Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Deeper Teaching by Kenton Cheek

He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, In whom I will show My glory.”[1]

This morning I asked the Lord to show me the way.  I asked Him to show me His glory.  He told me that His glory is being revealed in me and all of His sons and daughters.  When I returned from my prayer walk, I decided to inquire of the Lord further by searching the Scriptures concerning these things. 

Does His glory come from myself?  No, rather it comes from Christ who dwells within me by the power of His Spirit.  Salvation is an event (being born again), a process (spiritual growth and sanctification), and a future goal (consummation and glorification).  When we choose to believe, turn away from our sin and confess Him as Savior and Lord, He shines His light into our hearts.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.[2]

At the moment I was born again, the Father gave me right standing before Him through the blood of Jesus.  I was cleansed spiritually with His blood by the Spirit and the very core of my being was made perfect in His sight.  This experience is the part of salvation that is an event.  The gradual revelation of His glory shining through all the layers of my life is the part of salvation that is a process called sanctification.  His salvation works its way from my heart into my mind and every part of who I am.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.[3]

As I surrender different areas of my life and continue to learn more from the Scriptures about His life-giving principles, God takes aspects of my character that are not in alignment with those principles and makes me more like Jesus.  I partner with Him in this sanctifying process by denying my flesh and yielding to the work of His Spirit.[4]  As I submit my will to His, more of His character is revealed in me and more of His glory shines through.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.[5]

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.[6]

Eventually every fiber of my being will be sanctified.  This process of spiritual growth and sanctification will have its culmination at the resurrection when Jesus will return, the final judgment will take place and we will be united with God in perfect harmony at the marriage supper of the Lamb for the glory of the Father.  This is the goal of our faith.  It is the part of salvation that is the future goal.  He will bring all things together under His lordship in perfect consummation and His children will share in His glory forever in the New Heaven and the New Earth.  Eden will be restored in glorious, paradisiacal splendor as we reign with Him.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”[7]

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”[8]

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[1] Isaiah 49:3

[2] II Corinthians 4:6

[3] II Corinthians 3:18

[4] Romans 8:10

[5] John 17:17-19

[6] Colossians 1:27

[7] John 17:20-26

[8] Revelation 21:1-5