The Characteristics Of Christ's Glory - Bible Witness

The Glory of Christjudgment is upon those who add theirideas and corrupt His glory. Paul wrote inRomans 1:22-24, “Professing themselves tobe wise, they became fools, and changedthe glory of the uncorruptible God into animage made like to corruptible man, and tobirds, and fourfooted beasts, and creepingthings. Wherefore God also gave them upto uncleanness through the lusts of theirown hearts, to dishonour their own bodiesbetween themselves.” It is an abominablething to add our own devices, which arecontrary to God’s own plan, in the pretenceof beautifying further the glory of God.Do you remember the devil’s offer of earthlyglory to Christ? In Matthew 4:8-11, we readabout that incident. “Again, the devil takethhim up into an exceeding high mountain,and sheweth him all the kingdoms of theworld, and the glory of them; and saith untohim, All these things will I give thee, if thouwilt fall down and worship me. Then saithJesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for itis written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thyGod, and him only shalt thou serve. Then thedevil leaveth him, and, behold, angels cameand ministered unto him” (cf. Luke 4:6-8).The devil expected Christ to fall down andworship him at his offer of earthly glory. IfChrist had yielded to the devil’s demand, itwould invariably have proven that Christ’sinherent glory is inferior to the earthly gloryoffered by the devil. But it was not the case.The Lord of glory expressed His utter disgustat the devil’s proposition and banished thedevil from His presence, saying, “Get theehence, Satan.” By these words, the Lord alsodeclared the magnificence and excellenceof His glory. The glory of the Lord is indeedmatchless. All other “glories” fade away inthe eternal brightness of His glory. The Lordalso declared at the face of Satan that “thoushalt worship the Lord thy God, and himonly shalt thou serve.” What an authoritativeaffirmation of His majestic, sovereign glory!Instantly, the usurper, the devil, fled from Hisglorious presence.It is devilish for anyone to think, speak, or doanything as though one’s clever contributionsare needed to enhance Christ’s glory. Wemust remember that we can only be useful inHis hand when we accept our unworthinessand yield to Him in repentance and faith.If we ever engage in self-promotion in Hisglorious presence, He will make us flee, justas He did to the devil.Christ’s Glory is Exclusively HisHis glory is to be His alone. He will not giveto any other. It is neither exchangeable. It isexclusively His. In Isaiah 42:8, the Lord said, “Iam the LORD: that is my name: and my glorywill I not give to another, neither my praiseto graven images” (cf. Isaiah 48:11). Likewise,while He was on earth, Christ also said, “Thatall men should honour the Son, even as theyhonour the Father. He that honoureth notthe Son honoureth not the Father whichhath sent him” (John 5:23).The Lord has prohibited all from ever takingglory in His presence. Paul explained that itis for His own glory that He designed thesalvation of sinners, so no Christian shouldtake glory to himself. “But God hath chosenthe foolish things of the world to confoundthe wise; and God hath chosen the weakthings of the world to confound the thingswhich are mighty; and base things of theworld, and things which are despised, hathGod chosen, yea, and things which are not,to bring to nought things that are: that noflesh should glory in his presence. But ofhim are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is8 Bible Witness