The final step in the salvation process is glorification. As Romans 8:29-30 says, “For whom he foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” It is the culmination of the processes in which man is restored to a right standing with God and is able to fully enjoy a relationship like that in the garden.

For in the garden man died. He died spiritually as well as physically. Through the redemptive work of Christ man is made spiritually alive in Christ. We enjoy the benefits of this spiritually quickening in our adoption as sons being joint heirs with Christ and our sanctification through by the Spirit as we grow in knowledge and depth of insight. Yet we are not completely restored.

While our standing spiritually has been declared so that we are no longer considered law-breakers, in our bodies we still carry the marks of our sin. As Paul says in Romans chapter seven while we delight in God’s law we have another law still at work in the flesh. Sin has brought us death and diseases and all kinds of physical discomfort. This restoration of our bodies is spoken of in Romans 8:23: “And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

The believer will be changed as I Corinthians 15:53 says, “the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality,” This change will take place in one of two ways. Paul says that if we die we will enjoy being in the presence of God. But we are there in spirit while the body returns to the earth. When Christ returns, the saints that have died will be resurrected. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 speaks of this event: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” As for those who do remain alive to see his return we will be transformed, again from I Corinthians 15 verses 51-52 “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

Due to the fullness of the work of Christ, for all is finished, our glorification is guaranteed in the atonement. It gives us hope for these tired bodies beat down by sin and life; we will fully enjoy our complete redemption. Thus, we are spurred on to finish the race and bring Glory to our Father.

Kevin Farmer, Will Uminn, Phil Meade, Dana Arledge