Moments of Eternal Glory: Sanctification and Glory

Each and every moment, the transcendent Father, Son, and Spirit sustain the stars and direct the universe; yet they are intimately involved in our lives, investing each moment with an eternal weight of glory to shape us into the image of Christ. Think of it! The Creator is concerned about my daily moments—each moment is for him or against him. There is no neutral ground. Every act—for God’s glory or for the world, me, or Satan.

Yet—do we quiver in light of failure? Do we bow under the pressure? No. His glory is certain! There is a real struggle, yet the biblical authors place an overwhelming emphasis on the potential for victory.  Gordon Fee memorably writes, “Paul simply knows nothing about an internal struggle within the human breast, in which the flesh continually proves to be the greater power” (1).  The fight is real, but it is not a power struggle. If God is for us, who can stand against us? Even our flesh. It is a theme that runs throughout the prophets, Isaiah and Ezekiel especially. He will be the one who strengthens and gives a new heart, who empowers the holy living. He receives the glory for his name’s sake.

God is for us, even in our sins and slips. He provides the resources, all we need. God is sufficient and provides a way out in temptation in accordance with believers’ own will and character, and ultimate victory is assured despite momentary slips.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).

Perhaps we feel there is no escape. Perhaps we feel there is no way out. Perhaps we feel the flesh is more powerful. Above all, it is his very own presence that provides that way out, a hunger for him. Again and again in the Old Testament it was his presence that was his greatest gift to his people. Mike Wilkerson writes, “His presence, finally, was my rescue. Not because he finally came to rescue me—he had always been there—but because I finally believed that enjoying him is better than anything else. I believed it all the way into those decisive moments…By the Spirit, I declared war on my sin and came out of hiding because I could no longer stand the self-inflicted pain of forsaking the joy of God’s presence” (2). Again, our Triune God is most glorified when we find him more enjoyable, more treasured, more valued, more important than a moment of fleshly indulgence—whether that be pride, self-pity, self-protecting lies, caving into an addiction, a sweet revenge. His presence is more valuable.

In those moments of temptation, we are not alone. The very Triune God is intimately involved in our sanctification. He is for us. All three of himself. He is for us; not watching out for when we stumble to rebuke us, but to lift us up into his presence and grace, to declare he is sufficient for us—in each and every moment. They are lined with grace and glory.

NOTES
(1) Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 435, 818.

(2) Mike Wilkerson, Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols and Wounds We Carry, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2011), 169-170.