“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:29,30).
Glorification is the final glorious stage of salvation, when God completely transforms believers to be like Christ, giving them resurrection bodies and bringing them into the fullness of His presence forever.
Paul is so confident that God’s purposes for the believer cannot be thwarted that he does not say, "Those whom He justified might eventually be glorified", or even simply that they will be glorified, but states, "He also glorified". Although glorification is still future for the believer, God's promise is so certain that Paul speaks of it as an accomplished fact.
Romans 8:30 is often called “The Golden Chain of Salvation”, commencing with God’s foreknowledge of believers, before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and then stating His actions towards them that culminate in their glorification. Future glorification is one of the most encouraging subjects in the New Testament, because it tells us what God is ultimately going to do with every believer. It is the completion of salvation.
Salvation should be understood as being in three stages: justification, sanctification[1] and glorification.
· Justification: God declares the believer to be righteous, in Christ. Upon placing faith in Jesus Christ we are assured that we are saved from sin's penalty (Ephesians 2:8 ESV), so, for the believer, this one-time declaration is in the past (Romans 5:1).
· Sanctification: With the believer’s co-operation, God makes them increasingly like Christ. Whilst on earth they are continually in the process of being saved from sin's power in the present (1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV).
· Glorification: God will make the believer to be perfectly like Christ and saved from sin's presence in the future (Romans 13:11; Jude 24).
Romans 8:30 is a wonderful verse of assurance for it informs us that God does not just start the salvation process but He brings it to its appointed end. If glorification depended on our ability to keep ourselves saved, Paul might have written, “Those whom He justified, He will hopefully glorify”, but thankfully salvation is the work of the Lord. Paul further strengthens this truth in Philippians 1:6, where he writes, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
Glorification means we will finally be like Christ
Becoming like the Lord Jesus Christ is perhaps the main point of the believer’s glorification. The purpose of God is not simply to get us into heaven, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
In the great resurrection chapter, we are taught that we will be like the heavenly man: “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (1 Corinthians 15:49).
So, our destination is not a place but a person, Jesus Christ. When we are all glorified and in His presence the Lord Jesus will be the firstborn. This term has nothing do with birth but means first in rank or honour. He will be the One who has the supreme place among His brothers and sisters.
Whilst we are on earth we are being changed gradually, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Presently we are becoming increasingly like Christ (practical sanctification), but one day the transformation will be complete and we will be fully like Him (glorification).
One of my favourite hymns is titled, “And is it so—I shall be like Thy Son?” It looks to the great moment of the Christian’s glorification, and the basis for it, as the first verse asks two questions that can be answered with a resounding “Yes”.
And is it so—I shall be like Thy Son?
Is this the grace which He for me has won?
Father of glory (thought beyond all thought!)
In glory, to His own blest likeness brought!
Glorification means sin will finally be gone
If we are going to be like Christ then we will no longer sin. It is worthwhile contemplating that wonderful truth. At present, even the most mature Christian still struggles with sin. Even our best works are tainted with sin. Every motive, thought and action is affected in some way by sin.
As a believer, Paul himself cried, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). In glorification, that cry will be completely answered as there will be no more temptation, sinful desires, guilt, shame, spiritual warfare, falling into sin and need for repentance.
Although it is difficult for us to imagine, we will never again have an unholy thought, selfish motive, angry word, jealous feeling or sinful desire.
Glorification means we will be free from suffering
In the next chapter, Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
Paul could look at his suffering in this world, including being whipped with thirty-nine strokes on five occasions, three times beaten with rods, stoned and left for dead, shipwrecks and much more (2 Corinthians 11:24,25) and could confidently reckon these to be light afflictions when compared with the glory that would be his. Paul’s suffering was not insignificant but it was temporary. Glorification is permanent. Suffering is not the final chapter.
So when a Christian thinks about the future, their hope is not simply, “One day I'll die and go to heaven”. Glorification means we can say, “One day the Lord Jesus Christ will return.[2] He will raise my body from the dead.[3] It will be transformed to be like His glorious body.[4] I will see Him,[5] be with Him, serve Him[6] and reign with Him[7] in a renewed creation.[8] I will be with Him and God's people forever, and death, suffering, sin and the curse will be gone forever.[9]"
[1] Sanctification itself can also be viewed in three stages, (positional, progressive and complete) as discussed in my previous article (see here) but in this article I am thinking specifically of “progressive” or “practical” sanctification.
[2] John 14:3
[3] 1 Corinthians 15:23
[4] Philippians 3:21
[5] 1 John 3:2
[6] Revelation 22:3
[7] 2 Timothy 2:12
[8] Revelation 21:5
[9] Revelation 21:4; 22:3
