Reasons To Rehearse The Gospel Daily. Day 31-To Him Be The Glory

REASONS TO REHEARSE THE GOSPEL DAILY

Day 31-To Him Be The Glory

“To the praise of the glory of His grace…to the praise of His glory…to the praise of His glory.”159 These refrains fly as banners over the gospel truths parading through the early verses of Ephesians. They herald the ultimate motive of God in all His gospel acts on behalf of those whom He has saved. They also announce the effect which the gospel will most certainly wield upon those who experience its fullness. It is no surprise, then, that the apostle ends his gospel review in Ephesians 3 by bowing his knees in worship and ascribing all glory to God.160 “Unto Him be the glory,” Paul exclaims at the end of Ephesians 3. “To…Him be the glory,” he cries after his gospel meditations through Romans.161 “To the king…be glory,” he urges in 1 Timothy after speaking of God’s merciful saving of him.162 Clearly, the gospel generated in Paul an enormous passion for God’s glory, and the gospel does the same in me as I make as I make it the meditation of my heart each day.

Understanding that I am not the ultimate end of the gospel, but rather that God’s glory is, actually enables me to embrace my salvation more boldly than I would otherwise dare to do. For example, when my timid heart questions why God would want to love one so sinful as I, I read the answer, “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” I figure, then, that my unworthiness must actually be useful to God, because it magnifies the degree to which His grace might be glorified as He lavishes His saving kindness upon me. This line of reasoning makes perfect sense to me and convinces me to embrace the gospel with greater passion so that God might glorify Himself through me, an unworthy sinner.

Indeed, the more I embrace and experience the gospel, the more I delight in the worship of God, the more expressive my joy in Him becomes, and the more I yearn to glorify Him in all I say and do.163

159-Ephesians 1. “(5) He predestined us to adoption as sons…(6) to the praise of the glory of His grace…(10)…In Him (11) also we have obtained an inheritance…(12) to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory. (13) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit…, (14) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

160-Ephesians 3. “(14) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father…(20) Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. (21) to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

161-Romans 11. “(33) Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable are His ways! (34) For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? (35) Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? (36) For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

162-1 Timothy 1. “(15)…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am the foremost of all. (16) Yet for this reason i found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (17) Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

163-1 Peter 1. “(6) In this [salvation] you greatly rejoice…(8)…you greatly rejoice with a joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9) obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” 1 Corinthians 10:31. “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.”