Glorification

THE LAST step of salvation reads this way: “Whom He justified, these He also glorified.” – Romans 8:30. This brings us to the history of Joseph. Joseph, despised, cast into a pit, sold for twenty pieces of silver into the hands of the heathen, and is carted off to Egypt. There he is eventually exalted at the right hand of the king and glorified exceedingly.

Beginning, then, with God’s eternal, sovereign purpose in Abraham, and ending with glorification in Joseph, we have predestination, calling, justification and glorification. It is no wonder that Paul continues in Romans:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32.

What God begins He will surely finish.

Then Paul continues with an interesting verse:

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” – Romans 8:33.

If it is true that whom He did predestines, He calls, and justifies, and then also glorifies, then it certainly follows that there is none that can lay anything to the charge of God’s elect; for it is God who is accomplishing the justifying. It is God Himself who has declared the sinner righteous through faith. To support his point further, Paul adds another question and answer in the very next verse:

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” – Romans 8:34.

We should not be one bit surprised that Paul ends his questioning by seemingly crying out in the next verse:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” – Romans 8:35.

Paul states the same truth positively in his second letter addressed to his protégé Timothy:

“I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” – 2 Timothy 1:12.

Yes, salvation is most definitely all of the Lord.

Adapted and modified excerpts from Studies in the Life of Abraham by M. R. De Haan (1891-1964)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.