What is Glorification and Why Should I Care?

Romans 8:28-30 states:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

These verses detail God's complete sovereignty over salvation. All aspects of salvation—justification, sanctification, and glorification—are described in the past tense, as sure realities because of God's faithfulness. You have already been glorified in God's eyes, as certain as if it has happened.

This raises key questions: What is glorification? How can we be glorified when God alone deserves glory? The Bible teaches both, and glorification completes salvation's golden chain. You cannot be justified without being glorified.

Definition of Glorification

Glorification is the final sealing of a believer in the reality of what God says about the believer (justification) and what God does to the believer (sanctification), making the believer perfect and sinless for the rest of eternity.

Justification declares us righteous. Sanctification conforms us to Christ's image. Glorification locks this in permanently after death and bodily resurrection. We receive new, glorified bodies—physically and spiritually perfect. Even in heaven before resurrection, we are disembodied spirits, longing for full reunion in perfection.

God's glorification is praise due to Him for who He is. Our glorification is God's work perfecting us, enabling us to reflect His glory and praise Him fully.

1. Sin Will Prevent Your Glory

Sin bars one from glory, though true believers persevere to the end by God's power. No one justified fails to be glorified—it's impossible. Nothing can separate us from God's love.

Yet, I lack assurance of anyone's salvation except by fruits. Scripture warns professing believers because some look saved but aren't.

Galatians 5:19-21 warns:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Persistent, intentional sin proves no true salvation. Genuine Christians grow eternity-minded, finding sin less appealing as glory looms larger. Ongoing sin shows preference for temporal pleasures over eternal joy.

Suffer now to train disdain for sin and this world, aspiring to future glory. Tribulations teach us to long for the pain-free eternity ahead.

2. Sanctification Will Prove Your Glory

Sanctification—trials burning sin and growth in virtues—proves genuine faith headed for glory.

1 Peter 1:3-7 declares:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God guards us to glory. Trials test faith's genuineness, like the parable of the soils—true seed endures persecution. Suffering proves perseverance.

2 Peter 1:5-10 urges diligence:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these things you will never fall.

Increase in virtue (moral excellence), knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, affection, love. Diligence confirms election; stagnation leads to forgetting salvation, nearsightedness to the now. Growth proves trajectory to glory.

3. Satisfaction Is How We Live Before and After Glory

Christians hunger and weep now, satisfied by future fullness.

Luke 6:21 promises:

Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Before sin, ask: Is this worth missing eternity? Compare sin's lame pleasure to glory's bliss. The alternative is eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28)—endless pain without relief.

Discipline like Paul (1 Corinthians 9:27) to avoid disqualification. Sin never truly satisfies; it bores. Eternity with God dwarfs it.