The Hope Of Glory
To them (the saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Col. 1:27
In this one verse we have the essence, the purpose, and ultimate in life: sharing in the glory of God. I believe this is a concept that is not yet well understood or appreciated by most believers. This is in part due to the fact that the word “glory” can be used in a negative sense. For example, glory can refer to fame, prestige, honor, distinction, acclaim, and recognition. This tends to lend itself to pride, which is the mother of all sins. Therefore, glory is seen as something to avoid. In addition, glory also refers to praise, worship, adoration, honor, reverence, and exaltation. This type of glory is to be reserved for God and God alone.
Therefore, we push the idea of our own glory even farther away as something to be avoided. Yet the Bible is clear that not only will we be glorified, but also that is our destiny and hope. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30).
So what is this glory that the Bible speaks of for the believer? The answer lies in yet another definition of the word. The glory of something refers also to its magnificence, splendor, majesty, greatness, and beauty. It is both the essence of something, and its manifestation at the same time. The expression of its nature. We have been given the nature of God. We were originally created in His image and likeness. So it only makes sense that God would seek to restore us to our ultimate state, which will be like Him. We will never be God, but we will be “like” God. This may be a scary concept for us because Satan is always trying to get us to think we can be God to ourselves. But it is not scary for God Himself since He knows the truth and is in sovereign control of all things.