Turth, the Great Need of Every Hour in Every Age

I write so that you will know how one ought

to conduct himself in the household of God,

which is the church of the living God,

the pillar and support of the truth.

I Timothy 3:15

What will people hear when they come to your church? What should people hear when they come to your church? What do people need to hear when they come to church, any church? The answer is simple, really, and it is....."The Truth." What people should hear, and need to hear is "The Truth," yes, with a capital "T". 

They don't need stories, they don't need therapy, they don't need moralism, they don't need movie clips or skits, they don't need placating, they don't need pandering, they don't need platitudes, they don't need entertainment, they don't need titillation, they don't need warm fuzzies, they don't need their self-esteem boosted or their ego stroked, they don't need to be manipulated, they don't need to be sold, they don't need vision, they don't need wit or comedy, they don't need a slickly produced event, they don't even need the pastor to be a great communicator. Plain and simply they need the pastor to be a truth-teller; and they need the pastor to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help him God.

They need to hear the truth throughout the service, in the praying and the praising and the preaching. The entire service should carpet bomb them with the truth. In our post-modern age, truth is the great need of the hour; but that is no different than it has ever been, as man has always had an aversion to the truth, which is why people will pile in heaps those who will tickle their ears with what they want to hear, and pile on those who don't. But just because men and women are averse to the truth, doesn't mean they don't need the truth. In reality it is their very aversion to the truth that causes them to be in such great need of the truth.

Fortunately we have the great repository of the truth, the Bible, which is the very truth of God who cannot lie; and we have the Living Word, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, who is truth incarnate and personified, and the locus of the truth (Ephesian 4:21, John 14:6). So if we are to give the people the truth, we should preach and teach the infallible and inerrant word of God, and tell them of His Son who spoke truth and lived the truth (Ephesians 1:13a, John 8:40). 

In Acts 20:26 Paul testifies that he is innocent of the blood of all men. How could he make such a bold and powerful statement? Because he knew that He preached the truth, he knew that he declared the whole counsel of God. It wasn't platitudes that caused him to be stoned, but the truth. It wasn't a therapeutic sermon that caused him to be beaten with a rod, but the truth. It wasn't entertainment and titillation that caused him to be imprisoned, but the truth. It wasn't self-esteem, make them feel good about themselves, tell them God loves them just like they are sermons that caused him to be run out of several towns, but the truth. It was the truth he preached that contradicted the pagan cultures that made him unpopular and the object of wrath, but it was the same truth that was the seedbed for the churches he planted.

Man's great need is the thing he hates to hear the most, the truth. If we are called to preach, then we are called to declare the truth. Anything else, really anything less, is a betrayal of our calling. Let's remember James 4:17, and don't give lip-service to preaching the truth; but preach the truth to the best of our God-given ability, asking Him for His grace and empowerment, trusting in His truth to do what only it can do and trusting in Him for the effects. This is what makes us worthy watchmen (Ezekiel 33:1-9).

Rejoice in the Lord Always

 Rejoice in the Lord always,

again I say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 

In the Greek, this word rejoice is a present active imperative, which means it is an ongoing command, one which is to be carried out continually, and is one of a list of commands that Paul gives in the first nine verses of this chapter. And, for obvious good measure, Paul couples this command with the word always, so that we see for sure that there is to never be a time when we are not to be rejoicing. Along with this I do not believe that it is an accident that Paul gives this command on the heels of reminding the Philippians about the book of life in verse three. What comes to mind immediately is the command of our Lord to his disciples in Luke 10:20...but rejoice that your names are written in the book of life. Here He was telling the disciples that their rejoicing should be in their salvation, its surety and security.

As Christians, our greatest joy should be our salvation, and it should override and overcome any and all circumstances in life. Our joy in our salvation, in our eternal standing in the Lord should always be our greatest joy, and we should exult in our salvation above all else. As a result, we should be more thankful for our salvation than anything else, and the fact of our salvation should be both the foundation and the fountainhead of all of our praise. In Hebrews it is called a "so great salvation" and, indeed, it is just that. The Scripture tells us we are to make melody in our hearts to the Lord, and if you read through the Psalms you will see the greatest praise and thanksgiving, the greatest rejoicing, revolves around salvation.

The circumstances of the Philippians when Paul wrote this also gives us some insight into this command to rejoice. They were facing opposition from without that was causing suffering of the type that they had seen Paul go through when he was in Philippi (Philippians 1:27-30). They were faced with opposition from within as there were enemies of the cross (tares) among them (Philippians 3:17-19). They were also beset with internal bickering that was dividing the church (1:27, 2:2-4, 4:2-3). There was much going on that would be disheartening and discouraging to this body of believers. This is why Paul starts of this section with the command to stand firm in the Lord. In light of all of this, we see the command to rejoice in this verse is for them to have a thoughtful response to their circumstances, not a blitheful, ignorant, Pollyanna view, but a knowing reflection of the greatness of their eternal spiritual state in comparison to the temporal circumstances they found themselves in.

Additionally, they already have joy, joy within, through the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Joy is second on the list of the fruit of the Spirit. It is only those who have the joy of the Lord who can truly rejoice in the Lord…in His reality, His nearness, His promises, His truth. Again, you rejoice in Him because of all that He is and all that you have in Him. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Joy steadies the fainting soul, it strengthens the weak soul, it anchors the wavering soul, it gives light to the distressed soul, it soothes the anxious soul, and it bolsters the vexed soul.

However, joy is what we have, rejoicing is what we do as the outward manifestation of the joy we have within; and rejoicing in the Lord is key in standing firm in Him. Paul also tells the Thessalonians in Chapter 5 to rejoice always. So rejoicing is to be a state that the Christian is to live in, and a daily practice. In his commentary on Philippians Walter Hansen shares this, “The fulfillment of all other goals in the Christian walk flows out of the practice of the rejoicing in the Lord." If you think about it, you see how true this is. I have never seen an effective Christian who was not a rejoicing Christian. 

This command to rejoice was given to the Philippians in the context of suffering, in the context of opposition, in the context of less than perfect circumstances, and so we see who they are rejoice in, it is the Lord, Himself. They are to rejoice in the Lord, not in their health, their wealth, their prosperity, their stuff, their job, their family, or their circumstances. Their object of joy is to be the Lord, who He is and all that they have in Him, which is all wrapped up in the package of salvation. 

So with this in mind let's look at why we are to rejoice in the Lord, by looking at our reasons for rejoicing. And these reasons never change, even though our circumstances do.

II Corinthians 1:20 You rejoice in Him because in Him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen.

Philippians 4:13, John 15:5 You rejoice in Him because in Him you can do all things, but apart from Him you can do nothing.

Ephesians 1:3 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing.

Colossians 2:3 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I Corinthians 1:24 You rejoice in Him because He is wisdom of God and the power of God.

Colossians 2:10 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have been made complete.

I Corinthians 1:30 You rejoice in Him because in Him are righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

Romans 8:1 You rejoice in Him for in Him there is no condemnation.

Ephesians 1:7 You rejoice in Him because in Him there is forgiveness of sins.

I Thessalonians 1:10 You rejoice in Him because in Him there is deliverance from the wrath to come.

Ephesians 1:10-11, I Peter 1:3-4 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have obtained an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, will not fade away, and which is reserved in heaven for you.

I Peter 1:5, 3:20-21 You rejoice in Him because in Him your salvation is protected by the power of God.

Ephesians 1:13 You rejoice in Him because in Him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Ephesians 2:13, 3:12, Hebrews 4:16 You rejoice in Him for in Him you have been brought near to the throne of grace, and in Him you have bold and confident access to the Father.

II Corinthians 5:17 You rejoice in Him for in Him you have been made new.

II Corinthians 5:18 You rejoice in Him for in Him you have been reconciled to God, and are no longer God’s enemy.

Ephesians 2:22 You rejoice in Him because in Him you are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:16 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have been raised up and seated in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 1:7 You rejoice in Him because in Him are all the riches of grace.

Ephesians 4:21 You rejoice in Him for truth is found in Him.

John 1:4, 11:25 You rejoice in Him for in Him is life eternal.

Acts 4:12, II Timothy 2:10, Hebrews 5:9 You rejoice in Him because your salvation is in Him.

John 14:9, Hebrews 1:3 You rejoice in Him because in Him you see the Father.

Ephesians 2:5 You rejoice in Him because in Him you have been made alive.

Galatians 2:20 You rejoice in Him for because He now lives in you.

John 16:33 You rejoice in Him for in Him you have peace.

This rejoicing is to be a persistent rejoicing, an active rejoicing, an intentional rejoicing…not a passive, reluctant, forced rejoicing. When we rejoice like this, in any and all circumstances, the joy of the Lord is truly our strength.

Let's rejoice today in the Lord, in all that He is, in all that He has done, in all that we have in Him. Let us rejoice in the greatness of His salvation that He has so graciously and magnanimously bestowed upon us. For the circumstances of this life are temporal, but His salvation and all that we have in Him are eternal.

The Three Essential Elements of Powerful Persuasive Preaching

Preaching is both a human task and a Divine event, a combination of man and God delivering the message of God. As preachers we are both blessed and burdened in our preaching. We are blessed with the opportunity and the privilege and burdened with the responsibility and accountability, of speaking forth the oracles of God. Those truly called to preach have been gifted so as to be the mouthpiece of God, so that when we speak for God it should be as God Himself would speak. As such, preaching has been depicted as God speaking through the personality of men. 

In this vein we must realize that there are certain keys, certain requirements, certain foundational principles required on the preacher's part so that the Spirit of God can and will attend and give unction to his message. It is not erudition, articulation, or winsomeness, although those are certainly helpful. It is good to be learned, it is good to be a wordsmith, and certainly an attractive personality and engaging presentation will help; but all of these can be present and yet, the sermon can be devoid of power and spiritually impotent. 

What then are the keys to powerful, persuasive preaching? What is required of those who would stand in the pulpit and herald forth the word of God? What must we as preachers do in order for our sermons to be attended by the Holy Spirit and for us to preach in His power? I believe there are three keys, three foundational elements, that are required of the preacher for his preaching to be spiritually powerful and effective. In listening to and experiencing sermons I have seen these essential elements to be present in the preacher whose sermons have been marked by the attending power of the Holy Spirit; and all the great preachers in the church have possessed and exhibited these elements in their preaching. They are:

1. A thorough conviction of the truth.
This is ground zero for all who would be powerful in the pulpit and is the primary essential element and the guiding principle for all who would have their preaching attended by the Holy Spirit. The preacher who would be powerful in the pulpit will always believe that the word of God is true, absolutely true; not just true as regards the things of salvation, not just true in the matters of faith and practice, but true in every area to which it speaks, whether it is creation, revelation, miracles, history, or prophecy. He does not look for holes in the Scriptures, but has a steadfast hold on the veracity of the Scriptures and believes that they are truth without any mixture of error. He then preaches as presenting the truth, with the conviction that what he is saying is true, and therefore his preaching will be attended by the Spirit of truth. This gives the message authority.

2. A thorough knowledge of the truth.
Shallow knowledge begets shallow sermons, and shallow sermons are never powerful sermons. There is a saying that knowledge is power, and the powerful preacher will have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, not just in a pet area, but in the full flow of the grand narrative of the Bible. He will understand where the passage he is preaching on falls in the scope of the Bible, he will understand its context, its historical surroundings, its audience. The preacher will have a knowledge of the subject he is preaching on, and what the Bible, as a whole, has to say about the subject. This lends weight to his sermon, this gives breadth and depth to his sermon, and thereby gives his preaching the appropriate gravitas. Alongside this the Holy Spirit of God also gives the preacher wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes the preacher believable.

3. A thorough explanation of the truth.
Just as thorough knowledge makes the preacher believable, thorough explanation makes the preacher understandable. What makes the sermon finally and ultimately powerful is the explanation and application of the truth. A correct and thorough explanation of the truth is a prerequisite to the Holy Spirit applying the truth to the hearts of the hearers. People cannot apply what they do not know or understand. The truth must be presented clearly and precisely. The meanings of words, their tenses and contexts, and what other verses say about the same subject give light to the mind in understanding the meaning of the passage. Once a passage is understood the Holy Spirit will apply it to each person's heart within the context of their own walk and experience. This makes the sermon personal, this makes it powerful, this makes it effective. 

As preachers we must preach to the heart through the mind in order to bend the will. In order for this to take place we must be convinced that what we are preaching is true, we must know our subject, and we must be able to explain so as to bring clarity and insight into the mind of the hearer. When this is done, the Holy Spirit will attend our sermon and give it all the spiritual power necessary to accomplish its aim. 

I hope these essential elements are present in your preaching. They are attainable for us all, from the least gifted of us to the most gifted, from the least eloquent to the most eloquent, from the least winsome to the most winsome. Possessing these foundational and essential elements in our preaching does not guarantee us large crowds or growing churches or notoriety or a place on the conference circuit, but they do guarantee us that our sermons will be spiritually powerful and effective in the sphere in which our Lord and Master has placed us. This will lead to His approbation, "Well done, My good and faithful slave, enter into the joy of your Master."

Living for His Glory?

  The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.  Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard.  Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world…

Psalm 19:1-4b

So if the heavens are telling of the glory of  God, should not we? Man, as the apex of God’s creation, man as the one created in the image of God, should be the one aspect of His creation that brings Him the greatest glory, and praises Him in the greatest way.

  

I Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

The whole world is a theater for the glory of God, and your life is one of its many stages.

A life that is not lived for the glory of God is a life that is lived for naught. It is a life that has accomplished nothing of eternal value. It is a life that has received its only reward here on earth. A life lived for God and His glory is a life lived for eternity, and a life that will reap eternal rewards. For in the final analysis, you will either live for God's glory or live for your own.

Whose Direction are You Following and Where Does it Lead?

The ancient Greek playwright, Euripides once said, "The wisest men follow their own direction." However the Bible says this in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Man's own direction for his life always follows the broad path that leads to destruction, for he always goes astray in his heart.

Our gracious and compassionate God has given man His word, His direction, His way, and His path in the Bible. Hear His word today! Choose God's path today! Heed His call today! Follow His direction today! Forsake your own way and call upon Him while He is near, asking for His direction for your life; and He will have mercy upon you and will direct you to and set you on the path that leads to eternal life.

The path to God is centered in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." We must follow Christ in order to find the path to eternal life; and to follow Christ we must turn from following our own direction for our life (repent), and believe that the direction to God lies solely in Him.

God's direction will always and ultimately lead to eternal life. Forsake setting your own direction, and follow His today!

A Soldier of the Cross

 Am I a Soldier of the Cross

Am I a soldier of the cross,

a follower of the Lamb, and

shall I fear to own his cause,

or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies

on flow'ry beds of ease, while

others fought to win the prize,

and sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes to for me to face?

Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend of grace,

to help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;

increase my courage, Lord;  I'll

bear the toil, endure the pain,

supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints, in all this glorious war, 

shall conquer though they die;

they view the triumph from afar,

and seize it with their eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,

and all Thine armies shine in robes

of vict'ry through the skies,

the glory shall be Thine.

Isaac Watts

This hymn was written circa 1721-24 while Watts was preaching on I Corinthians 16:13, and was appended to Watts sermons published during this period , "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." is the admonition in this verse. In the time when the persecution of Christians is global and our society's intolerance toward us is increasing, the timelessness of this hymn is a vital reminder to us all of the challenge and cost and glory of taking up our cross and fighting the good fight of faith. 

Since Genesis 3 those who follow the Lord have been embroiled in a long war against the truth, and this war is also against those who love the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth. So, in a very real sense all who name the name of Christ enter into the battle in some way. May this hymn encourage and strengthen us all to be strong and be soldiers of the cross, and may we sing more songs like this in our churches.  O Father, grant us your strength that we not shrink back, Hebrews 10:38-39, but be counted among those who stand firm in the faith.

Blessed are the Gentle

                                             Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart...

Matthew 11:29a

...In the world you have tribulation, but

take courage; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33b

Gentle…praus…meek, mild, fair, a blend of spiritual poise and strength, a quiet and friendly composure that does not become embittered or angry at what is unpleasant. First, it is a disposition toward God in which we accept all His dealings with us as good and therefore accept them without disputing and resisting. Secondly, it is a disposition toward man that is without self-assertiveness or self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation. 

It is not meekness as we typically think of meekness. It is not timidness, or cowardice, or a sissiness, or an avoidance of conflict. In the ancient times it was used to describe an animal that had been tamed, a stallion that was now able to be led by a small child with only a bridle. It is the picture of power under control. It is not a passive gentleness, it is not a timid gentleness, but a deliberate and determined gentleness. Therefore in it we see the strength of gentleness, a gentle strength, a tamed strength.

Spiritually, it is a tamed spirit. It is a spirit under control, a spirit controlled and subservient to the Holy Spirit, a spirit that does not quench the Holy Spirit, but yields to the Holy Spirit. It is a spirit that yields itself to God and restrains itself with men.

It is sometimes used as a synonym for humility, but it is really not. Humility is a lowliness of mind that considers others more important than itself. Gentleness is a condition of the soul that because it has yielded or submitted itself to God, it then reins itself in and restrains itself in its dealings with others. It doesn’t assert itself even though it has the power and ability to do so. However, humility and gentleness are close companions and go hand in hand or arm in arm with each other.

The reality is that Jesus has overcome the the world, the One who was gentle and humble in heart, the One who would not hurt a bruised reed, the One who entered Jerusalem, not on the conqueror's white steed, but on a donkey, and, actually, the foal (young and not full grown) of a donkey.  

This is not the picture of a world conqueror that would be drawn up in one's imagination, or portrayed in books or movies. He did not come in power and might, with a mighty army or legions of cavalry, or with shock and awe; but He came gently and in meekness and humility and submission to the Father's will; and, in doing so, overcame the world and all of its evil. In overcoming the world He has set free from the dominion of the world and its ruler all who would come to Him in repentance and faith.  

It is those who exercise this same spirit of gentleness who overcome sin, Satan, and the world. It is those who exercise this same gentleness of spirit that will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and not just the earth of the millennial reign, but the new heavens and earth where righteousness reigns forever and ever.

Is this you my friend? Have you been tamed by the Spirit? Do you live under the Spirit's control?  Are you submissive to God and restrained towards men?  If not, repent of your rebellion and untamed spirit, and by faith submit yourself to Christ as your Lord.

Three Blessings of Justification

The main thing that Paul does in the book of Romans is to lay out the great foundational truths of the gospel. In the section from Romans 3:21-5:21 Paul presents great truths of salvation, truths that run contra to man's self-righteous and self-sufficient sensibilities; and the great truth he presents in verses 3:21-4:25 is justification by faith alone. So in Romans 5:1-2 Paul gives us three benefits, three blessings that are ours that result from being justified by faith. Because we have been justified by faith:

1. We have Peace with God

2. We enter into grace and stand in grace

3. We have hope of the glory of God  (which is a cause of exulting)

Before we get into the benefits of justification, though, we want to see how we have come to possess these wonderful benefits. It is through Christ that we have these blessings. He is the means through whom God has blessed us. We have peace with God and stand in grace through Christ. This peace with God and this grace from God are ours through Christ, and they are the foundation of our hope in the glory of God. It is through Christ that God grants us peace and grace (why else does Paul constantly say "Grace and peace to you?"); and because of the reality of these blessings we have hope of the glory of God. God has given us so much through His Son. The Bible is replete with verses that communicate this to us. Such as:

Romans 8:31b-32…If God is for us who is against us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

I Corinthians 8:3 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

Now let's look at a brief outline of the benefits listed by Paul.

Peace with God

The peace we have with God is the peace that God has made

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. God is the peace maker, He is the one who has reconciled with us, not us with Him. People talk frequently about making their peace with God, but it is God that has made peace with man through His Son. Romans 5:10 tells us that while we were still enemies God reconciled with us. II Corinthians 5:21 tells us that it was God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Listen to these words from the Lord.

Colossians 1:19-20 It was the Father’s good pleasure…through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross…

God has made peace with man, not by means of force, but by means of sacrifice, the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

The peace we have with God is the peace Christ had with God

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you…..

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.

The peace we have with God is the perfect peace that Christ has with Him.

The peace we have with God is proclaimed in the gospel

Acts 10:36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—

Ephesians 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace

Ephesians 2:17 and He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near.

The gospel is the good news of peace, it is the proclamation one can have peace, and its resulting harmony and unity, with God Himself.

This peace with God is the hallmark of our relationship with Him

Colossians 1:21-22a And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death

Romans 8:6-7 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.

In our mindset, in our thoughts, we are no longer at odds with God, but have a sweet and abiding peace with Him.  

The peace we have with God is the foundation of our hope

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you  will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We enter into grace and stand in grace

The word for stand is histemi, which means to be fixed, or established, to be kept intact, to be immovable. Through Christ, as a result of our justification by faith, we enter into a state of grace in which we are fixed and established, never to be moved or removed.

John 1:14…the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…..For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:7b-8a…according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us….

II Timothy 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

II Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

We have hope of the glory of God  (which is a cause of exulting)

What is it about this hope that causes a boastful rejoicing on our behalf? It is because it is not hope in general, but a specific hope, a hope of the glory of God. What is it about this glory that causes such a response on our part?

It is an eschatological glory

I John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.

I Corinthians 15:42-43 So also is the resurrection of the dead.  It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power….

It is a predestined glory

Romans 8:30 and those whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom he called, he also justified; and these whom He justified, He glorified.

I Peter 5:10…the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ…

II Timothy 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

It is the glory of Christ

John 17:22,24 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one…Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

I Thessalonians 1:9-10 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who believe….

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

I Peter 1:7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious that gold which is perishable, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

It is a glory that belongs only to those of the household of God

Romans 8:21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

I Peter 5:1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ , and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed…

Yes, the greatest benefit of being justified by faith is that on that day, when the Lord comes back, and the dead in Christ are raised, each in his own order, we shall be raised with a body that is imperishable and glorious, just like our Lord's, for we know that when He appears we shall be like Him because we will see Him just as He is (I John 3:2). It is the day when our salvation will be complete. This indeed is a cause of exultation now because of our confident expectation of God's fulfillment of His many promises to us. 

The Psalmist tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. These are but three of the many blessings that we have as a result of our justification. Being justified brings us into union with Christ, and being in union with Christ is being in a state of blessedness; and in being blessed we taste and see the goodness of God to us. I hope that we all taste and see that goodness and that it does not go unnoticed, unappreciated, or becomes taken for granted; but that it is an ever present reality in which we live.