Jesus Admired in Them that Believe

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2 Thessalonians 1:10

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints…

1. What a difference between the first and second comings of our Lord. When He shall come a second time it will be to be glorified and admired, but when He came the first time He was despised and rejected of men.

2. The design of Christ's return is to be glorified in His people. Even now His saints glorify Him. When they walk in holiness they reflect His light: their holy deeds are beams from the Sun of Righteousness. When they believe in Him they also glorify Him, because no grace pays lowlier homage to the throne of Jesus.

3. We do not glorify Him as we could desire for too often we dishonour Him by our want of zeal and our many sins. Happy day when this shall be no more possible.

I. THE SPECIAL GLORIFICATION HERE INTENDED.

1. The Time: "When He shall come." For this He waits, and the Church waits with Him.

2. In whom this glorification is to be found. He is glorified by what we do here, but at last He will be glorified in what we are.

(1) In His saints. All will be holy ones; but inasmuch as they are believers the holiness with which they will honour Christ is a holiness based on faith in Him.

(2) "In all that believe." This is enlarged by the hint that they are believers in a certain testimony, according to the bracketed sentence. The testimony of the apostles was concerning Christ — His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. All who believe this witness are saved. But inasmuch as they are first said to be saints, this faith must be a living faith which renews the character and shapes the life after the model of Christ.

3. By whom will Christ be glorified? He shines in His people but who shall see the glory?

(1)  His own people. Every saint will admire Christ in Himself, and in his brother saints.

(2)  His holy angels.

(3)  Perhaps the inhabitants of other worlds.

(4)  Satan and his defeated legions. These shall glorify Christ in His people, in whom they have been completely overthrown.

4. In what degree? The very highest. Admiration means wonder; surpassing all conception. Every one will be astonished, none more so than the saint himself.

5. In what respects?

(1) On account of the number of the saints. "A great multitude whom no man can number." Those who laughed will now see how the little one has become a thousand.

(2) An account of their quality. They shall be "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing." Absolutely perfect.

II. THE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS THIS TRUTH SUGGESTS.

1. That the principal subject for self-examination with us all should be — Am I a saint?

2. The small value of human opinion. When Christ was here the world reckoned Him a nobody, and while His people are here they must expect to be judged in the same way. Never mind the reproach which will then be silenced.

3. A great encouragement to seekers. If Christ is to be glorified in saved sinners will He not be glorified indeed if He saved you?

4. An exhortation to believers. If Christ is to be honoured in His people let us think well of and love them all. Some are uncomely, poor, ignorant; but do not, therefore, despise them.

5. An encouragement to all who love Jesus and bear testimony to His name.

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