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Lesson 23: "Glory to God and the Saints in Christ", Phil. 4: 20-23

June 24, 2020

Read Phil. 4:20-23. Paul closes this great letter to the church in Philippi with a short doxology in v.23, and by asking them to "greet the saints in Christ." A doxology is a short hymn or proclamation of praise to God. Perhaps the best remembered doxology is found in Jude 24, 25. The closing doxology here in Philippians is short, "To our God and Father be glory, forever and ever Amen."

The presence of this doxology should remind us that it is the responsibility of every disciple of Christ to give God glory. Why should we give God the glory? The simple answer is because He is God and there is no one like Him. As the Psalmist says in Ps. 113:4,5, "The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high?"

Anselm who lived in the 11th century formed a simple statement defining Who God is. This statement is commonly known as the Ontological argument for the existence of God. "Ontological" is from the Latin and means "from logic". Anselm's statement was, "God is a being which none greater can be imagined." That is a serious acknowledgement of God's greatness!

So what is glory and how do we give God "glory"? Well glory is the recognition of God's splendor, greatness and majesty. One way we give God this praiseworthy acknowledgement is through worship. Here are four obvious acts of worship where we have the opportunity to give God His glory.

First when we sing "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord." (Eph. 5:19) This is why the songs we choose MUST give glory to God the Father or the Son. Our choice of songs MUST be characterized by this one quality in order to give God His praise!

We also give God His glory in our prayers. When you pray to God you are acknowledging His existence and His ability to give us that which we ask for, if He chooses. In Heb. 11:6 we are told about the necessity of these two beliefs; "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." When we pray with these two sound affirmations we are giving God glory.

When we gather at the Lord's table to take communion we give God the glory. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 11:26, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." Not only in this act are we proclaiming Christ's death, but we are also expressing our confidence in God's promise that Jesus will one day return. (1 Thess. 4:14)

When we give in back to God in the weekly collection we also give God the glory. The most important worldly asset we have is our money. When I give properly back to God, I am saying, "God I value the needs of your kingdom more than what I might acquire with this money." This attitude towards our value of God's kingdom is one that Jesus spoke to in Mt. 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We also should glorify God in our daily lives. in Mt. 5:16, Jesus reminds us, "Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." Paul tells us that even in the most basic actions in life we should consider if God is glorified, 1 Cor. 10:31, "Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Do I thank God and praise Him for my food? What about my choice of beverages? Does my indulgence in or abstinence from alcohol glorify God before men?

In all areas of our lives we are to be different than worldly unregenerate sinners. You and I are called to "present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God." Rom. 12:1,2. Does your life bring glory to the God you claim to serve?

In verses 21-23, Paul concludes this letter by referring to the members of the church as "saints." It is unfortunate that the Catholic church has continued the process of confirming dead believers as "saints" on the basis of their works. That is not the new Testament usage of this word. The Greek word actually means "sacred, blameless and consecrated". This is the word that is used to describe living disciples of Christ. They are "the saints of Christ". All who are in Christ are saints.

So how can we in Christ who are still to some extent imperfect sinful people be "sacred", "blameless" and "consecrated"? Sounds like we are perfect, right?

The answer is that we can only be called "saints" if we are truly in Christ. Because it is only by His life, atoning sacrificial death and resurrection that we acquire this state in the eyes of God.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom.3:23) All men are sinners! "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23) This verse makes it clear that the penalty for any sin and all sin is the same, death. This death is both physical death and eternal punishment.

Read Rom. 5:8-10. Here Paul tells us that God loved us so much that He sent Christ to die for us. Also, Jesus' shed blood saves us from punishment and "justifies" us in God's eyes. Because of Jesus' death on the cross we have gone from being "enemies of God" to being "reconciled" to God.

Furthermore, because of our faith in Jesus Christ we are given "the righteousness of God". (Rom.3:21,22) Our own righteousness is not sufficient for our justification in God's eyes, (Isa. 64:6), (Rom. 3:20) But Christ's righteousness which is the righteousness of God is given to us upon belief. (Rom.4:24)

This is why we all must put on Christ? Paul in Gal. 3:27, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." So that we might through our faith put on His righteousness. Paul in Eph. 5:25-27 tells husbands to "love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." You see Christ "sanctifies" and "cleanses" the believer "with the washing of water by the word."

This is why Peter told those who believed in Jesus as Lord and Christ in Acts 2:38, "Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This is why Ananias told Saul of Tarsus (Paul) in Acts 22;16, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Well this explains the "washing with water", but isn't it by the word?

Certainly and that word is the great confession that the believer must make upon baptism. This confession was the answer that Peter gave Jesus in Mt. 16:15-18, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." These two truths is what Jesus said "He would build His church on." He calls them "this rock". (a boulder, Grk.) This is what the believer MUST believe in order to be saved.

So while baptism is a necessary part of the process in which we are saved and become "saints", yet it is the faith expressed in the confession that must accompany this event to make the act of baptism accomplish it's stated purpose. We just like Noah and his family are saved "through water", not "by the water". (1 Pe. 3:20,21) This is how sinful men and women become "sacred", "blameless", and "consecrated". This is how we become "the saints in Christ."

Study Questions:

1. In Paul's doxology to whom should the "glory be, forever and ever."?

2. What four acts of worship are opportunities for us to give God glory?

3. "Let your ________ so shine before ______that they might see your good _____ and give

___________ to your Father in heaven."

4. What did Jesus give that has "justified us" in Rom. 5:9?

5. To become a saint whose righteousness MUST we have?

6. According to Gal. 3:27, How do we "put on Christ"?

7. What MUST we do to "wash away our sins"?

8. What MUST we confess to be saved?

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