The Goal-Glory (Eph. 1:6a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/2/2018 11:29 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  The Goal—Glory

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Ephesians 1:6a

            Message of the verses:  “to the praise of the glory of His grace.”

            Today’s SD marks the end of the second main section from John MacArthur’s outline “The Elements of the Eternal Forming of the Body.”  This rather long section comes from what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:4-6a, and was made up of seven sub-sections, the last we will look at today.  The name of this chapter in MacArthur’s commentary “The Body Formed in Eternity Past” shows us that God indeed did from the Body of Christ before the world began something that is impossible for the human mind to understand, yet that is what He did.  Today as we look at the last sub-section “The Goal—Glory” we see that this was all done to bring honor and glory to God the Son as this was actually a gift from God the Father as His bride, a bride which He paid for by His life. 

            I think that I have answered the question as to why did God do all of this for us.  He did this for His Son and since we are in Christ it was also done for us.  He did this for His glory as this is what He says in this first part of verse six.  Jesus said the following in Luke 12:32 “"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  Jesus was affirming the delight of God in putting His glory on display.  Paul writes the following in Philippians 3:13 “God is at work in [us]…for His good pleasure.” 

            John MacArthur writes “The apostle Paul interceded for the Thessalonians, praying ‘that our God may count you worthy of your calling…in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him’ (2 Thess. 1:11-12).

            I have mentioned in earlier SD’s that when Jesus was on earth and in a boat asleep while a great storm was brewing on the Sea of Galilee that His disciples woke Him because they were about to die and Jesus spoke to the storm and it stopped to the great surprise of His disciples.  The storm had no problem bringing glory to the Lord nor did the beast of the field or the heavens.  The problem is that the only created thing that does not bring glory to the Lord is the fallen angels and fallen men.  Paul writes about this in Romans chapter eight where he states “19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”  The creation got caught up in the sinfulness of man when man sinned in the garden and now longs to be released.

            John MacArthur writes “God chose and preordained the Body before the foundation of the world in order that no human being could boast or take glory for himself, but that all the glory might be His.  Salvation is not partly of God and partly of man, but entirely of God.  To guarantee that , every provision and every detail of salvation was accomplish before any human being was ever born or before a planet was formed on which he could be born.

            “The ultimate reason for everything that exists is the glory of His grace.  That is why, as God’s children, Christians should do everything they do—even such mundane things as eating and drinking—to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  When I think of the sins that cause me a lot of problems so that I do not always bring glory to the Lord I think of pride and selfishness (thinking of myself).  God hates pride and also selfishness for these sins certainly cause me not to bring glory to the Lord, therefore I am to continually have the Spirit of God search my heart to make sure that I understand where it is that I miss the mark.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Bring glory to God in all that I do.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “A hired servant” (Luke 15:19).

Today’s Bible question:  “From which book of the Pentateuch did Jesus quote during His contest with Satan?”

Answer in our next SD.

11/2/2018 12:05 PM