Galatians 1:11-24
Tuesday, 1 December 2020
“And they were glorifying God because of me.” -Galatians 1:24
Glory represents the presence of God. His glory is displayed in Exodus 16:7 & 24:16. Only Jesus could display God’s glory fully as stated in Hebrews 1:3: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being.” We cannot add to God’s glory but we are called to reflect and manifest the divine glory in and through our lives. Paul in our key verse says people glorified God because of him—because of His great grace by which God was pleased to reveal His Son in Paul.
God was glorified in Paul not just by his life but by the preaching of the Gospel as well. For Paul, the gospel was all about God’s glory that is why he was able to say in Phil. 1:20 “Christ will even now, as always, be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” He was transformed into the written epistle of God, known and read by all men “….so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” (2Cor. 4:15)
To those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord—made alive with Christ and in whom the Holy Spirit indwells —He abides in them in all His divine fullness and glory (Col.2:9,10) so that we become complete in Him.
It is the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit to enable us reflect His glory and at the same time help us to glorify God!
A few ways that can help us to glorify God:
WE CAN GLORIFY GOD
By doing His will John 17:4 “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” As Jesus set us an example by doing His Father’s will so are we called to do.
By our good works Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus the Light of the world shines through us that we may draw others to Him.
Through developing our inward beauty 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, and are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” We are changed more and more into His glorious image as we yield to the Spirit to bring that inward change within us. That inward change will be reflected in our outward actions.
Through our patient suffering 2 Corinthians 4:16–17. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Persevering under trials is the road to maturity. Our patience at such times glorifies God.
Through humbling ourselves Jesus exemplified what it was to do nothing out of selfish ambition but in humility consider others better than oneself. He humbled Himself and died on the cross for us thus bringing glory to God (Phil 2:1-11).
2Cor.4:6 says, ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.’ As people see Christ Jesus in us it will lead them to the saving grace of the gospel of their salvation.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, may Your life in me bring glory to God as I yield to the Holy Spirit to change me into Your glorious image day by day. Amen.