THE LANGUAGE OF SALVATION - GLORIFICATION

The Language of Salvation: Glorification
Text: Romans 8:28–30 

"Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." — Romans 8:30
As we come to the final message in our series, The Language of Salvation, we arrive at one of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture: glorification.
What a journey this has been.
We began with condemnation, where we discovered the terrible reality that every person stands guilty before a holy God. Then we saw the beautiful truth of propitiation, where God's righteous wrath that was reserved for us was poured out upon His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through justification, God now sees the blood of Christ instead of our sin, declaring us righteous in His sight. Because of that, reconciliation has taken place—we have been brought back into fellowship with God, welcomed into His family, and embraced by His grace.
But God's work of salvation does not end there.
God is not simply trying to clean us up. He is not merely interested in making us better people while we live on this earth. His ultimate purpose is far greater. He is determined to make us like His Son forever.
That final step is called glorification.
The story of mankind began with condemnation, but for every child of God, it will end in glory.

I. Glorification Is God's Final Work of Salvation
Romans 8:30
Paul gives us an incredible progression:

• God called.
• God justified.
• God glorified.

Everyone whom God justifies, He will glorify.
What is especially interesting is that Paul speaks of glorification in the past tense, even though it is still future for us. Why? Because in God's eternal plan it is so certain that it is as good as already accomplished.
God finishes what He starts.
Our salvation is not incomplete or uncertain. The God who called us and justified us has already guaranteed the final outcome.

II. Glorification Means Becoming Like Christ
Romans 8:29
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son..."
See also 1 John 3:2
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God... we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
Everything God has allowed into our lives has been working toward one great purpose—making us more like Jesus Christ.
Every prayer.
Every lesson.
Every mountain.
Every valley.
Every hardship.
Every victory.
God has been shaping us into the image of His Son.
Glorification will simply be the graduation of that lifelong process.
On that day:

• Sin will be completely removed.
• Temptation will disappear.
• Weakness will be gone.
• Corruption will be no more.
• Death itself will be defeated.

Why?
Because we will finally be like Jesus.

III. Glorification Is the Longing of the Saved Soul
Romans 8:19–23
When sin entered this world, it affected far more than humanity.
Creation itself was cursed.
Thorns appeared.
Pain entered.
Storms began.
Decay took hold.
The oceans are not what they once were.
The animal kingdom bears the marks of the curse.
Even nature itself longs for redemption.
Paul says creation "groaneth."
Just as creation groans for the curse to be lifted, I believe every believer has that same longing deep within the soul.
There is something inside every child of God that says:
"I can't wait to be home."
"I can't wait to leave this broken world behind."
"I can't wait to see my loved ones again."
"I can't wait to see my Savior face to face."
Paul described that future in 1 Corinthians 15:53–54:
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality... then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
This is not an unhealthy longing to escape life.
It is a holy longing.
It is the anticipation of the day when faith becomes sight, hope becomes reality, and we exchange condemnation for glorification.

IV. Glorification Will Be Worth All the Suffering
Romans 8:18
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Paul says, "I reckon..."
In other words, after adding it all up, after comparing the suffering with the coming glory, the conclusion is clear:
It will be worth it all.
Remember who is saying this.
This is a man who endured imprisonment.
Beatings.
Persecution.
Shipwreck.
Loneliness.
Rejection.
Yet Paul declares that all the suffering of this present life cannot even be compared with the glory waiting for God's children.
I don't know what burdens you have carried.
I don't know what pain you've endured.
I don't know what valleys you've walked through.
But I do know this:
It will be worth it all when we see Christ.

V. Our Glorification Cannot Be Prevented
Romans 8:31–39
What assurance these verses give!
Our future is secure.
Our eternity is settled.
Our glorification is guaranteed.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Who is this promise for?
Romans 8:30 answers the question:
"Whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Glorification belongs only to those who have first been justified.
Only those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb will experience the glory that is to come.

Conclusion
Don't begin by looking for forever.
Begin by looking for forgiveness.
When you find forgiveness through Jesus Christ, forever in Heaven becomes yours.
What a journey we have taken together.
From condemnation...
to propitiation...
to justification...
to reconciliation...
and finally to glorification.
But the story doesn't even end there.
For the Bride of Christ, there is also a CORONATION.
One glorious day we will stand before our heavenly Bridegroom. We will be united with Him forever, and we will reign with the King of kings and Lord of lords.
What a wonderful thing it is to belong to the King.
The story of mankind began in condemnation, but for every believer who has trusted Christ, it ends in glory.
And what a glorious ending it will be.

Footnote 
Before we understand glorification, it is helpful to understand two important words found in our main passage: foreknew and predestinated (Romans 8:29).
Throughout church history, sincere believers have held different views regarding these verses. As Baptists, we believe the Bible teaches that God desires for all people to be saved. Scripture tells us that He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and the invitation of the gospel is extended to whosoever will believe.
God did not arbitrarily pick some people to be saved while refusing others the opportunity. Rather, because God is infinite, eternal, and all-knowing, He possesses perfect foreknowledge. Long before the foundation of the world, God knew every person who would respond by faith to His gracious invitation.
Romans 8 does not say that God predestined certain people to become believers. Instead, it says that those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. In other words, God's predestination in this passage concerns the destiny of believers, not the selection of believers.
The sequence is beautiful:

• God, in His foreknowledge, knew those who would trust Christ.
• Those believers were predestined to become like Jesus.
• In time, God called them through the gospel.
• They responded by faith and were justified.
• One day they will be glorified.

From beginning to end, salvation is God's gracious work, yet He never removes man's responsibility to respond to the gospel by faith. Everyone who comes to Christ is welcomed, forgiven, justified, and one day will be glorified.
As John 1:12 declares:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
What an encouragement to know that God not only saves us, but He already knows the glorious future He has prepared for every believer.