(g): Hope of Glorification

Driving home: There is no higher or more glorious position than being a son, a daughter of the living God. There is none.

The transformation of an 'ugly, worm-like' caterpillar into a beautiful monarch butterfly illustrates how believers, though presently children of God, are a 'work in progress' and their full glorious state is 'not yet manifested'.

Let me give you a simple illustration. Most of you regard caterpillars as ugly, little, furry, worm-like creatures. Most women, anyway. Now there may be some of you men who are fascinated with bugs and things, who like to get down close to them and admire their colors, but for the most part, I think any time I've seen a woman see a caterpillar, yuck, nothing attractive.

19:13 - 19:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It will mean nothing less than a sinless soul inhabiting a deathless body.

Martin describes God's electing love purposing to save a multitude of sinners and, when finished, planting them next to His Son, saying, 'you're just like him,' illustrating the ultimate goal of glorification.

And then Ephesians 1.5, in love having predestined us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, that choice of God, of a vast multitude, of sinners out of Adam's race, he purposed from the very, how can we speak of these things, from the very first impulses of his choosing love, that when he was done with us, he could plant us next to his Son and say you're just like him. As a creature, he's the God, second person in the Godhead, the Creator, the Sovereign Lord and Ruler. But in turn, in terms of perfected humanity in a glorified body, we shall be like him. That is the essence o...

23:37 - 24:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It will mean nothing less than a sinless soul inhabiting a deathless body.

Martin quotes J.I. Packer's definition of glorification as 'a sinless soul inhabiting a deathless body' to concisely summarize the essence of being made like Christ.

It will mean nothing less than a sinless soul inhabiting a deathless body.

24:45 - 24:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The essence of glorification is being made like Christ, meaning a sinless soul inhabiting a deathless body, not deification. This transformation will occur at the second coming of…

The 'cosmetology of the undertaker' is used to highlight the dishonor and ugliness of a body sown in corruption, contrasting it with the glory of the resurrection body.

It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown with all of the marks of death all over it in spite of the cosmetology of the undertaker. It's sown in dishonor.

27:28 - 27:45 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are not continually purifying yourself, your hope is a vain hope with no biblical basis.

The conscious, deliberate actions required in ritual purification (washing hands, abstaining from touching dead bodies or sexual relations) are used to illustrate that believers must be 'consciously active' in their spiritual self-purification.

described. And this may be why John used this rather unusual word rather than the standard word for pursuing holiness. Because in ritual purification, the one to be purified is consciously active. He washes his hands.

45:07 - 45:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Never come to a place where you say your life is respectable enough or you can coast in your pursuit of holiness.

The Father's declaration, 'This is my Son, my beloved, in whom I'm well pleased,' is used to illustrate Christ's perfect inward purity, as the Father saw every motion, disposition, and inclination of Jesus' heart.

That's not what the text says. The text says, Everyone that has this hope set on Him continually purifies himself, even as His standard is Christ Himself. It's not only free from outward violations of the law of God, but the inward violations of motive, of desire, of reaction to wrong, of a disposition in a situation of misunderstanding. He was concerned with the state of His own heart, so that when the Father from heaven said, This is my Son, my beloved, in whom I'm well pleased, the Father who saw every motion of the heart of Jesus, every disposition of the Spirit of Jesus, every inclination...

48:59 - 50:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Reject 'casualism' and 'contented-ism' in your spiritual life; engage in radical hacking and hewing of sin and add all diligence to your faith.

Martin quotes John Cotton, a 17th-century Puritan, stating that 'Every Christian who hopes to be like Christ hereafter in glory cleanses himself, to be like Christ in grace now,' reinforcing the sermon's main application.

John Cotton, 17th century Puritan, stated the truth of this text this way, Every Christian who hopes to be like Christ hereafter in glory cleanses himself, to be like Christ in grace now. Every Christian who hopes to be like Christ hereafter in glory cleanses himself to be like Christ in grace now. And dear people, this part of my text cuts the nerve, the life, lets out the lifeblood, of, of two soul-destructive errors. Hear me carefully. On the one hand, the error of perfectionism. There are those who have taught that it is possible, by the grace of God and by the infilling and empowering of ...

50:37 - 51:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Get serious about dealing with heart sins and sinful patterns, laying hold of Christ and His grace for provision and strength.

Martin quotes Robert Murray McShane's desire to 'love thee with unsinning' to inspire believers towards a deep, pure love for Christ, linking it to present self-cleansing.

May God grant that the Lord himself will deal graciously with you, that you might have the joyful, unbounded delight of saying with Robert Murray McShane, When I see thee as thou art, love thee with unsinning. No one will say that who is not presently cleansing himself. No one will say that who is not presently cleansing himself. No one will say that who is not presently cleansing himself.

57:50 - 58:24 Read in full sermon