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The Glories of Christ

James Martin

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity." - 2 Peter 3:18

Introduction
  • What is glory?
    • Beauty - 2 Chr 3:6; Isa 62:3; Ezk 16:12
    • Honour, Exaltation - Neh 9:5; Ps 96:3,7-8
    • Splendour, Majesty - Est 1:4; Isa 35:2
    • Light, Brightness - Ex 24:17; Ezk 1:28, 10:4
  • Why consider the glories of Christ?
    • The glory of God is the purpose of God's workings.
      • Creation - Ps 8:5, 19:1; Isa 43:7
      • Sinai and the Law - Ex 24:16
      • The Tabernacle - Ex 40:34f
      • The Temple - 1 Ki 8:11
      • Salvation - Rom 3:23; Heb 2:10; 1 Pe 5:10; 2 Peter 1:2
      • The Church - Eph 3:21
      • The future - Isa 24:23, 66:18
      • Judgment for those who do not give God the glory - Ac 12:23
      • God's stated purpose - Num 14:21
    • Prepares us for service - Ex 33:18; Isa 6:3 & Ezk 1; Jn 12:41; 2 Peter 1:17; Rev 1
    • Conforms us to Christ's image - 2 Cor 3:18
    • Provokes our minds and hearts to worship
    • Keeps us - Ex 24:10ff & 32:1ff - Israel lost sight of their "man in the glory"
    • It's a taste of eternity - Rev 4-5
    • It's the gospel - 2 Cor 4:4
  • Types of Christ's glory
    1. Divine / Personal Glory
    2. Official Glory
    3. Positional Glory
    4. Moral Glory
    5. Physical Glory
    6. Acquired / Accrued Glory
    7. Deserved Glory

1. Divine / Personal Glory
  • The glory He has as God Almighty
  • The Son is the radiance of God's glory - Heb 1:3
  • God's glory centres in Christ - Ezk 43:1; 1 Pe 5:10f
  • This glory belongs to God alone - Isa 42:8, 48:11

2. Official Glory
  • By "official" we don't mean "formal" as such, but rather glory that pertains to His offices
  • The King of Glory - Ps 24:7
  • Some offices of Christ - prophet, priest, king, forerunner, judge, prince

3. Positional Glory
  • The honour, splendour, etc. that He has as sovereign of creation
  • Heavenly - Jn 7:39, 12:16, 17:5; Ac 3:13
  • Earthly - Mt 24:30, 25:31; 2 Th 1:10
  • Combined - Lk 2:13 & Heb 1:6

4. Moral Glory
  • The majesty and brilliance of His character
  • Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth - Jn 1:14
  • Called us by - 2 Peter 1:3

5. Physical Glory
  • The brightness of His unveiled presence
  • A hint of it revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration - Mt 17:1ff
  • The light of the New Jerusalem - Rev 21:23
  • Veiled in the Tabernacle, Temple and the Incarnation in order to allow man to get close to God

6. Acquired / Accrued Glory
  • Glories that are the result of what He has accomplished
  • Given the highest place because He took the lowest place - Php 2:11
  • Suffering leading to glory - Heb 2:9; 1 Pe 1:11

7. Deserved Glory
  • The honour that all His creatures owe Him
  • Rev 5:12
  • Benedictions - Rom 11:36, 16:27; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:21; Php 4:20; 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; Heb 13:21; 1 Pe 4:11; 2 Peter 3:18; Jd 25; Rev 1:6, 5:13, 7:12

Conclusion
  • The riches of His glory - Rom 9:23; Eph 1:18, 3:16; Col 1:27
  • Christ's glories eclipse all other glories - 2 Cor 3:10
  • Seeing His glory is our great hope - Jn 17:24; 1 Pe 4:13
  • Surely He is the Lord of Glory - 1 Cor 2:8
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