Seeking to Glorify our LORD God
“Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.” -John 15:8 [KJV]
When
the Lord Jesus Christ was upon the earth He was in a suffering state;
and to this suffering image must all His people be conformed. In that
suffering state He brought glory to God, and is now exalted to the right
hand of the Father. So those who suffer with Him will be also glorified
together; and glorious indeed they will be, for they will shine like
the stars forever and ever, resplendent in the glorified image of the
Son of God. The apostle therefore says, “When Christ Who is our life
shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
The
Lord did not assume angelic nature. He therefore did not adorn or
beautify it; but by assuming our nature, the flesh and blood of the
children into union with His own divine Person, He invested it with
surpassing luster. This is the foundation on which a redeemed sinner
brings glory to God, not in himself, but as being a member of Christ,
“of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”
What a thought it
is, that the lowest believer should actually bring more glory to God
than the highest angel; and that the suffering obedience of a saint
should be of higher value than the burning obedience of a seraph. To
bring glory to God, then, should be our highest aim and most ardent
desire. How the Lord urges this upon the consciences of His true
disciples, “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” A
little fruit brings but little glory to God. It is in proportion to the
amount of rich, ripe fruit that is borne upon the branches of the vine,
that the Lord is glorified.
-preacher J.C. Philpot (1802–1869 A.D.)
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