“We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things . . . The sun of God’s glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit.”[1]
1. John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004), 15.
– John Piper –
John Piper beautifully captures one of the core tenets of the Christian church: the ultimate purpose of human life is to glorify God and live in a loving relationship with him (Matt. 22:37–40; 1 Cor. 10:31). This is the purpose for which we were created: “to know and treasure God’s glory above all things.”[2] Those of us who have been redeemed by Christ long to treasure God, but before his glory can be treasured, it must be known and understood.[3]
2. Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, 15.
3. For more on God’s glory, see Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, The Glory of God and Paul: Texts, Themes, and Theology, New Studies in Biblical Theology 58 (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2022), 1–40.
What is God’s Glory?
All Christians resonate with the truth that we are to glorify God and treasure his glory above all. Yet glory is one of the words we often use, but only vaguely understand. So just what is God’s glory? “The glory of God is the magnificence, worth, loveliness, and grandeur of his many perfections, which he displays in his creative and redemptive acts in order to make his glory known to those in his presence.”[4]
4. Christopher W. Morgan, “The Glory of God,” The Gospel Coalition, January 14, 2020, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-glory-of-god/.
Unpacking Glory
God’s glory is central to who he is, so the Bible speaks of his glory in a variety of ways. God is the king of glory (Ps. 24:10), the earth is filled with his glory (Isa. 6:3), and the heavens declare his glory (Ps. 19:1). God reveals himself in glory (Ezek. 1:1–28), his people ascribe glory to him (Rom. 16:27), and he shares his glory with the sons and daughters whom he has redeemed through Christ (Col. 3:1–4).
Glory is associated with each of the three persons of the Trinity. Jesus acknowledges the Father’s glory in John 17:5 when he prays, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” The author of Hebrews says Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God” (Heb. 1:3), and James refers to him as “the Lord of glory” (Jas. 2:1). The Holy Spirit works to glorify the Son (John 16:14) and is also the “Spirit of glory” (1 Pet. 4:14).
God’s glory is also linked to his other attributes. God’s attributes are inseparable, but it can be helpful for us to observe how the Bible distinguishes them. God’s glory is often noted alongside his attributes of holiness (Isa. 6:1–8), uniqueness (Isa. 42:8), power (Ps. 63:1–2), righteousness (Ps. 97:6), majesty (1 Chron. 29:10–12), and goodness (Exod. 33:18–19).
God’s glory permeates the biblical record as he creates the world (Gen. 1–2; Ps. 104), forms a people for himself (Gen. 1:26–31; Ps. 8), leads his people out of Egypt (Exodus 14–16), establishes the nation of Israel (Exod. 19:16–20:21), sends Israel and Judah into exile (Ezekiel 10), brings them back to the land (Ezek. 43:1–5), and sends his only Son to save the people he created (John 1:14). In the future, God the Son will return in glory (Matt. 24:30), judge people and angels in glory (2 Thess. 1:6–10), and rule the new heavens and new earth in glory (Rev. 21:22–27).
Following Jonathan Edwards, we can speak of God’s glory as being both intrinsic and extrinsic.[5]
5. Jonathan Edwards, Ethical Writings, WJE 8 (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998), 230–241.
God’s glory is intrinsic in the sense that he is majestic, worthy, and beautiful. It is an attribute and can operate as a summary attribute. God’s extrinsic glory is an external manifestation of his intrinsic glorious nature. God puts his glory on display as he sovereignly guides the world and people he created.
Six Aspects of God’s Glory
The relationship between who God is and what he does can be expressed in this way: “The triune God who is glorious displays his glory largely through his creation, image bearers, providence, and redemptive acts. God’s people respond by glorifying him. God receives glory and, through uniting his people to Christ, shares his glory with them—all to his glory.”[6]
6. Christopher W. Morgan, “Toward a Theology of the Glory of God,” in The Glory of God, eds. Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 159, italics in original.
This statement highlights six of the ways God’s glory is presented in the redemptive storyline of Scripture. First, “the triune God who is glorious” points to the reality that intrinsically (i.e., in himself), God has unbounded beauty, majesty, splendor, and worth.
Second, God “displays his glory largely through his creation, image bearers, providence, and redemptive acts.” He externally manifests his glory in the world he created (Ps. 19:1), the humans whom he made in his image (Ps. 8:4–5), his providential care of the world (Ps. 104:31), and his redemptive acts (Exod. 14:13–18; Acts 3:13–15).
Third, “God’s people respond by glorifying him.” The proper response to witnessing God’s glory is to heed the call of Psalm 29:2: “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”
Fourth, “God receives glory.” God delights in the sincere worship of his people, receiving it as a fragrant sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15; Rev. 5:8–14).
Fifth, “through uniting his people to Christ, [God] shares his glory with them.” In God’s magnificent grace, he unites everyone who repents of their sins and places their faith in Christ to himself through uniting them to Christ. All of Christ’s saving benefits become ours through this union, including sharing in his glory. As Paul explains, “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:14).
Sixth—and finally—this is “all to his glory.” God is glorious in himself, he displays his glory through all he says and does, and when we properly respond to his glory, it redounds to his glory. Jonathan Edwards expressed it well: “The whole is of God, and in God, and to God; and he is the beginning, middle, and end.”[7]
7. Jonathan Edwards, “The End for Which God Created the World,” in God’s Passion for His Glory, ed. John Piper (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1998), 247, italics in original.
Conclusion
Our God is infinitely glorious, beautiful, and majestic. He alone is the glorious one (Isa. 42:8). Yet God has made us, his image bearers, to manifest his glory by reflecting his image, to glorify him by trusting and worshipping him, and ultimately to glorify us in Christ—all to his glory! Let us treasure his glory above all else, allowing it to center the solar system of our lives, until the day Christ returns and the glory of the Lord covers the whole earth (Hab. 2:14).
