Spiritual Journal Set #7

Entry A - Topic of my choosing - The notion of "glory"

            Sometimes I find myself saying and believing something that I know barely anything about.  For instance, when I ask myself, "What do you live for?” my automatic response is usually "I live for the glory of God."  Frankly, I got that answer from some scriptures and many sermons, and I realize that I don't really understand the concept of God's glory.  I know what glory is.  Its synonyms would be honor, fame, recognition, and praise. And the opposite of glory would be shame.  But what is the glory of God that our ancestors of faith boldly lived their lives for, regardless of jarring persecutions and unpleasant deaths? Isn't it what we feel when we lift up our hands while singing worship songs? Why did they choose such radical and dangerous ways to "glorify" God? As a Christian, I believe understanding this notion of glorifying God is extremely pivotal, as it is the ultimate purpose of human life.  We are made for God’s eternal glory.

            First of all, in order to glorify God, we must recognize who God is and who we are in accord with the premises we hold about God.  God is the Creator and we are His creation.  God is our Lord the King and we are His servants.  God is our heavenly Father and we are His children.  We were once His enemies, but now by God's grace which was demonstrated through the life of Christ, we are His friends. We deserved nothing from God but He gave us everything, even His Son.  We ought to love God because He first loved us.  God desires to be worshiped, praised, and acknowledged as the LORD and Savior by His people.  This is the reason why we say that we live to give glory to God; we give him all the credit and acclaim that is due to Him.

            However, I realized that the concept of glory is much deeper and mysterious than mere recognition and praise.  In Greek, the word for glory is "doxa" and it has some interesting connotations: an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor.  In the Bible, the illustration of God's glory usually appears as light.  For example, when Moses came down from Mountain Sinai after encountering God, the Israelites saw the radiant glow of his face.  Also, during the transfiguration, Peter and two other disciples witnessed Jesus' face shining like the sun and his clothes as white as light.  Furthermore, in the book of Revelation, it says when the New Jerusalem arrives; the glory of God will illuminate the city and the Lamb will be its light.  Personally, I love to comprehend the glory of God as the manifestation of Himself.  Though we may not see Him directly, He marvelously reveals Himself to us through the creation of nature, numerous circumstances, and His unchanging truth. 

            In fact, 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.  And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."  The Spirit of God unveils our eyes to see His glory.  Not only do we see it, but we also reflect it.   Moreover, God transforms us into the glorious image of Christ. We are not just suppliers of glory to God, but also bearers of it.  The Holy Spirit dwells in us and enables us to shine His light through us.  When His glorious presence fills us and permeates through every aspect of our lives, we become like Christ who is the Light.  I think this is one of the evidence for calling us " children of the Light" in 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

            I still feel insufficient in my understanding of this complex concept of glory even after this discovery.  However, I am immensely grateful for this knowledge that enables me to acknowledge the purpose of life and to strive for a further understanding and achieving of the purpose.  I just want to give glory to Him who deserves all of me though it's nothing compared to what He offered to me.  Also, I desire to reflect His heavenly radiance while being transformed to be more like Jesus.  It is such a privilege to live and invest our work for the eternal Kingdom instead of wasting our lives building an earthly kingdom, which will perish eventually.

Spiritual Journal Set #6

Entry A - Outside reading - The person and the work of the Holy Spirit by R.A. Torrey

            I believe that every man strives to discover truth and to live their lives according to the truth they have found.  Living in a postmodern culture where there are numerous ways of viewing the realities of God and the world, many choose to believe and follow whichever views fit their preferences the best. Christians believe that God gave them the Bible, God’s inspired word, to reveal the truth. However, even among Christians, with this tool that they regard as the source of truth, there are numerous divisions and contentions.

            For instance, one of the greatest controversies in the Christian realm is Calvinism vs. Arminianism. Calvinists believe that the omniscient God has already destined who is going to be saved and who is not.  On the other hand, Arminianists believe that God gave people freedom to choose their destiny by living their lives for Him or for themselves. In addition, there is a controversy between people who believe in the young earth and the old earth.  Some think that God created the heavens and the earth in a literal seven days whereas others believe that the seven days in Scripture need to be interpreted figuratively. In fact, there are numerous other cases that Christians disagree on. Thousands of denominations illustrate this serious theological division among the believers of the Bible. How is it possible for the people who claim to know the truth and even are willing to give up their own lives for holding their beliefs to be divided in such a dramatic way?

            In fact, reading the gospel of John 16:13 made me even more bewildered. It says, "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth."  If Christians are guided and influenced by the Spirit of God, how is it possible for them to have polarized views on so many issues?  Does this mean some are led by the Spirit of truth and others are misled by the spirit of false truth? The Scripture says the Spirit will guide us to all truth, not some truth. It sounds like we must come to know everything if the Spirit accompanies us. Doesn't it?

            Then I began questioning, "what is the truth?" Is the truth the answer to all questions? The Scripture says, "I [Jesus] am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." I think I know who Jesus is and I regard Him as the Savior of my soul and the Son of God. But I still have so many questions. Why doesn't God reveal all the answers along with the knowledge of Christ? Am I not the bearer of the Holy Spirit? As I pondered these dangerous questions, I began to realize that the answers that I am looking for are not necessarily the truth. The truth is so much bigger and deeper than cheap yes or no responses. The truth is a new vision to view the mystery of God incarnate and the conundrum of God's plan for humanity.

            R.A. Torrey, in his book, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, asserts that, "To understand God's Word, we must empty ourselves utterly of our own wisdom and rest in utter dependence upon the Spirit of God to interpret it to us."  We must acknowledge that we human beings, with our flesh, are not capable of receiving the holy truth of God as it is.  Our sinful nature distorts and even decimates the truth when it enters into our inner being.  We can only rely on the Spirit of God and our new self that Christ has clothed us when He initiated His work in us in order to receive the truth and be transformed by it.

            Then I came to a realization that I was being impatient and obsessed with satisfying my curiosity, expecting God to be the way that I prefer Him to be. There are areas that God intentionally does not reveal and He will reveal them to us in His timing when we can glorify His name most effectively. I think there is a difference between asking, seeking, and knocking for the revelation of truth, and trying to fit the truth of God in the definition of truth that we have established.

            We are humans, God's creation that bears the image of God.  As creatures, we are utterly incapable of understanding God and His way fully.  I believe it is God who decides what and when to reveal about Himself and His way. There are some things that we must stand and fight for, but at the same time, there are others that we can only trust God's sovereignty and goodness for with great patience and humility.