In this episode, the Clearview staff sit down to talk about the importance of furthering education. If you have any topics you’d like for us to discuss, be sure to email us at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org!
Episode 34: Furthering Education
Clearview Follow-up: Envious Mind
Envious Mind by Pastor Abidan Shah
ENVIOUS MIND by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: People often associate certain colors with certain moods, emotions, or attitudes. Red = Anger; Blue = Sadness/Peaceful; Yellow = Fear/Weakness; Gold = Greed/Rich; Purple = Pride/Royalty; Green = Envy. In our western society, we call Envy the Green-Eyed Monster because green is a color associated with sickness. Sometimes when people get sick their skin takes on a slightly yellow/green tinge. So also, when a person is infected with Envy, their demeanor/countenance takes on a sick appearance, if you know what I mean. Here’s the message in a nutshell: An envious mind will take your focus away from God and his goodness and leave you sick in your spirit with doubts and resentment. What you need is the mind of Christ. What you need is the replacing of your false assumptions with biblical truth and principles.
Philippians 1 14“and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18What then? Onlythatin every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
Question: Do you have an envious mind? Are you struggling with doubts and resentment? How do you feel when someone in your field or age group or social circle, even at church, starts advancing? Are you happy or are you resentful? Are you saved?
Premise: For the benefit of those who weren’t here last week, let me once again sketch for you how we work as human beings. Keep in mind that psychology is a very complex and highly nuanced subject but I’m making it simple for us to understand. In life, all of us have certain EXPECTATIONS. They can be our personal goals in life or how we expect things to turn out through circumstances. These expectations are motivated by certain ASSUMPTIONSthat we have accumulated through life. When expectations don’t turn out according to our assumptions, they lead to FRUSTRATIONS. These can be manifested as anxiety, guilt, and resentment. I gave you some examples last time from the subject of material success and marriage. Here’s another example from the subject of raising children. If you’re expectation is that “My child can do no wrong. He/she is perfect,” then you’re in for a lot of frustrations in life. Not only will they disappoint you but they will destroy their life as well. They will go through life thinking that they are the center of the universe and expect you to defend and bail them out. Where did this expectation come from? It came from false assumptions. Maybe it’s because you think that children have no sin nature and they don’t need to be disciplined or corrected. Maybe it’s because your parents were too harsh on you and you swore that you would never do that with your children. Maybe it’s because you are trying to copy the pattern of how your friends are raising their children. These assumptions can come from a myriad of places. What has to change are your assumptions. They have to be replaced by BIBLICAL TRUTHS. Replacing false assumptions with biblical truths is another way of saying “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” When this happens, instead of expectations, you’ll have PROMISESand instead of frustrations, you’ll have FRUITS.
Context: Last week we learned that the Philippians had a fearful mind. Today we’re going to see that they also had an envious mind.Listen again to Philippians 1:14“and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” When word got out that Paul was reaching the praetorian guards in prison, other pastors and leaders became more courageous in sharing the gospel. Unfortunately, human nature is prone to sin and evil.Although some were preaching for the right reasons, some were for an ulterior motive. Listen to verse 15“Some indeed preach Christ even from envyand strife…”To begin with, don’t confuse Envy with Jealousy.“Jealousy” is “I have something that I will not share with you.” For e.g. a jealous boyfriend or girlfriend. “Envy”is “You have something that I wish I had and so I resent you for it.” Jealousy is possessive and Envy is resentful.
The Greek word that Paul uses for envy is the word “phthonos.” It is found only 10 times in the New Testament in various forms. First time in Matthew and Mark when Pilate asked the people “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus?” It says in Mark 15:10“For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.” Pilate must have noticed their “evil eyes.” The chief priests were envious of Jesus because the people loved him and not them. It is a residue of our life before Christ – Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” We are to lay aside envy and grow in Christ – I Peter 2:1-2 “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
Paul identifies for us the source of this envy in some of the preachers and leaders: Listen to verse16“The former preach Christ from selfish ambition…” (There is a situation of verse inversion happening here in some versions that I don’t have time to get into but it does not change the meaning of the passage.)Some of the leaders were saying, “How come Paul is getting all this attention from prison? Are we any less than Paul? Are we not going through similar suffering? The other day some of the Roman soldiers roughed us up too.” Paul calls their behavior “erithea” = “selfish ambition” because they were more concerned about gaining notoriety rather than seeking lost souls. Furthermore, they were also trying to send word to Paul that they were winning more souls than him. 16“The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains.” This behavior represented their ungodly assumptions. What were Paul’s assumptions/biblical truths?18 “What then? Onlythatin every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” Wow!
Why did Paul go into all this detail about the brethren in the Lord who were preaching out of envy and selfish ambition? Because the same behavior was being displayed among the Philippian believers. Listen to Philippian 2 1Therefore if there isany consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, beingof one accord, of one mind. 3Letnothingbe donethrough selfish ambitionor conceit…” It is the same word “erithea” that he used to describe the envious brethren. Apparently, the Philippians had the same assumptions. Paul was exposing their sin in a roundabout way.
Envy coming from selfish ambition has been around for a long time.
- Lucifer became envious of God and wanted a share of the worship.
- Eve envied God and wanted to have His knowledge.
- Cainkilled his brother Abel because he envied his sacrifice.
- Down through the ages, brothers have been envying each other –Esau envied Jacob. Joseph was envied by his brothers. Moses was envied by his brother and sister. David was envied by his brothers and later by Saul.
- Don’t think that only men get infected with envy.Rachel and Leah envied each other in the OT and Mary and Martha in the NT.Envy is an Equal Gender Employer.
Do you struggle with envy? How do you feel when a friend gets a better job or finds a relationship and you don’t? How do you feel when you see someone on a vacation having a great time and you’re stuck because of health, money, or work? You have children who seem average or sick but then there are other families that have healthy children and great performers. Then the big source of envy – HOW YOU LOOK. Why do I have a weight problem, height problem? I don’t like my nose, my chin, my eyes and on and on. We often feel like God is so unfair in giving looks. The only way you can handle envy is by replacing your false assumptions with biblical truths. Listen to Paul in Philippians 4 11“…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Are you a victim of envy? One way God deals with envy is that He crucifies the one being envied. If I were God, I would crucify the one who is envying – right? Not really. As someone said, “He never makes the path of greater fruitfulness enviable.”When you have a problem with someone because of envy, God says “I will crucify that guy for you.” Cain– you have a problem with Abel, I will take him early in life; Ishmael– you have a problem with Isaac, I will take him up on Mt. Moriah and sacrifice him; Esau– you have a problem with Jacob, I will keep him running all his life; Joseph’s brothers– you have a problem with Joseph, I will have him sold into slavery; David’s brothers– you have a problem with David, I will keep him running from cave to cave hunted by Saul. Chief Priests– you have a problem with Jesus, I will crucify him. Don’t misunderstand: Through their pain and trials God blesses them even more but he removes every opportunity for you to envy that person.
How do you beat Envy? Become grateful to God. Become an encourager to others.
Are you saved?
Clearview Follow-up: FEARFUL MIND
A fearful mind will either leave you paralyzed or cause you to flee. What you need is the mind of Christ. What you need is the replacing of your false assumptions about life and future with biblical truth and principles. Do you have the mind of Paul which was like the mind of Christ or do you have the mind of the Philippians filled with false assumptions? Check out this week’s Clearview Follow-up on “FEARFUL MIND” by Pastor Abidan Shah!
Fearful Mind by Pastor Abidan Shah
ROADBLOCKS TO RESETTING YOUR MIND – FEARFUL MIND by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: People have all sorts of phobias. Some people are afraid of snakes, spiders, heights, enclosed spaces, lightning, public speaking, needles, water, etc. Some of these fears are understandable and even healthy but then there is a kind of fear that actually becomes a roadblock to having the mind of Christ. We’re still in our series titled MIND (RE)SET from Philippians 2:5-11 and today’s message is called “FEARFUL MIND.” Here’s the message in a nutshell: A fearful mind will either leave you paralyzed or cause you to flee. What you need is the mind of Christ. What you need is the replacing of your false assumptions about life and future with biblical truth and principles.
Philippians 1 12But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happenedto me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Question: Do you have a fearful mind? Are you paralyzed or have you fled? You might say, “I’m not fearful, just cautious.” There’s a big difference between fear and caution. Caution is seeing a warning sign and slowing down and steering carefully around the hurdle. Fear is pulling over and cancelling the trip. Many Christians have pulled over and cancelled their trip. Some have even turned back. Is that you? Are you saved? Jesus said in Mark 5:36“Do not be afraid; only believe.”Have you believed in Jesus?
Background:Before we dive into our message, let me explain as simply as possible how we work as human beings. In life, all of us have certain EXPECTATIONS. They can be our personal goals in life or how we expect things to turn out through circumstances. These expectations are motivated by certain ASSUMPTIONSthat we have accumulated through life. When expectations don’t turn out according to our assumptions, they lead us to FRUSTRATIONS. These can be manifested as anxiety, guilt, and resentment. To give you an example: You see a person who is driven to succeed. He wants to be rich. Nothing wrong with being rich. Lots of godly people in the Bible were rich. Unfortunately, the market crashes or health goes bad and he does not achieve what he wanted. The result is anxiety, stress, anger, addiction, relationship problems, etc. We can treat some of these issues but it doesn’t change this person’s attitude towards what has happened. I’m actually talking about saved people. They know their expectations are wrong but they feel helpless. The real problem is not their expectations but their assumptions. If they grew up learning that if you want to please dad or mom, you have to be rich, then their assumption is that not being rich is failing to please dad or mom. Or, if they wrongly learned that money will make them happy, then they are now sad because they are not. There are other examples (marriage, work, spiritual life) but the diagram is the same. What has to change is our assumptions. They have to be replaced by BIBLICAL TRUTHS. Replacing false assumptions with biblical truths is another way of saying “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” When this happens, instead of expectations, we have PROMISESand instead of frustrations, we have FRUITS.
Context: Paul wrote to the Philippians about the mind of Christ because they had some false assumptions which were leading to false expectations with frustrations. One such was fear. They had a fearful mind. Listen to Philippians 1 27“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28and not in any way terrifiedby your adversaries…” The Greek word for terrified is “pturomai,” which Paul uses only here. In Classical Greek it was used to describe a horse getting spooked in battle. It would get startled by loud noises or shrieks and it would bolt through the battlefield, stampeding anyone in his path. The Philippians were terrified of their opponents and they were ready to cut and run.
The Philippians were operating under certain false assumptions. Some of these assumptions were coming from their past lives, which we can only speculate about. They were probably fatalistic– things will be what they will be. Based on Paul’s letter, they were selfish – lookout for yourself. They probably assumed that being a Christian means no more problems. These false assumptions came with wrong expectations. Recently, some more of their expectations had been dashed. They had been keeping up with what was happening to Paul, their founder.Listen again to Philippians 1:12“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happenedto me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” What “things” happened to Paul? Paul was in Roman custody when he wrote this letter. To get the background of his arrest, you have to read starting in Acts 21where Paul was falsely accused in Jerusalem of profaning the Temple. The mob at the instigation of the corrupt religious leaders had tried to kill Paul but fortunately he was taken into custody by the Romans. After several years of waiting in prison, Paul was finally transferred to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. All this news must have gotten out to the churches and destroyed their morale. Their leader was in prison and waiting for his execution. It’s over for him and soon it’ll be over for us. The Philippians were no different, especially since Paul had founded the church. Having these expectations dashed must have led to some frustrations.Scholars used to think that Philippians was Paul’s letter of joy and pride but now this view is changing. If you read between the lines, they had plenty of issues: fear, anxiety, disunity, selfishness, conceit, etc.
So, what did Paul say to them? Listen again to verse 12“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happenedto me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” In other words, “what happened to me is a blessing in disguise.” For 2 reasons:
- Verse13“so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ.” While in Roman custody, Paul was reaching out to the praetorian. They were the emperor’s personal troops and bodyguards. Look up my message titled “Perspective” in this series and you will see how powerful this group was. According to some sources, there were as many as 9000 of them camped outside of Rome. They are now hearing the gospel from Paul! Similar to dad preaching when mom was in the hospital.
- Verse 14“and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more boldto speak the word without fear.” There’s the word “fear” from the Greek word “phobos.” When word got out to the brethren (leaders and pastors in the early church) that Paul was sharing the gospel in prison, instead of cowering and hiding, they started to become more and more bold in preaching the gospel. Billy Graham once said“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.”
How could Paul be so bold in the face of execution while the Philippians were terrified by their adversaries? Because Paul had the mind of Christ. Paul had certain biblical truths that the Philippians didn’t. He is listing them all along:
- Philippians 1:6“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will completeituntil the day of Jesus Christ.” God always finishes what he starts in our lives. That’s his job.
- Philippians 1:18“What then? Onlythatin every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” Rejoicing is not playing safe but preaching Christ. The goal is to preach Christ.
- Philippians 1:21“For to me, to liveisChrist, and to dieisgain.” A believer cannot lose in life or in death.
- Philippians 1:29“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Suffering is not a mark of abandonment but a mark of advancement.
Do you have the mind of Paul which was like the mind of Christ or do you have the mind of the Philippians filled with false assumptions?
- Do you constantly worry that things will fall apart?
- Do you constantly try to control your circumstances and try to play it safe?
- How do you respond when people or situations push you out of the safe zone?
Are you saved?
I John 4:18 says, “he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
Clearview Follow-up: YIELD
Christian life is learning to yield to God and his work in our lives. Don’t misunderstand. Yielding does not mean being neutral. It is cooperating with God in transforming our mind. Do you have the mind of Christ? Are you cooperating with God in his work in your life? It is in community that the mind is shaped? Are you involved? Are you saved? #clearviewlyfe
Yield by Pastor Abidan Shah
YIELD by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: When the kids were little, they would try to help me around the yard and fix things in the house. I am talking about very little! I remember this one time one of them was trying to help me dig in the flower bed with a shovel. She was way too small to hold the shovel and way too weak to push it in the ground. But every time I said, “let me help you.” She’d say, “No. I do it.” Finally, somehow, I convinced her to let me help her and sure enough it was much easier. So also, in the Christian life, many Christians have the “I do it” mindset. I can change my life. I can live for God. I can serve God. I can please God. It works for a little while and then they quickly realize that they can’t change on their own or live for God. In fact, they end up making a big mess and get discouraged and disillusioned. Christian life is learning to yield to God and his work in our lives. Don’t misunderstand. Yielding does not mean being neutral. It is cooperating with God in transforming our mind.We’re in our series called MIND (RE)SET from Philippians 2and our message today is titled YIELD.
Philippians 2 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11andthatevery tongue should confess that Jesus ChristisLord, to the glory of God the Father.
Question: How is your Christian life? Is it filled with disappointments and failures? Are you ready to cooperate with God? Are you saved? Do you have the mind of Christ?
Context: Listen again to verse 5“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” You may not be aware of it but there has been a big debate over this simple verse in the past 50 years. Is Paul calling us to imitate Christ or is he calling us to celebrate Christ? If you think it is imitation, think for a moment – can you truly imitate Christ in this passage?Can you truly humble yourself like Jesus did? Can you truly become obedient to the point of death? Then, there is a bigger question – Will God really exalt you like he exalted Jesus? Does that mean that your enemies will bow before you? Will he give you a new name like Jesus? Absolutely not! To the contrary, some scholars have claimed that this is simply a celebration of Christ and that it is “kerygmatic” not “exemplary.” That’s where the idea of Philippians 2:5-11being a hymn comes from. It is very important that we understand what Paul really meant here because it makes a profound difference in how we see God’s work in our lives. I want to give you 3 words that will help you:
1. Possess – If you are saved, you already possess the mind of Christ.
Let’s back up for a moment: The Mind is the immaterial part of us and the Body is the material. Both are equally important. Both are equally affected by sin. Both are redeemed by the work of Jesus. The redemption has already begun and will be completed one day in the future. Since this passage is focused on the Mind, I want to set the Body aside for the moment. What makes up our mind? God made our mind. It is a product of the genetic combination of our parents/grandparents. Hence, it displays their characteristics in how we think, feel, and behave. It also brings through them our sin nature, coming all the way from our first parents Adam and Eve. Our mind is also shaped by our worldview, how we grew up. Finally, it is shaped and reshaped by our circumstances and the choices we make. We accumulate certain assumptions in life, good and bad. They can be about money, success, sex, people, self, past, future, etc.
What happens when we get saved? God gives us a new mind. Ephesians 4:23-24 “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Does that mean that we are walking around with 2 different minds trying to choose between them? The new is not like a new computer without any problems. It is actually the mind of Christ. Listen to I Corinthians 2:16“For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”The Mind of Christ is the mindset of Christ, his disposition and character. Paul tells us in the verses leading up to verse 16 what it’s like:
- It is given to us by the Holy Spirit– 10“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.”
- It can only be received by those who are saved–14“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
- It gives us spiritual discernment– 15“But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.”
Application:If you are saved, then you have the spiritual mind. Listen carefully: If you think of the mind of Christ as something external that you have to create or aspire to or imitate, it will never happen. You will fail and fail miserably. If you are lost, you only have the natural mind. Do you have the mind of Christ?
2. Passive – Your role in appropriating and imitating the mind of Christ is passive.
Listen again to verse 5“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” When I was studying that verse in the original Greek, I noticed that a wide range of Greek manuscripts use the word “phroneistho” instead of “phroneite.” The first is present passive imperative third person singular and the second is present active imperative second person plural. I believe that the present passive is better represented and fits the context and theology better. The translation is not “have this mind among you” or “think this way” or “set your mind.” It is “let yourself so think” or “let this be thought in you” or “let this mind be in you.”In other words, cooperate with God in having the mind of Christ. Go back to the beginning of this letter – Philippians 1:6“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will completeituntil the day of Jesus Christ.”The “good work” that Paul is referring to verse is God’s work of salvation and the “day of Jesus Christ” is the day when he will return for us. Again, Philippians 1:11“being filled with the fruits of righteousness whichareby Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Does a tree stress and struggle over bearing fruit? Of course not. If the conditions are right, the tree cannot help but bear fruit. Then, after having gone before the passage, we need to read after Philippians 2:11. Listen to verse 12“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who works in you both to will and to do forHisgood pleasure.”
Application:Are you cooperating with God? Are you allowing him to make the mind of Christ real in you? It’s an A-B-C process:
- ACKNOWLEDGE that there is a transformation that has taken place. Romans 12:2“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
- BEWARE of old thoughts. Colossians 3:2“Set your mindon things above, not on things on the earth.” 2 Corinthians 10:5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivityto the obedience of Christ,
- COMMIT to the renewal of the mind. Colossians 3 9“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10and have put on the newmanwho is renewed in knowledgeaccording to the image of Him who created him.”
3. Plural – The Mind of Christ is not developed in isolation but in community.
5Let this mind be in you (you all) which was also in Christ Jesus
Invitation:Do you have the mind of Christ? Are you cooperating with God in his work in your life? It is in community that the mind is shaped? Are you involved? Are you saved?
Episode 33: The National Day of Prayer
In this episode, the Clearview staff sit down to talk about the National Day of Prayer. If you have any topics you’d like for us to discuss, be sure to email us at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org! Hope you enjoy.
Clearview Follow-Up: GLORY
The glory of God is something that we has humans can scarcely understand. This morning’s message was eye-opening, especially for me! This week, challenge yourself to reflect on how you can reflect God’s glory in your life.
Glory by Pastor Abidan Shah
GLORY by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: How many of ya’ll remember growing up when you were walking out the door, your parents telling you “Better behave out there because you represent us?” There were times I did a very poor job representing/displaying my parents. Then there were times that I did make them proud. I distinctly remember the time in first grade when I came home with the “first in class” badge/pin. My dad was so proud! He bragged on me to everybody in church. I didn’t understand the big deal until later on. By getting the rank of first in class, I was telling the world that my parents were doing a great job. In other words, I was displaying them well. Today’s message is titled “GLORY.” Here’s the message in a nutshell: God’s glory is who he is and all that he is. I glorify God when I display who he is and all that he is.
Philippians 2 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11andthatevery tongue should confess that Jesus ChristisLord, to the glory of God the Father.
Question: Are you glorifying God in your life? How are you displaying God in your home, marriage, neighborhood, workplace, grocery store, restaurant, and church? You cannot display him until you belong to him. Do you belong to him? Are you saved?
1. What is the meaning of the word “glory?”
The word “glory” comes from the Greek word “doxa” from which we get our other English word “doxology.” Depends on which church tradition you come from, there is the “Gloria patri” or the “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” To understand the true meaning of the word “doxa,” we need to first turn to the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The word “doxa” is found over 400 times in the LXX and mostly to translate the Hebrew noun “Kabod.” That word kabod has the meaning of “abundance” and “wealth.” Other times it means “importance,” “influence,” “reputation,” and “honor.” Most importantly, it is used for the honor/splendor of God. A good example is Exodus 33:18“And he (Moses) said, ‘Please, show me Your glory(kabod).’” God told Moses that he will allow his goodness to pass before him but he cannot see his face because no man can see his face and live. Then he promised him that while his glory(kabod) passes by, he will put him in the cleft/split of the rock and cover him with his hand and Moses will see his back. Still he cannot see his face. Talk about a deep passage! You can also find the same word at the end of Ezekiel 1. After he had visions of God, it says in verse 28“…This wasthe appearance of the likeness of the glory(kabod) of the LORD…” David sings in Psalm 26:8“Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glorydwells.” InNehemiah 9:5, the Levites cried to the people “…Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever! ‘Blessed be Your glorious name…’” I can go on and on. “Kabod” means the splendor, the radiance, and all the godness of God.” The Greek translators used the word “doxa” to translate “kabod.” The word “doxa” in Classical Greek simply meant “reputation” and “honor.” Now “doxa” became “God’s good, splendorous, and glorious reputation.”
In the New Testament, the word doxa appears over 160 times and many times to declare God’s good, splendorous, and glorious reputation.
John 11:4 When Jesus heardthat (Lazarus was sick),He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory (doxa) of God, that the Son of God may be glorified (doxa)through it.”
John 17:5“And now, O Father, glorify(doxa) Me together with Yourself, with the glorywhich I had with You before the world was.”
I can give many more but for time’s sake, Revelation 19:1After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory (doxa)and honor and powerbelongto the Lord our God!”
2. How did Jesus bring glory to God the Father?
Even though Jesus was equal in form/nature with the Father, he did not try to grasp or snatch at equality with God. Instead, he left his throne, came down on earth, and took the form of a slave. Sometimes people say that he left his glory behind. Not true. John 1:14“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory (doxa), the glory (doxa)as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Then, Jesus died the ultimate death of a slave, the crucifixion.
Through this act of humility and obedience, Jesus displayed God the father’s good, splendorous, and glorious reputation.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost HOLINESS by drinking the bitter cup in the garden of Gethsemane.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost LOVE by allowing his father to suffer the pain of pouring his wrath upon him.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost FAITHFULNESS by submitting to the suffering on the cross.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost TRUSTWORTHINESS by surrendering his spirit into his hands.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost TRIUMPH by subduing the demonic hordes.
- He displayed God the Father’s utmost GRACE by becoming the name by which all can be saved.
Jesus glorified God the Father through his life and death.
3. How do we bring glory to God?
People have a lot of misunderstandings about the glory of God.
- They look at the beauty in nature and call that the glory of God.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”
True but it’s fallen and waiting for redemption.
Romans 8 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthyto be comparedwith the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjecteditin hope;21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
- They look at the good in human beings and call that the glory of God.
Psalm 8 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
True but unfortunately man is dead in trespasses and sins.
John 5:41 “I do not receive honor from men.”
- They look at some quiet, ornate, and vast church building and call that the glory of God.
When people claim that contemporary worship takes them away from holiness and hence from the glory, here’s my answer: “Hiding behind liturgies to peddle unbiblical theologies is anything but holy. It is deceptive and God knows the true intent. We cannot use God’s ‘glory’ as a fog to hide our sin.”
God’s glory is who he is and all that he is. I glorify God when I display who he is and all that he is. Let me say it another way: When I follow the example of Jesus in my life, I bring glory to God the Father. When I live the life of the cross, I bring glory to God.
- If I am jealous, I’m displaying a God who is unable to meet my needs.
- If I am bitter, I’m displaying a God who is unable to heal.
- If I am lustful, I’m displaying a God who winks at sin.
Invitation: Are you glorifying God? Are you saved?