What is glorification? At what point does God make His redeemed people incorruptible? Today, Ken Jones explains the meaning of glorification and the ultimate hope Christians have as they await Christ’s return. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/when-does-glorification-happen-at-our-death-or-at-christs-return/ Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or by emailing an audio recording of your question to [email protected]. You can also receive real-time answers through our online chat service at https://ask.ligonier.org/. A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
I was wondering when glorification happens. Is it at our death or at Christ's return? Thank you.
Rev. Ken Jones is joining us this week on the Ask Ligonier podcast, and he's the pastor of Glendale Missionary Baptist Church in Miami. Rev. Jones, when does glorification happen? At our death or at Christ's return?
at Christ's return. That's an easy one. And I say easy, but it is layered because Paul's wonderful chain in Romans 8, 29 and 30. And at the end of it, he says those that he has justified, he has glorified. So what does glorification mean? It means to be incorruptible. It means a final state. And so that state and what happens in our death is that our soul is in the presence of God.
But God created us body and soul. But the body is separated. And Paul's language and logic in 1 Corinthians 15 is that the mortal must give way to immortality. And that which is corruptible must give way to that which is incorruptible. So right now, Paul could say in Romans 8.30 that we are, if we are justified, then we are glorified to go back to that chain again.
What God has decreed is the guarantee that it will come about. So those who have genuine saving faith in him, who are justified in him or by him, ultimately, they will be glorified. And in the minds of God, we are glorified. But the reality of glorification, which means a mind and body that not only does not sin, but cannot, that's the final state.
And so that final state of glorification does not come until the return of Christ.
This has been Ask Ligonier with me, Nathan W. Bingham. If you have a biblical question that you'd like to pose to one of our future guests, leave us a voicemail by calling 1-800-607-9386. That number again is 1-800-607-9386. And you can always record that question on your smartphone and email it to us at askligoniervm at ligonier.org.
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