Lesson 35 March 20, 2002

3. The believer's glorification 8:18-25

- How has the light of what is coming, your glorification, impacted your life?

* Definition: Glorification is the future act of God towards every believer; it makes the final application of the cross work of Jesus Christ making us like Him in Body, Soul, and Spirit!

All those called, justified are the same ones glorified, [8:29-30]

In 8:18-25 notice carefully that there is a recurring idea through out!

That of anticipation of glorification.

Who gets straightened out first?

Why is creation dependant on man getting straightened out?

Ø 8:18 The Future of the Believer

"For I consider"

What is it that Paul has been thinking through very carefully?

- the sufferings of this present time

- His conclusion: are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed to us.

- We can characterize the sufferings of this age in three ways.

#1 [same as vs.17b] Suffering that arises directly from our profession of faith in a world that rejects Christ. [persecution]

#2 Suffering that is the direct result of sin in the life.

#3 Suffering that arises from living in a world that is under the curse of the fall. sickness-disease

What Paul is saying here is that when weighed in the balance against true and lasting value the glory that is to be ours, the suffering endured in this life pales to insignificance.

- What we do know is that we are to be glorified with Christ; to share His glory [v.17c]; we will appear with Him in glory! Col. 3:4; 2 Ths. 1:10

What is glory?

- do,xa used to translate the Heb. DAbk' heavy, weighty

- What Paul has a reference to here with "the glory to be unveiled or revealed" is even greater; and its still future!

- The question now becomes, what has to happen for us to get there, to realize this glory?