The final part of our salvation which is called glorification will transition us from earth to heaven and make us suitable for dwelling with God for eternity.
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV)
Our glorification will be the final defeat of death and sin’s power in our lives and in God’s creation.
Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Romans 8:20-23 (NLT)
At the new birth, through forgiveness and justification, we were delivered from the penalty of sin. Jesus took the consequences of our sin upon himself, releasing us from our unpayable debt to God and giving to us His righteousness in exchange. This relates to the salvation of our spirits.
Through our identification with Christ’s death and resurrection we have been set free from sin’s power and its ability to dominate us. Even though we still have an inherited propensity to sin, called the “flesh,” it has been rendered “inactive” or “ineffective” and otherwise stripped of its intimidating and oppressive power to dominate our lives. The salvation of our souls, or spiritual transformation, requires that we apply this great truth to our lives by faith so that we can experience the victory Christ won for us through reliance upon the Holy Spirit. It is an ongoing battle that must be fought every day.
Glorification will be the grand finale which removes sin’s very presence from our lives. After resurrection, we will no longer have an inherited propensity to sin because our “flesh” will have been replaced by that which is eternal and without corruption.
Afterward, we will no longer have to struggle with the battle between flesh and spirit because that great enemy called the self-life will have been destroyed forever!
Glorification takes care of the problem we now have by our being creatures caught between two worlds. We have been uniquely created to intersect the spiritual world and the natural one, but because sin brought death to our natural bodies, we are no longer suited for eternity without having a major overhaul. The resurrection and glorification provide just that. Every hindrance to experiencing a blessed eternity will be removed in one glorious moment!
Work of Christ | Justification | Transformation | Glorification |
Definition | We were declared not guilty by God and given Christ’s perfect right standing with him. | Jesus freed us from the enslaving power of sin, which allows the Holy Spirit to work into us what Christ has accomplished. | Our bodies are set free from the curse of sin and death. Our souls are released from the struggle between flesh and spirit. |
Timing | Past – once for all (immediate) at the cross | Past and present. Although, we were redeemed at the cross, each day we appropriate grace for transformation by faith and reliance upon the Spirit. | Future – The resurrection will take place at the return of Christ which will fulfill our great salvation. We now live in hope of this great event. |
Result | We were delivered from the penalty of sin. | We are overcoming sin’s power to rule us. | We will be delivered from the very presence of sin. |
Questions for Further Study and Discussion
- God created us to interface with both the natural and the spiritual dimensions. How comfortable are you at present with navigating both realms?
- Why do you think it was necessary for God to first deliver us from the penalty of sin before we can experience freedom from its power? (Hint: Romans 8:1-2)
- How do you imagine our existence will be minus the downward pull of the flesh?
