08/10/23 GLORY ONLY IN JESUS

08/10/23 GLORY ONLY IN JESUS

It is sad that some people glory in man's sinfulness, man's fallen condition, God's wrath, God's supposed unilateral predestination to reprobate people, God's inability and/or unwillingness to save all men or to save the repentant from all sin.

Rather we should glory (boast) in God's wisdom, love, justice, mercy, grace, lovingkindness, salvation, deliverance.

But then again, they don't know that they can glory in the salvation God provides for fallen mankind because they have been given a negative, limited and dark view of God by people who don't know the Biblical truth about God.

God's wrath is real, but it is not His first choice for a relationship with mankind, it is not His defining characteristic. God wants us to come to Him because He draws us but He resorts to driving us if we harden our hearts. If we will not be drawn or driven, we will fall into the hands of an angry God.

Know Him. Love Him. Serve Him.
Glory and boast in the wisdom (righteousness, sanctification and redemption of God).

Consider these two verses.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."

Paul was speaking of WISDOM in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. He contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God. Christ is our wisdom and in this wisdom Christ is our Justifier (righteousness), Sanctifier (sanctification), Redeemer (redemption). Divine wisdom reveals that CHRIST IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, OUR SANCTIFICATION AND OUR REDEMPTION. It is in this great truth we boast, we rejoice, we glory.

Jeremiah said,
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord. 

Paul said,
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."