Glorification is a theological term that refers to the final stage in the process of salvation, where believers are fully conformed to the image of Christ, both spiritually and physically. It is the culmination of God’s redemptive work, where the effects of sin are completely removed, and believers are made perfect in holiness. From a Bible-believing Christian worldview, glorification is the ultimate hope and destiny of all who are in Christ, as they are transformed to share in His glory for eternity.

Biblical Foundations of Glorification

Old Testament Foreshadowing

While the full concept of glorification is more explicitly developed in the New Testament, the Old Testament contains foreshadowings and promises that point toward this final stage of redemption.

• The Glory of God:
  • Psalm 73:24: “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.” This verse reflects the psalmist’s confidence that God will ultimately bring His people into a state of glory, foreshadowing the New Testament teaching on glorification.
  • Daniel 12:2-3: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” This prophecy points to the resurrection and the glorification of the righteous, where they will shine with the brightness of God’s glory.

New Testament Revelation

The New Testament provides a clearer and fuller revelation of glorification, particularly in the writings of the Apostle Paul, who outlines the process of salvation that culminates in glorification.

• The Golden Chain of Salvation:
  • Romans 8:29-30: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” This passage, often referred to as the “golden chain” of salvation, shows that glorification is the final step in God’s plan for His people, following predestination, calling, and justification.
• The Resurrection and Transformation:
  • 1 Corinthians 15:42-44: “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” Paul explains that in the resurrection, believers’ bodies will be transformed from their current perishable state to an imperishable, glorified state.
  • Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” This passage emphasizes that glorification involves the transformation of our physical bodies to be like Christ’s resurrected, glorified body.
• Sharing in Christ’s Glory:
  • 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” This verse highlights the ongoing transformation of believers into the image of Christ, culminating in the full realization of this transformation in glorification.
  • Colossians 3:4: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” This verse points to the future hope of glorification when believers will be revealed in glory with Christ at His second coming.

Theological Significance of Glorification

The Completion of Salvation

Glorification is the final stage in the process of salvation, completing what was begun in justification and sanctification.

• Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification:
  • Justification is the act of God declaring sinners righteous through faith in Christ, while sanctification is the ongoing process of being made holy. Glorification is the culmination of this process, where believers are fully and finally made perfect in Christ.
  • 1 John 3:2: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” This verse emphasizes that glorification involves becoming fully like Christ, free from the presence and power of sin.

The Restoration of Creation

Glorification is not just about individual believers but is also connected to the restoration of all creation, which has been affected by the fall.

• Renewal of All Things:
  • Romans 8:18-21: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” Paul teaches that the glorification of believers is tied to the liberation and renewal of all creation, which will also be set free from the effects of sin.
  • Revelation 21:1: “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” The new creation is part of the final glorification, where everything is restored to its intended glory.

The Hope of Eternal Life

Glorification is the believer’s ultimate hope, as it points to eternal life with God, free from sin, death, and suffering.

• The Promise of Eternal Life:
  • John 17:22-24: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” Jesus’ prayer reflects the believer’s ultimate hope of being with Him in glory and sharing in the unity and love of the Trinity.
  • Revelation 22:3-5: “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” This vision of the eternal state emphasizes the glorification of believers as they live in the presence of God, reigning with Him in the new creation.

The Victory Over Sin and Death

Glorification signifies the ultimate victory over sin, death, and all the effects of the fall.

• Freedom from Sin:
  • In glorification, believers are completely freed from the presence of sin, experiencing perfect holiness and righteousness in the presence of God.
  • 1 Corinthians 15:54-57: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul proclaims the victory over death and sin that is fully realized in the glorification of believers.

Practical Implications of Glorification

Encouragement in Suffering

The hope of glorification provides believers with encouragement and strength to endure suffering and trials in this life.

• Endurance Through Hope:
  • 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Paul encourages believers to focus on the eternal glory that awaits them, which puts present sufferings into perspective.

Motivation for Holy Living

The anticipation of glorification motivates believers to pursue holiness and godliness in their daily lives.

• Pursuit of Holiness:
  • Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The hope of future glorification drives believers to press on in their spiritual journey, striving to live in a way that honors God.

Assurance of Salvation

Glorification provides believers with the assurance that their salvation will be brought to completion, as God is faithful to fulfill His promises.

• Confidence in God’s Faithfulness:
  • Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The certainty of glorification is rooted in God’s unbreakable love and faithfulness, giving believers confidence in their eternal security.

Conclusion

From a Bible-believing Christian worldview, Glorification is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, where believers are fully conformed to the image of Christ and share in His eternal glory. It is the final stage of salvation, where the effects of sin are completely eradicated, and believers are made perfect in holiness.

Glorification is deeply rooted in Scripture, with both Old and New Testament passages pointing to this future hope. Theologically, it represents the completion of the salvation process, the restoration of creation, the hope of eternal life, and the victory over sin and death.

Practically, the hope of glorification encourages believers to endure suffering, pursue holiness, and rest in the assurance of their salvation. It is a powerful reminder of the glorious future that awaits all who are in Christ, and it calls believers to live in light of this eternal hope.