The Glory Of God

HoHum:

Lady Gaga wrote a song called “The Edge of Glory” and it was written after a visit with her grandparents when her grandfather was at the point of death. He was on the edge of glory. However, the song never discuss who or what glory is.

J.S. Bach said, "All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub."

He headed his compositions: "J.J." "Jesus Juva" which means "Jesus help me." He ended them "S.D.G." "Soli Dei gratia" which means "To God alone the praise."

WBTU:

We have talked about God strengthening us through the gospel; talked about two goals of the gospel are obedience and boasting only in the Lord; talked about the mystery of the gospel.

Started all of this by saying that Romans 16:25-27 is a doxology. Did not say that well last time. Had a question about that. The word doxology comes from two Greek terms: one word meaning glory and the other word meaning a saying. A doxology is a short hymn of praise to God giving him the glory or praise. The tradition has its roots in ancient Jewish synagogue worship where similar methods were used to bring to an end each section of the service.

What does the glory of God mean? To attempt a definition is difficult. It’s like the difference between basketball and beautiful. We can define a basketball. However, to define beauty is more difficult because it is abstract. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The word Glory literally means great, heavy, or weighty. It is used often in a figurative sense to mean significant, important, noteworthy, impressive or severe. In this sense the glory of God means His infinite significance, the totality of His perfections, the fullness of His deity compressed into a single concept. More specifically, the glory of God is His greatness as it is demonstrated and as it shines forth for all to see.

What does the phrase mean “To God be glory”? We are saying to God belongs glory. In other words, we are announcing this truth in worship: God is glorious! Whether we see it or not, God has glory and displays glory.

Another thought being expressed here is “May glory be given to God!” May people see him as glorious and praise him as glorious. “Give him glory,” not in the sense of adding anything to his glory, but acknowledging it and treasuring it.

Thesis: Let’s talk about the glory of God in Romans

For instances:

Exchanging the glory of God (Romans 1:21, 23)

Vs. 21- Two responses- to glorify God and give him thanks- are the most basic of all human obligations toward the Creator God. To “glorify” God means to recognize, acknowledge, and bow down before Him in a spirit of worship, and to live the kind of life that causes others to do the same. Man without the gospel does not do this.

Vs. 23- Paul says the Gentiles have made an exchange, but it is not a good one. What have the Gentiles done? They have traded the real thing for things that are phony and useless. Traded the true God for impotent idols. The idol or image most common then and today is not one that we carve in wood or stone, but the one we see in the mirror. Without the gospel and the Word all do this.

Lacking the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

What does it mean that we have fallen short of the glory of God? Creatures made in God’s image are supposed to display God’s glory through their character. Sin dims this glory.

Paul’s point is that the fact of sin disqualifies us from being acceptable to God on the basis of our own personal righteousness; thus we are in dire need of the righteousness that comes from God through faith.

Faith glorifies God (Romans 4:20)

Abraham’s justifying faith gave glory to God.

We give glory to God by honoring him and by calling attention to everything that makes him great. The essence of justifying faith is that it gives glory to God, since it is faith in God and in what God has done and promises to do, rather than relying upon ourselves and what we are able to do.

Faith by its very nature puts ourselves in the background and turns the spotlight on God. In our lives “He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30, NIV.

The Hope of Glory (Romans 5:1-2)

Hope of glory points to our future heavenly inheritance.

The glory of God in this verse refers to the final revelation of God’s majesty and splendor at the Second Coming.

Our hope is not only that we will one day behold his glory, but that in a limited sense we will actually participate in it. In that day we will have a glorified body and we will actually dwell in the radiance of God’s glorious presence