Glorify God

HUMAN WISDOM GENERALLY is very much out of harmony with divine principles as revealed in the Bible. For example, because of sin and selfishness the idea of making personal sacrifices for the sake of others as being the way to true happiness in life, or that building up others will result in personal fulfillment, seems foreign to many in the world. Most consider satisfying their own needs or desires as their major focus.—Rom. 15:1,2

It was not so with Jesus nor should it be with his footstep followers. The Apostle Paul states, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”—vss. 3,4

Our Key Verses strongly imply that as footstep followers of the Master, the mission of consecrated brethren is especially to comfort one another as the mouthpieces of God. Oneness of thought, mind, and action required of the saints towards each other is evidence that we are disciples of Christ, our Head, and that we are seeking to “glorify God, even the Father.”

Instead of letting issues about disputable things divide believers, they should receive one another just as Christ received them, in the terms of pure grace, knowing yet bearing with each other’s faults. In loving condescension covering our faults, and seeking our good, Jesus welcomed us to his heart.

In our lesson Paul also alludes to and explains something of God’s plan relative to the casting away, and subsequent restoration of the Jews based on the “promises made unto the fathers.” In addition, he speaks of the blessings to come to the Gentiles, that they “might glorify God for his mercy.” Such a hope, the apostle says, should fill us “with all joy and peace in believing.” Thus we can have a peace that is not transitory but permanent, not partial but complete.—vss. 7-13

God’s magnificent plan for establishing and maintaining peace is majestically described in the final book of the Bible. “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; … And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”—Rev. 21:1-4

The prospect of helping to bring about these conditions for mankind should be inspiring to us. Therefore, each spirit-begotten child of God should be willing to pay the full cost of discipleship required to effect the complete reconciliation of mankind back to God under the leadership of Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace.—Isa. 9:6,7