| The Christian Life | April 1940 |
The Hope of Glory
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”—Romans 5:2
MUCH is said in the Bible concerning the hope of glory. In our text it is stated to be the glory of God. In Colossians 1:27 the same apostle speaks of it as being “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” In 2nd Corinthians 3:9-11 the same apostle again mentions this hope of glory and indicates that it was represented by the radiance on Moses’ countenance when he came down from the mount to inaugurate the typical Law Covenant with Israel.
What then is this glory that is promised? Nominal churchianity teaches that it is merely the fact that all Christians go to heaven when they die. Coupled with this idea is the circumscribed viewpoint that all who will ever be saved must become Christians and thus go to heaven at death. This would mean that the exceeding great and precious promises of God’s Word pertaining to this glory of God applies to all of mankind who will ever he saved.
But this is an erroneous teaching. It has developed as a result of a failure to realize that in the calling and preparation of the church of Christ, God has been getting ready to dispense His blessings of restitution to all mankind during the Kingdom period. When the Word of Truth is rightly divided, it is found that these promises of glory are limited to what Jesus refers to in Luke 12:32 as a “little flock.” Those who make up this “little flock,” and therefore the ones to whom these precious promises apply, are those only who are willing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, suffering and dying with Him.
THE RICH YOUNG NOBLEMAN
The very limited application of the Bible’s glory promises is seen in the conversation that took place between Jesus and the rich young ruler who came to Him to ask the way to eternal life. This young ruler knew nothing of these special promises, hence was not in a position to adequately appreciate the lesson which Jesus propounded to him. He knew the law of Moses had said, “which if a man do, he shall live in them.” (Lev. 18:5) He knew that he was failing to obtain life by keeping the law, as he had hoped to do. His failure to obtain life was perhaps becoming manifest in his declining health, or possibly his graying hair. In any event, he had heard of Jesus’ power to perform miracles, and of the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth. Apparently he was convinced that the Master was a great teacher sent from God. Possibly, therefore, he could point out a better way to life than that which was offered through the Law given by Moses.
Whatever the background of this rich young ruler’s question may have been, the question itself clearly revealed the man’s desire simply to find the secret of life, in order that he might not grow old and die. When Jesus questioned him concerning the Law, this young nobleman assured the Master that he had made the best effort possible to abide by the requirements of the Law from the time that he was very young. The answer seems to imply, that in spite of his best efforts to keep Moses’ Law he realized that he was not obtaining the health and life which is promised to the obedient. It was because of this that he had come to Jesus to find out if there was anything that could be done about it.
Jesus’ reply to this nobleman doubtless was a surprise to him, in more ways than one. He was a rich man, and Jesus said that it would be required of him to sell that which he had and give to the poor, and to take up his cross and follow the Master. Jesus assured him that it would result in his having treasure in Heaven. Both the price that was to be paid, as well as the reward to follow, were quite beyond the ability of this young man to appreciate and comprehend. The account says that he went away sorrowful because he had great possessions.
ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED?
It is very interesting to note the reaction of the disciples to this conversation between Jesus and the young nobleman. They had accepted Jesus as the Messiah who had been promised in the Old Testament prophecies. To them, therefore, He was one who was destined to establish a Kingdom that would hold sway over the entire earth. Through this Kingdom, they believed, all mankind was to be blessed. They doubtless knew of the angels’ message on the night that Jesus was born, proclaiming Him as the Savior of the world, and that because of His birth glad tidings were to go to all the families of the earth. With this picture in their minds of the scope of the Master’s Kingdom work, we can readily understand the bewilderment revealed in their question, “Who then can be saved?”—Matt. 19:25; Luke 18:26
This was as though the disciples were saying to Jesus, “We thought that you were to give salvation to all mankind. Do not the prophecies indicate that you are to be King over the whole earth? Does not Isaiah say that you are the arm of the Lord which will be revealed in the eyes of all the nations, and that because of this all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.” With this broad conception of what was to be accomplished through the work of the Messiah, it would be very difficult for the disciples to understand why it was that this young nobleman coming to the Master to inquire the way to life should be given an answer so difficult to understand, indeed, making the way of salvation so hard that he went away sorrowful.
Jesus’ first reply to the disciples’ question “who then can be saved?” was largely an evasion. He explained to them that with man it would not be possible, but that with God all things are possible. This of course implied that God was able to fulfill His promise to bless all nations, even though from the disciples’ immediate viewpoint something seemed to be out of harmony with this divine intention.
But this did not satisfy the disciples. They reminded the Master that they had left all to follow Him, even as He had asked the young nobleman to do. So they turned the issue into a personal one, asking what they were to receive as a result of the sacrifice they had made. Replying to this question the Master said, “Ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration … shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”—Matt. 19:28
BLESSING OF THE MANY THROUGH THE FEW
In this narrative two points of fundamental importance come to light, which, if we understand them properly, will help to give us a clear vision of God’s Kingdom purpose. The first point is that involved in Jesus’ statement to the young nobleman, in which He declares that if the great sacrifice was made for which Jesus called, this young man would have treasure in Heaven. This was a new idea. No heavenly promises were given in the Old Testament, at least none of them were understood to imply a heavenly hope. The young nobleman had asked how to live on the earth, not how to lay up treasure in heaven.
The second important point is found in Jesus’ statement, to the disciples, in which He assures them that if they were faithful in giving up all and following Him even unto death, they would sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This great privilege, Jesus revealed, would be realized by the disciples in that period which the Master identified as “the [time of] regeneration.”
The heavenly hope, and the prospect of being enthroned with the Master in His Kingdom were thus introduced to the disciples. But it should be observed that the fruition of this, the Christian’s hope, does not mean the end of all hope for others. Note, that when the reward of the Christian is realized, a work of regeneration and judgment begins on behalf of others.
PROMISES OF GLORY
Jesus, in giving encouragement to the disciples that they would be enthroned with Him and share in a work of blessing mankind in the Kingdom, did so on the authority of the promises of God recorded in the Old Testament. Many of these promises are made, apparently, only to the Master Himself; but., when the Master through the Gospel, brought life and immortality to light, He reveals that those who are faithful in following His footsteps are to share with Him the glory that is promised.
Thus Jesus, for example, in His prayer toward the close of His ministry, said, “The glory which Thou gavest Me, I have given them.” (John 17:22) The glory to which Jesus refers had at that time been given to Him merely by promise. When He uttered this remarkable prayer, it was merely a “hope” of glory. But to Jesus, who had implicit trust in His Heavenly Father, these promises were realities. He knew that God’s promises could not, fail, hence He spoke of the glory as having been already given to Him. This wondrous glory of exaltation in the Messianic Kingdom was a part of the divine plan for the Master, hence there was no doubt in His mind that it was to become a reality.
These promises of glory recorded in the Old Testament are many and varied. One of them was uttered by Jacob when he referred to the Messiah as Shiloh, and declared that unto Him would the gathering of the people be. Moses, speaking as the mouthpiece of the Lord, promises that a great prophet shall be raised up like unto him, only greater. Isaiah refers to the Master as He who was to become The Prince of Peace, The mighty God, Counsellor, The everlasting Father, etc. In the same prophecy, Isaiah assures us that of the “Increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.”—Isa. 9:6,7
In the last verse of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah is another of the promises of glory. Here the Heavenly Father makes the promise that He will exalt Jesus to His own right hand, giving Him “a portion with the great.” And so we might go on through the Old Testament noting the many wondrous promises that are made on behalf of Jesus, all of which indicate in one way or another the height of glory to which it was the Father’s will to exalt Him.
In the last-mentioned promise of glory, we note the assurance that Jesus was to be given a portion with the “Great.” This is one of the promises showing that the Master would be exalted to the right hand of the throne of God—that He would be given a “name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, … and every tongue should confess … to the glory of God the Father.” Evidently it is for this reason that the hope of glory which is based upon the promises recorded in the Old Testament is said to be a hope of “the glory of God.”—Phil. 2:9-11
This promised glory, therefore, is seen to be of a twofold character. It is a glory of nature—the divine nature. The record is that when Jesus was raised from the dead He became “the express image” of the Father’s person. (Heb. 1:3) When the Apostle Peter thought to encourage the followers of the Master in steadfast faithfulness in the doing of His will, he refers to the promises made on their behalf, and says that by these promises we are made “partakers of the divine nature.”—II Pet. 1:4
It is also a glory of office. Jesus, who is now raised to immortality, the express image of His Father, is also a great King, Priest, Judge, etc. As such He is to rule the world of mankind for a thousand years. To Him, the apostle declares, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. (Phil 2:9-11) These particular words are a quotation from Isaiah 45:23. Jehovah makes this declaration of glory concerning Himself, but Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, shows that it will be fulfilled through Jesus. Thus we have another Scriptural example of how Jesus partakes of the glory of God.
DIVIDING THE SPOIL
In the last verse of Isaiah 53, where God makes the promise that Jesus was to be given a portion with the great, the additional information is offered that He—that is, Jesus—would, in turn, divide the spoil, or reward, with the “strong.” This, no doubt, was one of the promises which gave Jesus the authority to assure His disciples that if they were faithful in following Him into death they would share with Him in His Kingdom. This promise of Jehovah also gave Jesus the authority to say, as recorded in Revelation 3:21, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” God had already fulfilled His promise of glory to the Master, and now the Master was prepared to carry out His part of the divine arrangement by exalting His church to share that glory with Him.
When the Apostle Peter said that unto us are given “exceeding great and precious promises,” that we may by these become “partakers of the divine nature,” he evidently had in mind many of the precious assurances to Christ and the church that are recorded in the Old Testament. The prophets themselves, much less Israel as a whole, did not understand the significance of these promises. They looked upon them as having to do merely with a glorious Kingdom which would be established through Israel, and which would reach out and conquer the world. In other words, to the prophets and to Israel these promises were of an earthly character. And indeed most of the promises of the Old Testament are pertaining to earthly blessings of restitution, for this was the main theme of all God’s holy prophets since the world began.
Nevertheless, the Old Testament also records, in a veiled way, the promises of glory to Christ and the church. When Peter wrote these words, the Old Testament was the only portion of the Scriptures then available. Peter, it is true, had a blessed association with Jesus, and would remember some of the statements the Master made to the disciples pertaining to joint-heirship with Him in His Kingdom. The Holy Spirit which came at Pentecost would help Peter to remember additional promises made by the Master. But in addition to these, such promises as are recorded in the last verse of Isaiah 53, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, constituted a firm foundation of faith and hope which enabled the apostle to refer so exultantly to these “exceeding great and precious promises” by which—that is to say, through the authority of which, and under the inspiration of which, we become partakers of the divine nature—sharers in the glory of God.
SUFFERING—THEN GLORY
The disciples, of course, did not fully understand these promises of glory prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection. They did sense, however, that He, being the Messiah, came to earth by the authority of God, and that upon Him and through Him would come a dispensation of divine glory in which, according to the various statements He had made to them, they expected to share. Thus it was when Jesus indicated to them that He would be put to death, Peter remonstrated and said, “Be it far from Thee, Lord.” (Matt. 16:22) Peter could not understand how an experience of suffering and death could be associated with the promises of glory which they felt so sure belonged to the Messiah. Hence, when Jesus was actually taken from them and crucified they were quite thoroughly bewildered. Some of them may have even concluded temporarily that perhaps Jesus was not the Messiah; for, they perhaps would reason, how could the Messiah who is supported and strengthened by God be crucified by His enemies?
It was not until after the resurrection of Jesus that the disciples began to comprehend the significance of what really, had taken place. The two of them that journeyed to Emmaus and to whom the Lord appeared as a stranger, were greatly encouraged, and their hearts burned within them with joy and rejoicing when the Master pointed out the necessity for the Christ first of all to suffer and afterward to enter into His glory. The disciples had been so interested and so thrilled with the idea of a Messianic Kingdom of glory and the share which they hoped to enjoy in that Kingdom with the Master that they had entirely overlooked those instructions of the Old Testament which pointed out that before the glory could come, those who would partake of it must share in the bitter experiences of sacrificial suffering and death.
The Apostle Peter seems to have grasped the significance of these two important phases of the divine plan very clearly; for, in his first epistle, he devotes much space to analyzing these thoughts. He reminds us that they constituted an important part of the entire spirit-inspired testimony of the holy prophets. Peter also saw clearly what Jesus revealed to His disciples, particularly at Pentecost, that those who follow in the footsteps of the Master are to share His glory with Him. That is to say, the Divine program for the Christ, —a program of suffering followed by glory,—was for the church as well as for Jesus Himself.
The promises of glory to Jesus were not fulfilled on His behalf until He finished His sacrificial course in death. Neither can any member of the body of Christ expect to share in any kind of glory until their sacrificial work is also completed in death. The divine rule is, in this connection, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) In keeping this divine principle of interpretation in mind it can be clearly seen that there is no possibility of anyone reigning with Christ in any sense of the word while still in the flesh.
The Apostle Peter in his first epistle, elaborating further upon the significance of the spirit-inspired promises of glory recorded in the Old Testament, again shows us that they are not fulfilled while the individual is in the flesh. This was true even with respect to Jesus Himself. Concerning the Master Peter said, “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”—I Pet. 1:21
In 1st Peter 2:9, the apostle again alludes to the hope of glory which we entertain because of association with Jesus in the program of suffering and glory, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” There is no actual royalty attached to the office of the Christian at the present time, but there is a hope of glory, and this hope of glory will be translated into reality in the first resurrection, and then only to those who have been faithful in participation in the suffering.
“EVEN HEREUNTO WERE YE CALLED”
It is because sacrificial suffering unto death is the first experience of those who are to be joint-heirs with Christ in His Kingdom glory, that the apostle says of them, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving an example, that ye should follow in His steps.” (I Pet. 2:21) The nature of the suffering is revealed by the apostle when he says (chap. 2, verse 20), “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
It is because the Christian should expect to suffer for righteousness’ sake that the Apostle Peter in chap. 4, verse 12, of this same epistle, says that we should not think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try us as though some strange thing had happened unto us, but to rejoice inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings. The force of the apostle’s argument seems to be that we should not think strange those experiences which were foretold by the Holy Spirit through the prophets of old. These prophets had prophesied concerning the sufferings of Christ, hence if we are partakers of those sufferings because of our association with Christ, why should we think it strange? Indeed, we should, as Peter suggests, actually rejoice, because this is an evidence that our consecration and sacrifice is accept—able to God. It means that through the fiery trials which He permits to come, He is dealing with us, and thus preparing us for a position of glory with Christ in His Kingdom.
Peter continues by saying, “But if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.” (Chap. 4, verse 14) When the apostle declares, “if we be reproached for the name of Christ,” it means that the “spirit of glory and of God resteth upon us,” he actually means that in these experiences the testimony of God’s holy spirit through His prophets, is seen to apply to us, and because we are thus partaking of the sufferings of Christ, it means that we are in line for the glory that follows.
The Apostle Paul gives us the same information when he says that the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, “if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom. 8:16,17) How wonderful to think that we can come into such close contact and fellowship with God through His Spirit, simply upon the basis of our willingness faithfully to yield our wills to the doing of His will, knowing that. His will for us is that we lay down our lives sacrificially with the Master, suffering with Him, inspired and encouraged by the hope of sharing in His glory.
CHRIST IN YOU
Paul alludes to this close relationship that exists between Jesus and His Church, pertaining to the hope of glory, when He speaks of “the riches of the glory of this mystery,” defining this mystery as being “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” There are two senses in which the expression “Christ in you” applies to the followers of the Master. First, it has reference to the fact that all spirit-begotten and anointed Christians are part of the Christ body or company. Christ is in them and they are in Christ. But in order for this relationship to exist, it is necessary that the Spirit of Christ dwell in them. That is to say, we cannot expect to be in the body of Christ and share in the hope of glory that belongs to all in that body, and at the same time be filled and controlled by the selfish spirit of the world.
Viewed from this standpoint, therefore, we see that in order to have this hope of glory ever as a bright inspiration in our lives, it is very necessary that we live close to the Master. It means that we will strive so earnestly to do His will that irrespective of what the cost may be, we will continue in His footsteps, determined to count all things as loss and dross, as compared to the attaining of that glorious hope set before us in the Gospel.
This, the only proper and acceptable attitude of the Christian in God’s sight, is beautifully expressed by the Apostle Paul when he says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”—Phil. 3:8-11
“If by any means”—this is the true spirit of the consecrated Christian, once he visualizes the hope of glory set before him. He realizes that nothing of an earthly nature, either pleasure, fame, wealth, social standing, influence, or any of the so-called valuable things of this life, can, in any way, be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. So it is, that, inspired by this glorious hope, we continue on, minding not the narrowness of the way, refusing to be discouraged by the difficulties that present themselves, and, by God’s grace, surmounting the obstacles, searching out and walking in the footsteps of the Master, knowing that finally they will lead us all the way into death and then to glory.
Of Jesus the Apostle Paul says, that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the Majesty on High. (Heb. 12:2) This joy was set before Jesus in the exceeding great and precious promises which God caused to be recorded for His encouragement. It was not a selfish joy in the sense that the Master was thinking only of the wondrous reward that was to be His. True, He no doubt thrilled at the prospect of returning to the heavenly courts, and of being once more in close association with His Heavenly Father; but in addition to this, there was the prospect of being able, in the divine providence, to dispense blessings of life and happiness to all mankind. Jesus had come in contact with the groanings of Death’s prisoners. He realized what joy it would be for all mankind when once the Messianic Kingdom was established, and life would be flowing out to all.
So a similar joy is set before Jesus’ followers. It is a joy in the prospect of close association with the Heavenly Father and with our beloved Lord Jesus. A joy of being partners with them in the outworkings of the great Divine Plan for the blessing of mankind. What a wondrous hope of glory this is! Had the rich young ruler really comprehended the full significance of what the Master was saying to him, surely he would not have gone away sorrowful. No wonder the Scriptures say to those who are privileged to hear this call to glory, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” (Matt. 13:16) Let us endeavor to manifest our appreciation more and more as the days go by, by increasing zeal in the doing of our Heavenly Father’s will, rejoicing ever in this hope of glory.