, now is the time for us to be encouraged that nothing shall separate us from the love of God for us. We can be steadfast in our path to a glorious life because God’s love is the glue that keeps us from falling apart.
A glorious life is the life God has prepared for us. Just as God gave His Son freely for our sins, “how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Let God do His perfecting work in you. A perfecting work is for a glorious life!
Have a glorious God Morning!