The third of the outcomes of our standing in grace is what I have called “purpose”.
“…through whom (Jesus) we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:2 NIV
What does “we boast in the hope of the glory of God” mean? It seems that Paul is pointing to something that lies in the future for us. It’s a hope, certain, but not yet…something we anticipate with confidence.
What are we anticipating which confidence? The glory of God! This could be a nice idea but completely vague unless we get a picture of this “glory” from the Bible itself.
“The primary Hebrew word for “glory” is כָּבוֹד (pronounced kavod or kabod).
At its root, kavod literally means weight, heaviness, or substance. In ancient Hebrew culture, a person’s “weight” represented their wealth, influence, and honor. When applied to God, kavod describes the awe-inspiring, tangible presence and majesty of the divine.”
“Here are the key dimensions of kavod:
- Substance & Presence: Unlike a fleeting shadow or a beam of light, God’s glory in the Bible refers to a heavy, undeniable, and physical-like presence that fills space.
- Honor & Esteem: It conveys the respect, honor, and reverence that is due to a person or, most importantly, to God.
- Radiance: While the root is “weight,” it is often associated with brilliant light, splendor, and dazzling magnificence.
(Source: Google AI)
God’s glory…His full weight…has as its outcome, the worship He deserves for who He is.
Now, in Paul’s writings, there are two dimensions to God’s glory…the weight of who He is, and the weight of who or what His creation is destined to be because of who He is.
First, despite the results of the Fall, creation will be restored to its original purpose when Jesus returns.
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
Romans 8:19-21 NIV
In tandem with the restoration of God’s children to their original purpose, creation will be restored and perfected as it was in the beginning.
Second, in a surprising way, God is restoring His distorted image in His children. His purpose is to have a family of sons and daughters who are the exact replicas of Jesus.
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Romans 8:29 NIV
God’s way of restoring the image of Jesus in His sons and daughters is unexpected and painful, but effective.
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:3-5 NIV
Suffering! The very thing that causes unbelievers to doubt God’s love and even question His existence, is the way He trains His people for holiness.
“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.””
Hebrews 12:4-6 NIV
First, then, hardship and suffering are for sons. It depends on the way we view our suffering. We can resent and resist or submit and learn.
“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”
Hebrews 5:8 NIV
Second, suffering has a divine purpose…
“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:9-11 NIV
How does this happen?
“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”
I Peter 4:1-2 NKJV
Again, I have purposely chosen the NKJV because it accurately translates the word “sarx” meaning “flesh”. In Scripture, flesh mostly refers to our fallen human nature. As we have already discovered, Jesus suffered “in the flesh” because He was tempted to retaliate to injustice out of His human nature which, in His case, was not sinful but could have been sinful had He not trusted the Father for vindication.
Suffering, then, can either make us bitter or better. God uses suffering to train us to submit to and to trust Him rather than to act or react out of our sinful nature because He wants us to be like Jesus. Holiness is His goal for us…situation from sin to be set apart for Him.
The three outcomes we have examined…peace, privilege, and purpose…summarise the nature of our standing in grace with God. God’s grace, revealed in what Jesus has done for us by dying for sin in our place, releases all the benefits of salvation which we enjoy now in part…called “eternal life”…and will be fully experienced in the life to come.
To be continued