I’d like to thank Dennis Setliff for leading us in the two songs that talked about “glorifying God,” because that is the subject that we want to talk about this morning. I thought about seeing if I could come up with a special lesson today for fathers, but I couldn’t, or didn’t, whichever the case may be. [This Sunday was “Father’s Day.”] So I have a lesson about THE FATHER, and glorifying God.
Our text for today’s lesson is taken from Romans the first chapter, verses 18 through 22. I’d like to begin by reading this section of the book of Romans [King James Version of the Bible]:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,…
Before the Gospel of Christ was preached to the Gentiles, the Gentile nations were not without a knowledge of God. God had given them clear evidence of His presence. From the very foundation of the world, it is true, as the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 19, verses 1 and 2, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge,” [King James Version of the Bible].
From our text in Romans, the first chapter, the apostle Paul declares that “the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they…” (that is, the Gentiles) “…are without excuse,” verse 20. So the knowledge of God which the Gentiles possessed made their worshipping of dumb idols without an excuse.
Paul goes on there in verse 21 and says, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him NOT as God,…” Their knowledge of Him had been of no benefit to them. They refused to acknowledge all light [knowledge] which they had. Their limited affection, adoration and awe of God did not keep pace with their knowledge of God. To glorify God is to glorify Him, and Him ALONE—to glorify God as GOD, without any others. NOT to glorify God AS God is, in effect, NOT to glorify Him at all! Yet the Gentiles set up a multitude of other deities. Paul says later on in this particular chapter of Romans that “they served created things, rather than the Creator,” [Romans 1:25].
Paul continues speaking about the Gentiles and says, “…neither were they thankful.” That is, they were not thankful TO God and FOR the things that God had provided FOR them, even though they had received blessings from Him. Their unwillingness to render gratitude to God for His mercies and blessings was one of the causes for their subsequent corruption and idolatry.
In verse 21, Paul says that they “became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Unwilling to recognize and honor God, they turned to their own speculations, all of which resulted in foolish notions about idols and rites of idolatrous worship.
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,” [Romans 1:22]. How else could they be? There can be no sensible reasoning without a sensible starting point! And any process of reasoning that eliminates GOD cannot have a reasonable basis.
If God did NOT create the universe, then any theory as to its origin is only a blind guess. And one guess is as good as another. If God did NOT create man in the beginning, then any theory as to the origin of human life is founded on a series of senseless guesses. When nations eliminate God, it is but a natural consequence that their foolish heart will become darkened, just like the Gentile nations of long ago.
If this is a true picture of the world in the first century of the Christian era, then how much more is this a picture of the world that we live in today? How especially true is this among those “professing Christians” who have the Bible, and do not read it, who are free to worship and be guided by their faith, but will not and who are admonished, but heed not the admonition!
Well, what does it mean to “glorify God?” The dictionary defines glorify this way: “to magnify [give great honor and respect] with praise; to extol [praise highly]; to transform [change] into something more splendid; to make glorious or invest [cover completely or surround] with glory; to promote [advance in station, rank or honor] the glory of God; ascribe [attribute to; give to] glory and praise in adoration of God.” Glory means “exalted [to raise up, especially in rank, power or dignity]; praise, honor or distinction [of special or highest importance]; adoring praise, or thanksgiving.” Simply stated, to glorify God AS GOD is to recognize Him as the Creator and the Preserver of the universe and to seek to do His Will—to seek to do what He has set forth for us to do in this life.
In His “intercessory prayer” to the Father, Jesus prayed, “I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do,” John 17, verse 4. If Jesus glorified God by doing the work which God had given HIM to do, then most assuredly that is how we glorify God as well! In fact, let me suggest to you that it’s ONLY by acknowledging who God is, and by seeking to do His Will and by completing the work which He has given us that we DO glorify Him.
Let’s spend just a few moments and examine some ways that we can glorify Him. First, we glorify God by being in His family. One vital truth which the world needs to learn is that one cannot glorify God without being in His family. Think about it this way: The things that MY child does reflect on MY name, but not your name. And the same thing is true in reverse: The things that YOUR child does reflect on YOUR name, and not on my name or someone else’s name. Some actions or traits which my child might do that will honor or glorify my name are: good manners, respect, hard work, intellect, and the like. Some actions or traits which my child might do that will dishonor or bring disrespect to my name are: disrespect itself, being ill mannered, criminal activity, and the like.
Using this same rationale, God has no children outside His family, and therefore, ONLY the things done by His CHILDREN reflect to His glory…, or to His dishonor. There are many people in this world who are attempting to glorify God and be saved on the basis of morality, fraternalism or civic righteousness.
Morality alone will not save anyone. Morality is of man, but salvation is of GOD! Man cannot save himself. The prophet of God, Jeremiah, said in the long ago, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his own footsteps,” Jeremiah 10:23. In Acts, the 10th chapter, Luke introduces us to a moral and upright man named Cornelius. Verse 2 of Acts, chapter 10, says that Cornelius was a “devout man” and a man that “feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.” But his morality, per se, could not SAVE him, for he was instructed to “send to the city of Joppa for one called Simon Peter…,” who would tell him “…words whereby he and his house could be saved,” Acts 11, verse 14.
High morals are certainly necessary to the Christian walk. Fraternalism may be enjoyable and rewarding to a person’s secular existence. BUT our morality, fraternalism or civic righteousness alone will NOT save us and will NOT bring GLORY to God! We MUST BE IN GOD’S FAMILY!
Second: We glorify God by being in His church. To the Ephesian Christians, Paul wrote, “Unto Him be glory in the CHURCH by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end,” Ephesians, chapter 3, verse 21. What church was that, Paul? What denomination did you mention? Could you say that again, Paul? What were you talking about? And Paul will say, “the CHURCH by Christ Jesus.” If it is “IN the CHURCH by Christ Jesus” that we glorify God, then surely it must be the church of Jesus Christ, the church which Jesus established, and which is referred to in Matthew 16, verse 18, when He said, “Upon this rock I will build My church.” There shouldn’t be any doubt in the mind of any believer of God’s Word that Jesus DID establish His church. This great church had its beginning on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus. [Pentecost: The 50th day after the Passover, counting from the second day of the feast. The Passover began on a Saturday. Count 50 days from the next day, Sunday, and that was Pentecost (also called the Feast of Weeks), and it fell on a SUNDAY, the day the Lord’s church was established, in Jerusalem—Acts, chapter 2.]
Could you, therefore, glorify God in any other name? What about all of these religious groups which are in existence today? Well, we know their history and their origin. It was only a few hundred years after that first Pentecost when the church was established when the great apostasy [to renounce, deny, abandon, leave, stray away from a former loyalty, like loyalty to a religion—in this case to stray away from the church that Jesus Christ Himself established] occurred. The apostasy led to the establishing of the Roman Catholic church, and from that it led to the “Dark Ages,” and the “Dark Ages” led to the “Reformation,” from which numerous man-made denominations came forth. And that’s the way it is in the religious world, even today.
We hear much today about “this church” and “that church,” “your church,” “my church,” “my wife’s church,” “my husband’s church,” “my parent’s church,” etc. Could you properly glorify God in ANY of these? The Psalmist said in Psalm 127, verse 1, “Except the LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, they labor in vain that build.” Isn’t it about time for the world to learn that Jesus Himself ESTABLISHED a church? There exist today literally hundreds and hundreds of religious bodies in this country, and all around the world. They began at different times and places, they wear different names, they teach and practice different doctrines, they have different forms of government, they engage in different types of worship. Is it little wonder, then, that the world has all but lost sight of the ORIGINAL church, the TRUE church, the ONE church which JESUS built almost two thousand years ago, and the one and only church which bears HIS name, which is distinctive in its worship, is distinctive in its doctrine, is distinctive in its government and practice?
Also, there’s a popular theory abroad today that one can be saved outside of the church, as well as in it. Those who talk about “salvation outside the church” are ignorant about what the church IS. Acts 2, verse 47, tells us that “the Lord added those who were being saved to the CHURCH.”The church, therefore, constitutes the SAVED! In the church, and ONLY in the church, to we glorify God.
Third, we glorify God in the name “CHRISTIAN.” To encourage disciples who were being severely persecuted for loyalty to Christ, Peter wrote, “But if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God IN THIS NAME,” 1 Peter, chapter 4, verse 16.
The apostles rejoiced for the privilege and honor of suffering for the NAME OF CHRIST. After being cast into prison for filling the city of Jerusalem with their teaching about Christ, they were beaten and eventually set free. Luke writes, “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for HIS NAME,” Acts 5, verse 41.
The name “CHRISTIAN” is the name given by the Lord. Some 700 years before Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied, “And the Gentiles shall see Thy righteousness, and all kings [shall see] Thy glory. And thou shalt be called by a NEW name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name,” Isaiah 62, verse 2. In Acts, chapter 11, verse 26, we first read about this name: “And the disciples were called CHRISTIANS first at [the city of] Antioch.”
In the long ago, under the Old Covenant, God had a special name for His people to wear. That name was “ISRAEL.” And why? Because the name “EL” is the Hebrew name for “Jehovah.” Thus, every time the name “ISRAEL” was spoken, the name of GOD was glorified. Jehovah changed the name of Jacob, and those who were the descendants of Jacob, and they were not knows as “Jacobites,” but they were known as “ISRAELITES.” God said, “And ALL the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of thee,” Deuteronomy 28, verse 10.
Just as God had chosen a special name for His people to wear under the Old Convenant, He likewise has a special name for His people to wear under the NEW Covenant, and that name is “CHRISTIAN.” Every time this name is spoken, the Name of CHRIST, God’s Son, is honored and glorified. Let us as Christians use our name with reverence and care, being watchful that we never use it in vain. And let us also remember that by using our family name, that is, “CHRISTIAN,” we glorify God.
Fourth, and finally: We glorify God in our lives. We bring honor and glory to the Name of Christ through our manner of living. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” Matthew 5, verse 16.
There is a central power source which furnishes the power and light for this room. Now, that central power source is at a remote location. It’s distant from our sight; we can’t actually see it, but we know it’s there because we see its results. In a similar manner, CHRIST is the source and center of this world’s spiritual light. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I AM the light of the world.” Just as this hotel complex [where we were meeting] is connected to the central power source, we as Christians, united to Him by the cable of spirituality and faith and obedience, receive power from HIM so that we can dispel the darkness that is around us. We must keep in mind that we are living today in an age of example. The language of “action” is the only kind of language which the world is interested in. As we talked about a couple of weeks ago in a sermon that I presented, we, therefore, should be “living epistles [letters], known and read of all men,” 2 Corinthians 3, verse 2.
The world is not interested in, and too busy to read, the Bible. But the world is ever reading your life and mine. It is not altogether what we profess that is read or watched by the world. But it is largely HOW WE LIVE which is the thing that is really considered or noticed by the world.
At a lectureship a few years ago at Harding Christian University, I heard a Professor there make this statement: (I’m not sure if this was his own statement or thought, or if he was quoting from another person, but I wrote it down and I’ve saved it.) He said, “The world is looking for a demonstration, NOT an explanation.” In other words, the world is watching where we go, what we do, how we treat others, how we talk, the things that we are interested in and that occupy our time, the things that spur our emotions, the things that we are concerned about, We cannot consistently live one way, and profess another way. Those who do, I submit to you, create perhaps one of the largest handicaps to the church and to the salvation of men’s souls that there is today. Let us live in such a way that Christ can be seen IN us, and God will be glorified.
In conclusion, Jesus Christ glorified His FATHER, so He Himself was glorified. Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified IN Him,” John 13, verse 31. And in the very shadow of the cross experience [very, very close to the time of His crucifixion], Jesus prayed these words, “And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine Own Self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was,” John 17, verse 5. Jesus was crowned with honor and glory when He was received up into heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father. [See Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:9; Luke 22:69; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 3:1.] But just as JESUS was glorified, so shall WE be glorified…if we love and serve HIM in this life, to its very end, [John 17:20-23; Romans 8:28-30].
Let me read a couple of passages from Romans, the 8th chapter, verses 17 and 18 [King James Version of the Bible]: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” [Romans 8:17-18, New International Version of the Bible: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”]
And one more passage: Colossians 3, and verse 4: “When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” What a great promise to anticipate—to be glorified with Christ! But in order to be glorified with Christ, and in order to glorify God, let us remember that we must be a part of His family, that we must be in His church, that we must wear His Name and that our manner of life must reflect Christ. In so doing, we will not only glorify God, but we can look forward to that great day in the eternal glory that awaits us in heaven.
As we customarily do, we offer an invitation at this time. Dennis Setliff has selected a song. We give you the opportunity to respond in a public way if you have a need which requires a public response. If you are not in His family, if you’re not in His church, if you’re not wearing His Name, then we urge you to consider what you need to do to be placed into His family—to be in His church, to wear His Name. We can assist you with that need if you respond at this time. If your manner of life as a Christian has not been one that brings glory and honor to the Name of God and you need our prayers and encouragement, we invite you to come as well.