Lesson Three – From Glory to Glory
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
In the last lesson we discussed the visibility of the people of God – the church. We are also given a clear picture of what that body of believers should look like, and the image it is to represent, and that is the character of God expressed in being in the “image of His Son”. The elect are sanctified through the blood of Christ and they are to be holy in the pattern of the holiness of the Father.
As we continue with the list of nine items from the first chapter in this section, of what the Ecclesia is, let’s consider the context of what we are about to discuss. The description of the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” depicts the church as “the bride of Christ,” and symbolizes much of the relationship between Jesus and His followers. This verse explains that the bride of Christ was granted the privilege of clothing herself in fine linen that is bright and pure. Just as a bride wears a white gown as a symbol of her purity, so the bride of Christ receives fine linen attire. The church cannot claim she has attained any righteousness on her own. She owes her salvation entirely to God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8–9). Her righteous acts are done by grace and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and are carried out by those who abide in Christ (John 15:5). Jesus said that “apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Given the above as instructed by Christ, one cannot love another outside of the body of Christ, for the origin of that love is not of Christ. So as we are instructed to love one another as Christ loves us, this is within the confines of obedience and love for Christ.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (1 Pet. 22-25)
The most precious gift outside of His sacrifice on the cross and His indwelling Spirit is His word. In the above verse the Apostle Peter is drawing on the words of humility expressed by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 40:6-8). Everything the body of believers is to accomplish is founded on one thing – His Word and the gospel that was preached to them. Even loving one will be superficial and fruitless unless that love’s source is the Lord. The benchmark for a believer’s behavior, his work, ministry – his life’s guide is the Word of God. All that contradicts God’s ordinances or the Gospel that was preached is of the enemy (2 Cor. 11:1-4). Even the Spirit of God who dwells in us will not guide us contrary to the truth of the everlasting Word of God.
The prophet Isaiah likened the “flesh” as grass that will wither away and the flower that will fall. Likewise, Christ spoke of the foundation that we are to build our lives – His Word is the rock that we are to build upon (Matt. 7:24-27)
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:14-16)
Building your life on the eternal word of God and intern loving your brethren, will glorify the Father. This must be our desire. To be carnally minded serves to bring glory to ourselves, and this is sin. We must “abstain from fleshly lusts” because succumbing to those lusts will bring death to the soul. A dead soul cannot glorify the Father. Therefore, “having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles (world), that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:11-12).
It is only the Word of God that gives us a glimpse of the Father’s character, and it is His character we are to take on. Without the eternal Word we are left to our own devices and opinions, and those have their roots in the flesh. It is the Word of God that guides us in our behavior and in our works. The eternal Word became flesh (John 1:14) and demonstrated the righteous life we are to uphold. The Word is our foundation.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many (1 Cor. 12:13-14).
This verse does not stand alone in God’s holy word. In fact, Jesus in His prayer to the Father, prayed for unity in the body “Holy Father, keep them in thy Name, even them whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are,” comparing the unity to the unity of Him and the Father. This is an important matter that has virtually been ignored by the body of Christ, especially when it comes to the relationship between Gentile and Jew.
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when his glory shall appear, ye may be glad and rejoice (1 Pet. 4:13).
Yet another verse that does not stand alone in scripture, nor has been accepted well by the body of Christ. It is common for the people of God to expect blessing, prosperity and health leaving behind the undeniable words of Christ to his disciples that suffering comes part and parcel with following their Messiah, “since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Pet. 4:1). Here the Apostle Peter is attributing the cessation from sin directly with suffering in the flesh, and in his view this should be a mindset for all disciples of Christ. Below are some encouraging words from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
If we fall into the hands of men, and meet suffering and death from their violence, we are none the less certain that everything comes from God. The same God who sees no sparrow fall to the ground without his knowledge and will, allows nothing to happen, except it be good and profitable for his children and the cause for which they stand. We are in God’s hands. Therefore, ‘Fear not.’ “
(The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, page 218)
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling (1 pet. 4:8-9)
While hospitality may sometimes be perceived as a unique gifting for some people, scripture is clear: loving strangers is a biblical mandate to anyone who follows Jesus. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God specifically commands his people to practice hospitality. He tells the Israelites to “love the stranger” like they love themselves—reminding them that they, too, were once strangers (Lev. 19:33-34). Jesus spoke about the hospitable behavior of those who will inherit the kingdom:
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Jesus was constantly being questioned by the elite religious leadership, often with the intent on catching Him out on important doctrine. When asked by one of the Pharisees (an elite lawyer), “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Matt. 22:36) Jesus answered that question succinctly informing them that the greatest commandment is to love their God with all their heart, soul and mind and following immediately he said they are to love their neighbor as themselves. Following our Lord comes with sacrifice in all areas of our lives, but the rewards are great.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18).
Leave a Reply