The Glory of God, Part 2

The mystery of the Incarnation is wrapped up in swaddling clothes: the pre-eternal Word of God, existing with God the Father from all eternity past and even before, if "before" can be used in timelessness, emptied Himself and came down to become a human embryo, then developed into a fetus and then was born as a little baby boy. Just think: Christ was conscious of being enclosed in an embryo, wrapped safely in Mary's womb for nine months. This self-emptying the Greeks called "kenosis" as in Phil. 2:5-11 -

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and gave to Him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

By Christ's humbling Himself, emptying Himself, God the Father has exalted and glorified Him. Think how different this is from the way we humans seek glory and honor: we crave to be recognized for our accomplishments, expecting praise when we do something exceptional. But Jesus intentionally avoided publicity, even saying to people He healed: "Don't tell anyone!" How can we aquire this mind of Christ? St. Peter tells us -

Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and virtue; by which He has granted to us His precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness; and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love (2 Peter 2:2-7).

Notice that "grace and peace" comes from experientally knowing God Himself, not from studying theology or even the Bible. Only then can "His divine power" give us all we need for "life and godliness." Then the process begins of becoming "partakers of the divine nature" - aquiring the mind of Christ. How? By replacing the vices with the virtues of faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly affection and agape-love. This is a process that takes a lifetime, not an instantaneous event. But by thus emptying ourselves and partaking of the divine nature, we begin to radiate the glory of Christ.

In 1 John 3:2-3 we read - "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when He is revealed, we will be like Him; for we will see Him just as He is. Everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, even as He is pure." In order to share Christ's glory, we need to purify ourselves, by God's help, adopting the virtues mentioned above.

St. Paul writes - "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whom He predestined, those He also called. Whom He called, those He also justified. Whom He justified, those He also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30). The final goal is being glorified, and God's part is foreknowing, predestinating us "to be conformed to the image of His Son," calling and justifying us. On our part, we must practice the virtues. We can't claim to foreknow whether God has predestined us - that's God's part. As far as we are concerned, we might fall into doubt and apostasy, so we must hold firm to the end, in order to be glorified. St. Paul elsewhere describes this final goal of being glorified -

"As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let us also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can't inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: 'Death is swallowed up in victory'" (1 Cor. 15:49-54),

Several other passages tell us of the glory to come: "Seeing it is God Who said, 'Light will shine out of darkness,' Who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6); "For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of His glory, according to the working by which He is able even to subject all things to himself" (Phil. 3:20-21); and "For in Him [Christ] all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and you have this fullness in Him, Who is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:9-10). These are amazing promises, encouraging us to hold firm to the end!

(Linked to www.Hosken-News.info of 26 Dec. 2015.)