Many have imagined that by turning to the Law of God they might somehow affect acceptance through an adherence to it. But to the credit of God’s glory we read further and discover,
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
As far as I can tell here we are not going to get connected to His glory through the means of the Law. What we will come to see is just how sinful we are. We become knowledgeable of our own sin through the Law.
But remember the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
So if the Law cannot help us realize the glory of God that righteousness is applied to what shall we do?
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This is where the whole expression of God’s glory in the face of Christ is revealed! It is revealed through Jesus perfect obedience being imputed through faith as He perfects those who through faith come to Him. Jesus reveals the glory of God to us by enabling us to become the very righteousness of God through faith in Him.
2Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
That is a perfect example of the glory of God being revealed in the face of Jesus Christ! But for us to see it we must come to grips with the working of His grace in us.
The Scripture describes this work of glory further,
Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
It is to God’s glory when it is all of Him and not of us. It is to His glory when we realize we brought nothing to the table!
When we get all worked up about miracles it is because something had become impossible humanly speaking and God did something supernatural to remedy the situation. We have no problem giving praise to God for such acts on His part on our behalf. In fact we love to have as many miracle stories as we can. But the greatest glory is realized in the work of salvation when it is understood that it is purely the work of God and not our work.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
God declared to Moses, I will be good, gracious and merciful to whom I wish. This means we are His because of His desire for us and His calling us to Himself.
It is to His great glory that He determines these things in His Sovereignty and makes this possible through Jesus Christ.
In the face of Christ we see His Glory!
So how do we apply this?
Tim Atchley
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
