TERMS OF SALVATION – GLORIFICATION
GLORIFICATION, as it relates to the salvation of sinners, has to do with that
momentous experience in the hereafter when Jesus Christ engages in the
presentation of His bride to Himself. Note this passage:
(Ephesians
5:25-27)25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27
That he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish.”
The Church is a
glorious bride, “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”
(Revelation 21:2). What is her preparation? All the riches of glory in Christ
Jesus. He is made unto her all the beauties of the 13 terms of salvation which
He has bestowed upon her. In this moment of presentation she stands
before her groom: 1. saved 2. justified 3. sanctified 4. reconciled 5.
repentant 6. converted 7. regenerated 8. redeemed 9. propitiated 10. hopeful
11. adopted 12. glorified, all because, by the grace of God, she 13. believed
in Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. The sum total of all these riches
of grace bestowed upon her add up to her resplendence of glory when presented
to Jesus as His bride. Thus, the glorification of the Church. Note
Jude’s benediction thereunto: (Jude vv.24,25)
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only
wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
THE HISTORICAL AND ESCHATOLOGICAL
SEQUENCE LEADING TO THIS MOMENT OF GLORIFICATION:
1.
John the Baptist refers to Christ as
“the bridegroom.”
John 3:29,30 29
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom,
which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's
voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but
I must decrease.”
2.
In seeking the sanctification of
God’s people, Paul spoke of the believers as a bride being prepared for her
lover. 2 Corinthians 11:2,3:
“For I am jealous over you with godly
jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ.”
3.
The rapture of the Church is Jesus,
the bridegroom, coming to catch away His bride, the Church.
John 14:1-3 1
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also.”
4.
The marriage takes place in heaven
right after the rapture and just before the great tribulation (the last 3 ½
years of the 7 years of tribulation). An angel shows John Jesus’ bride and
speaks of her as “the Lamb’s wife.” (This sounds like they are already married.
Jesus has presented His bride to Himself, probably before the Father and the
hosts of heaven. See again Ephesians 5:25-27.)
Revelation 21:9 9
“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full
of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew
thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.”
-rdc
