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God Glorifies Thus Is Glorified

“Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you." (John 17:1)

Jesus is praying this to the Father but is it not the same for us? Did not Jesus as the Son of Man show us how the Father is glorified? God is glorified through us when we are glorified in him. Or said another way, God glorifies us, then through us, he is glorified. This is the principle of light shining through us and that of bearing the fruit of good works. When we are glorified in him, it is the same as growing up in mature adulthood, into the measure of the stature of the image of Jesus. It is why God chose us and why he eternally purposed in Christ our adoption and redemption, so that according to that he purposed in Christ he is working out all for our good so that we are being glorified or being conformed to the image of Christ. "For it was appropriate that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the champion of their salvation perfect through suffering" (Hebrews 2:10). God glorifies thus is glorified.

The Son is the radiance of glory and the character of his nature, and bringing all of the word of his power, making purification of sin, sitting down at the right hand of the majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3)

If the radiance of God's glory shines in the face of Christ, and we have awoken from our sleep and the light has shone in our hearts, the light of the glorious knowledge of God through the face of Christ, then we have beheld his glory. And we are being transformed from glory to glory, "now we all, with unveiled face, [God enlightened us,  unveiled our face] beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV). Transformed, conformed into the image of Christ, into the glory of God, this is glorification, thus when we become like Jesus, walk like Jesus, walk like children of the light, enlightened in a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, not just children in which the Spirit testifies we are, but sons who are led by the Spirit, the radiance of the glory of God shines through us. We are no longer children under a tutor but sons having grown into mature adulthood, to lay hold of our inheritance, the hope of our calling, and walking accordingly, through the power available to us. When the radiance of the glory of God shines through us, an outcome of glorification, God is glorified through us. Our glorification gives glory to God. 

"If the one God is glorified in him, God also glorifies him in himself also glorifying him" (John 13:32-32)

It is the same for us. If Christ, the son of man, is the radiance of the glory of God and we are being conformed to his image then the radiance of the glory of God shines through us by God's glorification of us. This is how we are glorified and God is glorified through us. Jesus said “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (John 12:23). He said this when some Greeks had come to see him. "When he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and the one God is glorified in him" (John 13:31). Jesus said this when Judas had gone out to betray him. Jesus would be glorified and would glorify God, through that which had eternally been purposed in Christ, and through the blood of the eternal covenant, God would be glorified through the Son of Man. The Son of Man who was born as a man, in man's fallen state, in sinful nature and as sin, would live an indestructible life, without sin, thus a spotless lamb, a sacrifice acceptable to God. And becoming like his brethren but without sin would be a kinsman who could redeem his brethren. Jesus glorified God on earth and would be gloried with greater glory and he prayed that we would be with him to see his glory. Three types of glory we see in this. The Son of Man was glorified and God was glorified through the Son. Through his life and death, he would glorify God, and more.

... glorify your son so that your son glorifies you, just as giving him authority over all flesh so that giving eternal life to all those you give him. And this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent (John 17:1-3)

The Son glorified the Father by giving us eternal life, glorifying God on earth accomplishing the tasks that were given to him. Then Jesus says "glorify me at your side with the glory which I had before the world began" (John 17:5). The suggestion in this statement is a very amazing and interesting discussion perhaps for another time. Jesus glorified the Father by making God known to men, and "this is eternal life that they know you." And how did he make God known to man? through his word (John 17: 6-8). It is why John writes Jesus is the word of God who became flesh, who is the word of life, whose words exist eternal life. (John 1:1-3, 14; 1 John 1:1-4). It is why Peter confesses the same, the words of Jesus exist eternal life and he is the holy one coming down from the Father (John 6:68-69). And how was Jesus glorified? As the Son of Man? He was God but he was man, what purpose could have been served if he were not a man? If he were only God and lived and died as God? So he had to live like a man, like men in sinful nature, not as a God which would be impossible for us to do who live in a body that is not glorified. How did Jesus accomplish such a task to live as a man in sinful nature but without sin? 

because the words which you gave me I give them and they have received and know the truth... (John 17:8)

The ones the Father had given him had received the words given to Jesus by the Father, "they are yours and that mine exists yours and that yours exists mine and I am glorified in them" (John 17:10). Jesus glorified the Father, and the Father was glorified through the Son, and men were glorified in them. Jesus is saying these things to them so that joy may be complete and the way our joy is made complete is through our glorification (John 17:13; 1 John 1:1-5). How? Jesus is the word of life, "I have given them your word..." (John 17:14). Though they do not belong to the world and are hated by the world their joy would be fulfilled through the word of life. And Jesus did not ask God to take them out of this world which hated them. Nor out of this body and suffering and its dying. What is the purpose to leave us in this body? so that we glorify God in the body. God redeemed us in Christ but leaves us in a body that is not redeemed, so that He glorifies us and thus receives glory because we overcome sin, the very sinful nature that we are born into and that Jesus lived in without sin. How do we overcome? the same way Jesus did. 

"as you sent me into the world, I sent them into the world and for their sake, I consecrated myself so that they also exist consecrated in truth" (John 17:18-19)

Jesus prayed that God would leave them in the world but protect them from the evil one and to "consecrate them in truth, your words are truth" (John 17:15-17). This is how freedom is achieved, we abide in his words, know the truth, and are set free, thus as we grow from child to young person, we grow strong, his words abide in us and we overcome the evil one (John 8:31-32; 1 John 2:14). This is how we grow strong and our joy is made complete through consecration in truth. The same way Jesus lived as the Son of Man, an indestructible life, he provides for us. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, the law of liberty, the way to being consecrated unto holiness, the way to put to death the deeds of the flesh, the way to present the body a living sacrifice unto holiness. 

so that consecrating them, cleansing, the washing of water in the word, (Ephesians 5:26)

When Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and Peter did not want him to, Jesus said if he did not wash them they had no share with him. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you" (John 15:). But their feet needed to be washed (John 13:6-11). Their feet soiled by the world. He doesn't take us out of the world, the church, but leaves us in a body that is not glorified, in which no good thing dwells and is weak through the sinful nature to evil desires. A body in which we await salvation and redemption, one in which is inhabited by the Holy Spirit who moans for our glorious freedom as children of God. It is God who glorifies his children. This is where most of Israel failed, though they claimed to know God and were performing many religious activities it did not glorify God. They were not glorified by God thus did not glorify God. “If I glorify myself, my glory amounts to nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God'" (John 8:54). In the new covenant, God puts his Spirit within us and leaves us in this body, why? Glorify God in your body! (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God is glorified in this body.

because who he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now, who he predestined, these he also called; and who he called, these he also justified; and who he justifies, these he also glorifies (Romans 8:29-30)

God glorifies so that he is glorified. There is no other way to glorify God, than for God to glorify us. Because only then can we glorify Him. When God gives life to this mortal body, he is glorified. When we grow up from children to sons, led by the Spirit, to put to death the deeds of the body, then God is glorified. If we are children of the light then to glorify God is to walk in the light as he is in the light, only then will His light shine to the world through us. "Your light shines in this way before men, in order that you are of good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). There is a difference between doing good works and being of good works. The difference is glorification. There is one act of worship that glorifies God, and it is not determined by how much money we give nor by how many good works we do, but as Paul writes it is our reasonable or logical service or worship, the sacrifice acceptable to God, unto holiness, that will transform us by the renewing our minds so that we have a spiritual mind that can discern and accept and please God (Romans 12:1-2). Only then is God glorified through us, through our glorification; to be transformed into His image. 

When God glorifies us, God is glorified because we reflect the image of his son who is the radiance of his glory. So we pray, Father, glorify your children, that your sons may glorify you.



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