God is working His glory into us and this glory returns to God, for to God is the glory in the church; the consummation of the church is the holy city, New Jerusalem, which has the glory of God. Hallelujah!
The Lord Jesus prayed in John 17 for glorification, and the oneness the believers are brought in will be for the glory of the Triune God.
The Son prayed that the Father would glorify Him, and the Father glorifies the Son with the glory that the Son had before the foundation of the world.
God will be glorified not only in this age, which is the age of the church, but also in the coming age, the age of the kingdom, and in the age of the ages, which is eternity.
In this age God is glorified in and through the church, in the coming age He will be glorified in the overcoming believers as a foretaste of the New Jerusalem, and for eternity He will be fully glorified in the New Jerusalem.
Today God does not seem to be glorified, for wherever we look, we see Satan’s work of damaging man and dividing the church.
But we can cooperate with God by first being regenerated, being sanctified, and living by the divine life of glory so that God may be glorified through us.
For God to be glorified, however, we cannot express the self; the self needs to be denied so that God would be expressed through us.
It is either us who live or Christ who lives; it is either us who is expressed or God who is expressed through us.
When we see God, we deny ourselves.
When we see God and are infused with Him, we hate our self and we put ourselves aside.
When God appears to us, when we see God expressed in His glory, we realize that we don’t match Him and cannot be like Him, so we deny ourselves and we simply allow Him to work Himself more into our being.
The world is always there, frustrating us and distracting us; therefore, we need to be sanctified in the holy word of God.
But even this is not enough: we need to go on with the Lord, advance with Him, to deny the self, the flesh, the old man, so that we may live by the divine life of glory and express Him and not ourselves.
Being regenerated is the initial step, being sanctified is going on with the Lord from being regenerated, and learning to live by the divine life will cause us to express Christ instead of expressing ourselves.
May we be brought on to the stage of glory, where we are in the glory of God, we are filled with the glory of God, and there’s no room for the self or the flesh.
The Glory of God is Wrought into us and Returns to God: to God be Glory in the Church!
In Eph. 3:21 Paul declares, “To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all the generations forever and ever. Amen.”
We need to be strengthened into our inner man according to the riches of God’s glory; this implies that the glory of God can be wrought into the saints (v. 16; 2 Cor. 3:18).
The apostle bowed his knees to the Father, of whom all the families of heaven and earth are named, that He would grant the saints to be strengthened according to the riches of His glory into the inner man.
These riches imply the many families involved in this universe of whom the Father is the source. And all these families express God to different degrees.
According to the riches of the Father’s glory, we need to be strengthened into our inner man so that we may have the glory of God wrought into us to express Him.
The fact that the glory is to God in Eph. 3:21 implies that the glory of God, which has been wrought into the saints, returns to God.
We need to be strengthened into the inner man according to the riches of the glory of the Father, including all the rich aspects of the expression of God so that the glory of God would be wrought into us.
This glory comes to us with God and, after being worked into us, will return to God with us; this is the way in which God is glorified in the church (vv. 16-21).
The glory came to us with God, now the glory goes back to God with us; this is the way that God is glorified in the church.
It is not enough for us to say, Glory be to God, or, Glory, glory to God, as many Christians declare today in a light way, a superficial way.
If we say it in this way, how can glory be given to God? What kind of glory can we give to God?
Even man’s righteousness and best behaviour is just filthy rags in God’s eyes.
We can only return the glory to God by first having the glory of God wrought into us. Only the glory that has been wrought into us can be returned to God.
The glory came into us with God, and now this glory goes back to God with us.
By means of this two-way traffic the church, as the firstfruits in the universe (James 1:18), takes the lead to give glory to God.
God is looking at the church right now, for the world does not give God glory for sure, and it is shameful that even Christendom in general does not give Him glory.
Where can God gain the glory from today?
God has raised up His recovery on the earth, and we have been brought into the proper church life through the ministry of the age.
We have been shown mercy by the Lord to see the Lord’s wonderful, precious economy, and we see that God wants to dispense Himself as glory into us so that to God be the glory in the church.
![And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him [to be] Head over all things to the church, Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all. Eph. 1:22-23 In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit. Eph. 2:21-22](https://i0.wp.com/www.agodman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/And-He-subjected-all-things-under-His-feet-and-gave-Him-to-be-Head-over-all-things-to-the-church-2-683x1024.webp?resize=450%2C675&ssl=1 "And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him [to be] Head over all things to the church, Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all. Eph. 1:22-23 In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit. Eph. 2:21-22")
Where on earth is this entity these days, at the end time, that is ready to be filled with the God of glory? Where is the church today that can return glory back to God?
No individuals are qualified to do this, but God wants to gain the church into whom He can work His glory so that the church would return the glory to God, and to God be glory in the church.
May we be the members of the Body of Christ who are open to Him and allow His glory to come into us day after day so that we may be filled with His glory to the point that we can bring this glory back to God.
God’s glory is wrought into the church, and He is expressed in the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:21-22; 3:16-19).
To God is the glory in the church; that is, God is glorified in the church (v. 21).
God will be glorified not only in this age, the age of the church but also in the coming age, the age of the kingdom and in the age of the ages, which is eternity (Matt. 6:13, 29; Rom. 16:27; Rev. 5:13; 21:10-11).
For God to be glorified in all the ages, from the present age through eternity, He must be glorified in the church and in Christ (Eph. 3:21).
Amen, to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus.
This means that the church has the glory of God wrought into it and it returns this glory to God to give the glory to God.
The church as the household of faith takes the lead to give glory to God, and Christ as the Head of all the families of the earth will take the lead to give all the glory to God in the church and in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!
Father, strengthen us according to the riches of Your glory by Your Spirit into the inner man so that Christ may make His home in our heart through faith. Amen, Lord, work Your glory into us today and every day so that God may have the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus! We open to You: work Yourself with Your glory into our being so that You may gain Your glory in the church. Amen, Lord, may God gain all the glory in the church! May there be a two-way traffic between God and man, God working His glory into the church and the church giving glory to God! Amen, may God be glorified in the church! May God be glorified in this age, in the coming age, and in the age of ages! Glory to God in the church!
The Glory of God will be expressed through the New Jerusalem for Eternity!
An outstanding feature of the New Jerusalem is that it has the glory of God, His expression (Rev. 21:11, 23).
The New Jerusalem is not only a holy city or a city of life; it is a city of glory!
The whole New Jerusalem as the city of glory has the glory of God. During the millennium the overcomers have a foretaste of the New Jerusalem.
The New Jerusalem, as the corporate expression of God in eternity, bears the appearance of God, expressing God’s image in His glory (vv. 10-11; 4:3).
The entire city of New Jerusalem bears the glory of God, which is God Himself shining out through the city (Rev. 21:11).
Today we are in the process of having the glory of God wrought into us until the church returns the glory to God and to God is the glory in the church.
For eternity, the New Jerusalem will be filled with the glory of God, for the glory of God will be expressed through the New Jerusalem for eternity.
The glory of God is the content of the New Jerusalem, for the city is completely filled with His glory.
This indicates that the New Jerusalem is a vessel to contain God and express Him.
On one hand, what we see in the New Jerusalem is the tree of life and the water of life, but on the other hand, it is a city filled with the glory of God.
The glory of God is actually God Himself being manifested; for the New Jerusalem to be full of God’s glory means that God is manifested in that city.
What God desires to gain is not “heavenly mansions” where He brings His people; He wants to be expressed to the uttermost – this is the New Jerusalem.
The glory of God, God expressed, illumines the New Jerusalem, shining through the jasper wall (vv. 23, 18).
In the New Jerusalem, there is no more night, and there’s no need for the sun or the moon because God is shining there.
There is no temple in the city because God the Almighty and the Lamb are the temple. This means that the whole city becomes the temple.
The whole city becomes the Holy of Holies, God and the Lamb, who shines through the jasper wall to be expressed to the whole universe.
The light of God shines through Christ the Lamb who is the lamp, and is penetrating through the wall as a diffuser to be expressed through the city of New Jerusalem to the whole universe.
The glory of God is God expressed through the New Jerusalem.
The light of the New Jerusalem is like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal. God is the New Jerusalem, and to glorify God is to take Him as the New Jerusalem and give all the glory to Him (v. 22; Rom. 15:5-7).
God is the New Jerusalem because there’s no temple in the New Jerusalem, but God and the Lamb are the temple.
The whole city is God Himself, and God is the city of New Jerusalem. To glorify God is to take Him as the New Jerusalem and give all the glory to Him.
How do we give all the glory to God? By partaking of the New Jerusalem. To glorify God is to partake in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:11).
When we partake of God as the New Jerusalem, we become pillars in the temple of God, the name of God is written on us, and the name of the city of God and Christ’s new name are written on us; we become part of the New Jerusalem.
It is only when we express God in the New Jerusalem that He is truly glorified in the universe (Rom. 16:27; 1 Cor. 10:31).
As the New Jerusalem, we will be to the praise of God’s glory (Eph. 1:12). In eternity all the sons of God will be fully saturated with God and will express God (Heb. 2:10).
God will be expressed through His glorified sons, and this expressed God is glory (Rev. 21:7).
All the angels and positive things in the universe will praise the expressed God; thus, we, the glorified sons of God, will be to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:12). Hallelujah!
Lord, we tale You as the New Jerusalem and we give You all the glory! Fill us with Yourself. Fill us with Your glory. May the glory of God saturate and fill the church. We want to participate in the New Jerusalem so that we may express God and truly glorify Him in the universe! Amen, Lord, saturate us and fill us with Yourself as glory. May the Father be expressed through all the glorified Sons of God so that God would gain all the glory in the church! Hallelujah, our destiny is to be the New Jerusalem, the holy city, the city filled with the glory of God! Praise the Lord, all the angels and positive things in the universe will praise the expressed God! Hallelujah, we as the glorified sons of God will be to the praise of God’s glory!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother James Lee in the message, and portions from, Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 300-304, by Witness Lee, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Crystallization-study of 1 and 2 Kings (2022 summer training), week 9, entitled, The Temple of God Filled with the Glory of God.
- Hymns on this topic:
– There’s a Man in the glory / Whose Life is for me. / His peace is abiding; / How patient is He! / He’s joyful and radiant, / Expecting to see / His Life in the glory / Lived out in me; / His Life in the glory / Lived out in me. (Hymns #505, stanza 4)
– As the product, the fulfillment, / Will the church in glory stand, / Consummation of the purpose / In eternal ages planned. / God will have His corporate vessel, / All His glory to contain; / Lord, we’re wholly for Thy purpose / All Thy goal in us attain. (Hymns #1325 stanza 6)
– God in Christ, the glorious light, / Thru the city brightly shines, / Scattering all the deathly night / With its light of life divine. / God in man and man in God / Mutual dwelling thus possess; / God the content is to man, / And the man doth God express. (Hymns #972 stanzas 8-9)
About aGodMan
In his prayer Paul asked that the Father would strengthen the saints according to the riches of His glory [Eph. 3:16]. This implies that the glory of God was wrought into the saints. In the doxology Paul said, “To Him be the glory” (v. 21). This implies that the glory of God returns to God after it has been wrought into the saints… As an illustration, Isaac’s wealth was firstly given to Rebekah for her beautification; then when Rebekah came to Isaac, all the wealth came back to Isaac with Rebekah for his glorification (Gen. 24:47, 53, 61-67). The apostle prayed that God would strengthen the saints according to His glory, but eventually God’s glory, after being wrought into them, returns to Him along with the strengthened saints. This is the way God is glorified in the church. To be strengthened according to glory [cf. Eph. 3:16] is to have the glory of God worked into our being. This is the only way to be strengthened according to God’s glory… To be strengthened into the inner man according to the Father’s glory means to have His glory wrought into our being… When the glory comes into our being, we are filled and strengthened. When it returns to God, He is glorified in the church. The church is the glory of God coming to us with God and going back to God with us. In such a church there is two-way traffic between God and us, and between us and God. God’s glory is wrought into us and God is glorified in us. This traffic is signed by the little word “but.” Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 300-301, by Witness Lee
The glory of God is the expression of God, God expressed. We have been predestined for this glory and called to this glory (1 Cor. 2:7; 1 Pet. 5:10; 1 Thes. 2:12). We are being transformed into this glory (2 Cor. 3:18) and will be brought into it (Heb. 2:10). Eventually, we will be glorified with Christ (Rom. 8:17, 30) and bear the glory of God for God’s expression in the New Jerusalem. Rev. 21:11, note 1, Recovery Version Bible, on the word “glory”
Wow, brother, God is working His glory into us as He strengthens us into our inner man, and this glory returns to Him, for to God is the glory in the church.
Amen brother!
Eph. 3:16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man.
For us to be strengthened into our inner man, according to the riches of His glory, means that God’s glory comes to us with God and is worked into us.
“To Him be the glory in the church” indicates that God is glorified in the church, that the expression and manifestation of God through us, as members who live and express Him, brings glory to God.
Such glory is manifested in the New Jerusalem, which is the ultimate vessel to contain God with the Lamb as the lamp through whom God shines forth His glory.
May we have a church life today which glorifies God even as His glory is wrought more into us!
Hallelujah Glory to the dispensing Triune God
May we all pray that our Father would strengthen us according to the riches of His glory so that the Triune God would be glorified in the church.
The church life today should have God’s glory, manifesting & expressing Him. We need the glory of God to be worked into our being.
We give glory to God by allowing the glory of God to be wrought into our being.
To Him be the glory forever & ever.
Amen, It is either us who live or Christ who lives; it is either us who is expressed or God who is expressed through us.
When we see God, we deny ourselves.
When we see God and are infused with Him, we hate our self and we put ourselves aside.
When God appears to us, when we see God expressed in His glory, we realize that we don’t match Him and cannot be like Him, so we deny ourselves and we simply allow Him to work Himself more into our being.
Today we are in the process of having the glory of God wrought into us until the church returns the glory to God and to God is the glory in the church.