God the Peacemaker 9
Chapter Nine: The grand purpose: glory
This second last chapter of God the Peacemaker is somewhat heavy – but that’s not surprising as the glory of God is a heavy concept to get our creaturely minds around. But, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, it is essential that we seek to do just that. Why? Because the plot line of the Bible; salvation history itself is moving towards one goal: ‘glory.’
Our author, Graham Cole, helpfully unpacks God’s grand purpose in this chapter. Here are some highlights:
- Part of God’s grand purpose is for His people to become like Him. CS Lewis coined the expression “to make them little Christs” and Eastern Orthodoxy speaks of ‘theosis’ or ‘deification.’ There is risk with any language, and in these types of usage, I think consistent care is needed to maintain the distinction between Creator and creature. And so I agree with Graham that an expression such as ‘becoming like Christ’ may be wiser (2 Cor 3:18).
- But why have people, transformed into the likeness of Jesus, serving and reigning in a new heaven and new earth? Answer: For God’s glory.
- Glory? How should it be defined? It is not an easy concept as its meaning exceeds how the word is used in relation to human glory viz. fame, reputation, honour. Graham describes glory as “the transcendent majesty that shines out of God’s very being.” The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery puts it like this: “Glory is one of the great positive images of the Bible, the language of the mystic and of the believing heart that has glimpsed the greatness of God.”
- If the ultimate goal is glorifying God, what does this tell us about God? Is He the supreme egotist? In answering a strong negative to this question, our author notes the mutual glorification within the inner life of the Trinity (John 16:16; 17).
Graham concludes the chapter with these words:
“…other-person-centredness has always been true of the inner life of the God. Love and glory are not in antithesis. If so, the triune God is no narcissus, in lonely monad in need of praise. Rather, when we as creatures are commanded to glorify God…we are called to a practice that is true to the very nature of God…”