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WE ARE ELIMINATING DUPLICATES
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Writer's pictureFrank Friedmann

Glorifying God

Frank Friedmann


I reflected recently on the new hearts we received through the finished work of Christ.

 

Our new hearts are pure and right, filled with love for God and all that pertains to Him. The New Covenant placed us in union with God, which means we can live from Him as our source of life. Concerning the things of God, our former “have-tos” have become our “want-tos”, because His desires are now ours. Thankful for all He has done for us, we believers share a core desire to live in a way that brings glory to God.

 

But the question is … how do we accomplish this?

 

How do we live so others will praise God as they see Him at work in us? The answer might surprise you. Many sincere believers mistakenly think keeping the law will bring glory to God. You know, things like:

  • following the Ten Commandments

  • tithing

  • doing what looks good

  • avoiding what looks bad

That certainly sounds like a great idea …until we consider that God NEVER intended us to be good, but to live from His goodness. Think back with me to the Garden of Eden, where God placed two trees. The first was the tree of life, from which man could freely eat. But the second was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (right and wrong), from which God told Adam he must never eat or suffer certain death. By warning Adam about that second tree, God made it clear that He never intended us to even know what good and evil, right and wrong, are. And he never intended us to live with right and wrong as our standard.

 

God created us to know and be consumed with Him, not our behavior toward Him.

 

He designed us to live from Him and His own goodness, not to manufacture our own counterfeit goodness.

When Adam disregarded God’s command and ate from the tree of right and wrong, he plunged all mankind under the law.

Consequently, people from Adam to Moses lived with an instinctive drive to do what’s right and avoid what’s wrong. But because there was no external standard that defined right and wrong, everyone played the role of ‘god wannabe’ and determined right and wrong based on their own distorted perspectives.

God did the world a favor by giving His law as the standard for what it means to be good.

He provided a powerful display of thunder and lightning to capture the people’s attention and show them His law. It was as if God said, “Pay attention, this is what it means to be good!” The problem is that no one can keep God’s perfect law. No one can ever be good apart from God, because only God is good.

That is why Paul called the law a ministry of death and condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:5-9).

Our inability to fulfill the goodness demanded by the law points out we were dead in sin, separated from God and His goodness. By killing and condemning us, the law drove us to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who reconciled us to God through His redemptive work in the cross. He then took up residence within us by the Holy Spirit. And His Spirit in us now expresses the goodness of God’s own life through us, which brings glory to God.

The ministry of the Spirit has a greater glory than that of the law.

In fact, the glory of the law is nothing compared to that of the Spirit. How could words carved into cold, dead stone ever have a glory to compete with the glory of God Himself? In 2 Corinthians 3:10, Paul made a summary statement that settles this issue once for all. He wrote,

What once had glory (the law) has come to have NO GLORY at all, because of the glory that surpasses it (the Spirit of God dwelling in man!)

Beloved, the way to bring glory to God is to live by the Spirit.

Be done with the law forever, because that marriage ended when we died in Christ (Romans 7:1-4). We are now married to Jesus and placed in union with His own Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). It’s only when we live in, with, and from the Holy Spirit that we fulfill our hearts desire to bring glory to God. Because God dwells in absolute perfection, only absolute perfection can give Him glory. And because He has the market cornered on perfection, only He can glorify Himself.

Anyone who offers anything to God, other than what originates from God Himself, will utterly fail to bring Him glory.

This is the marvelous privilege of living in the New Covenant. Because God lives in us by the Holy Spirit, we are able offer Him the only thing that brings Him glory …

His own life lived through us.

Wow! And again, I say, WOW!


Live from Jesus and bring glory to His name.



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#IM Media | #Victory | The Believer's Victory in Christ
03:43

#IM Media | #Victory | The Believer's Victory in Christ

Hit the "Like" button. Leave a comment. IM Media/Lion of Judah Films produces quality Christ, Culture & Creator videos. Our VICTORY series reveals the radiant light of our victorious Savior, we stand firm, celebrating the glorious victory we have in Christ. Through His divine love and infinite grace, we are more than conquerors, for He has overcome the world. Our triumph is not of this world, but it is a spiritual victory that transcends earthly bounds. In Christ, we find strength, hope, and the assurance of a victory that is eternal. This victory is not just for today, but for all eternity, a testament to the power of His resurrection and the promise of our redemption. Check out the series at https://drstephenphinney.substack.com/ The Seven Series Website: https://www.iomamerica.net/number-seven Ministry website: https://www.iomamerica.net/ View the IMTV Library: https://www.iomamerica.net/im-media Read IM Author Blogs: https://www.iomamerica.net/im-blogs Contact Dr. Phinney directly: https://www.iomamerica.net/contact-dr-phinney Substack Channel: "The End Times Chronicles." https://drstephenphinney.substack.com/ Dr. Phinney is the Founder of IOM America, Identity Matters Worldview Institute, and the IM Online School. He is the author of several books that focus on Christ, Culture, & Creator - all centered on the believer's identity in Christ. IOM America publishes online articles & media through multiple venues. Dr. Phinney holds degrees in Psychology, Counseling Psychology & International Cross-culture Leadership (DMin). Published Books: https://www.iomamerica.net/phinney-books
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