Page 154 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

be free indeed” (John 8:36). The truth as revealed in Christ Jesus is
what makes people truly free. Freedom is the very thing people want,
and God promises it. But those who will not give up their own will in
submission to God remain in bondage. They will forever be enslaved to
sin, hopelessness, and death.

Glorification includes the full realization of freedom. Among other
things, we shall be free from sin. Now our freedom from sin is partial
(John 8:32–36; Romans 6–8; Galatians 5:1, 13), but it will be complete
on the day of Christ. At the present time we struggle against worldly
desires, but then this struggle will be over. Then, we shall have freedom
to do what is good.

Glorification will also bring us freedom from the Law. In Christ we
are free from the Law insofar as justification and sanctification are
concerned. At the present time God’s moral law provides guidelines for
our conduct, but in the eternal state there will be no need for such law
(Matthew 5:17–18).

And finally, glorification will bring freedom from death. While at
present Christians have not been freed from the experience of dying,
they have been shielded from its power to hurt (1 Corinthians 15:51–56).
As a result of Christ’s death and resurrection, we no longer need to fear
death (Hebrews 2:14–18). At glorification, we shall finally triumph, for
death shall be no more!

We will enjoy the full realization of our freedom in Christ at our
glorification. (See Romans 8:18–25; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18.) We are now
“children of God” (1 John 3:2), and we are trying to be like our Lord;
however, then we shall be perfectly conformed to the likeness of the Son
(Romans 8:29–30). When we are glorified, our humanity is perfected
into the likeness of the human nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Perfecting of the Body

Since glorification involves the whole person, it includes the perfecting
of the body. The Bible gives true dignity to the human body, and nowhere
is the body called sinful. In fact, we are told in Genesis 1:26–30 that the
whole person was made in the image of God. Adam was part of Creation
when God reviewed it and declared it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

::: 146 :::