Seeing the Glory of God

In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:11-14

Before the rise of the internet and social media, athletes often became well-known simply through word of mouth. Growing up in the Dallas–Fort Worth area in the early 1990’s, I heard stories about the soaring dunks of Jimmy King of Plano East High School and the blazing fastball of Kerry Wood from MacArthur High School. But in those days, there were no easily accessible videos to confirm the stories. Their athletic feats could not be replayed instantly on a phone or shared across social media. In most cases, the reputation of players like these could only be verified by showing up to a game and seeing them with your own eyes. Only then could you determine whether their abilities truly matched their reputation. Or, to borrow biblical language, whether their glory was actually “worthy of praise”.

In the Bible, God’s glory refers to the radiant display of all His attributes. For example, God is all-powerful, eternal, loving, gracious, and just – all qualities that are supremely worthy of praise. But this raises the question: How can we know whether the reputation of our invisible God matches reality? How can we see His glory that we might praise Him? According to the apostle Paul in Ephesians Chapter One, if we want to see the glory of God on full display, we need look no further than the saving work of our triune God in our own salvation. In the Father’s electing love, in the Son’s redeeming grace, and in the Spirit’s preserving power, the glory of God is revealed in a way that leaves no doubt that His reputation is true and worthy of eternal praise.

“To the praise of His glorious grace” (v. 6), God the Father in love chose us to be adopted into His own family. The Scriptures are clear that God’s loving choice was not based upon our moral beauty or loveliness, quite the opposite. The Fall has left us corrupted in every part of our lives. There is no winsomeness in us that warrants or attracts God’s love. D.A. Carson explains, “God does not ‘fall in love’ with the elect; He does not ‘fall in love’ with us; He sets His affection on us.”¹ The Father sees us in all our sin, rebellion, and shortcomings and still sets His loving affection on us.

“To the praise of His glory” (v. 12), the Son’s redeeming grace accomplishes the Father’s plan to bring us into His family. Through Christ’s shed blood on the cross, our sins are forgiven. R.C. Sproul says, “If God treated us strictly according to the canons of justice, He would punish us for eternity. But instead, He is gracious, tender, and merciful… We find the deepest manifestation of God’s grace and love in His forgiveness.”² According to the riches of His grace, Christ’s death paid the penalty for all the sins of all God’s people of all time.

“To the praise of His glory” (v. 14), the Holy Spirit makes the Son’s work a reality in our lives, powerfully preserving us to the end.³ Paul writes, “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (v. 13). The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of our future inheritance (v. 14). The word translated “guarantee” means the initial installment insuring the full payment. In other words, the seal of the Holy Spirit is a stamp of ownership guaranteeing our final redemption and glorification.

Is God’s glory truly worthy of praise? The Father’s electing love, the Son’s redeeming grace, and the Spirit’s preserving power answer with a resounding “yes.” As unworthy recipients, let us give God whole-hearted praise today for His glory so abundantly displayed in our salvation!

 

End Notes: 
1. D. A. Carson, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2000), Kindle edition, page 536.
2. R. C. Sproul, Truths We Confess: A Layman’s Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2006), Kindle edition, page 52-53.
3. Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002), Kindle edition, page 310.