You Were Created for Glory in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 1:15–18 (NKJV)

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Summary

This message teaches that believers were not only redeemed from sin but created to share in the very glory of Christ Jesus. God’s ultimate purpose for His children is not just salvation or sanctification—but glorification. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the eyes of our understanding are opened to comprehend the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:15–18).

When Christ came into the world, He laid aside His divine glory to become human and endure suffering so that we might share in His eternal glory. Although we live in a fallen world filled with trials, those sufferings are temporary and purposeful—each one shaping us into the image of Christ and preparing us for an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

To be “in Christ” means to share in His life, His inheritance, and His glory—both now and in the life to come. A measure of that glory can be experienced now through the Spirit, transforming us “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Yet the fullness of that glory awaits Christ’s return, when believers will be made like Him (1 John 3:2).

Paul calls believers to fix their eyes not on the temporary things of this world but on the eternal. Our citizenship is in heaven, and our trials are producing endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:1–5). This glory is the fulfillment of God’s love—He calls us into fellowship with His Son and promises that, after we have suffered a little while, He will restore, establish, and strengthen us (1 Peter 5:10).

Thus, we were created for glory, to reflect the nature, holiness, and love of God for eternity. Our present hardships are merely the pathway to the crown. The Cross comes before the Glory.

Jn 13:31–32 (NKJV) — 31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.

Proofs and Discussion

I will now speak to you the truth, and the Holy Spirit will give you the proof. I remind you, as I have always said, see things as they are, but also see things as they really are. Now, may the eyes of your understanding be enlightened as I share with you what Christ has revealed to me.

We as human beings have a mind that has been trained to conform to this world. We are constantly being inundated daily with how to think and act according to the ways of the world. However, once we are born again, we are no longer citizens of this world but citizens of heaven. We are now children of Almighty God and heirs destined to live in a New World. 

That New World is not conceivable to us because it is a world of the spirit, and our natural minds cannot comprehend it.

This is one of the reasons Christ came into the world, so that we might not only be saved but also, through the process of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, be able to comprehend those things that were previously incomprehensible to our natural minds. This is why I have always said, see things as they are now, see things as they really are!

Paul speaks of this as one of the spiritual blessings that has been given to us by the work of Christ in Ephesians 1:15-18.

God has given you His Word so that you may know Him. But just knowing is not enough. You must have understanding! Understanding does not come unless you have the revelation of God's word through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Then you can see the word of God through spiritual eyes and not just your natural ones. When you begin to see things through the spirit, you begin to see what Paul calls the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory that he has for us. I so desperately want you to be able to glean this. That is the reason I'm giving you this lesson so that you may review it after I teach it.

Now truly see with a spiritual eye his Word to secure your pathway to glory. 2 Cor 4:6, John 13:31-32

The light is the word of God. We can study it, but we will not truly understand it until we have the illumination of it by His Holy Spirit. I want you to be able to have some insight so you can recognize the glory that our Father wants us to experience, not just in eternity but here and now. John 13:31; 17:22-23

As Jesus is glorified, we too can experience that glory!

One of the reasons Christ came into the world was for you to be able to experience life more abundantly and experience his glory! 2 Cor 8:9 He gave his all for us! Phil 2:6

He laid aside his glory, and he did not have to and became limited by the flesh, was born in a manger, and became like us. He became so poor that the Scripture said he had no place to lay his head. Matt 8:20

He then suffered unspeakable humiliation so that we, who did not deserve it, might be made rich. What does he mean be made rich? He means that though we were cursed to live in these bodies and suffer as a result of evil in this world, by his sacrifice, we may suffer for a little while but if we remain faithful we will experience the riches of his glory forever while. A measure of his glory is given to each of us in this life, then in the world to come, an immeasurable amount.

To be in Christ is to share in His life, His inheritance, and His glory. Glory is both our destiny and our inheritance. 

Christ wants us to experience a measure of his glory now as the Spirit so desires to give. If we can begin to comprehend the meaning of this and fix our eyes not on things of this world but on the Glory of God that he has for us, we can be more like Christ. We will overcome all things with the help of the Holy Spirit, our comforter. Heb 12:2 The psalmist tells us we should focus on those eternal blessings that are at God's right hand. Psa 16:11 Yet still too many of us focus too much entirely on earthly things and not enough on the heavenly.

We can never truly experience the life God wants us to experience unless we begin to focus on the things He desires to give us, rather than the things we desire for ourselves. Christ has told us to seek first his kingdom, and everything we need and desire will be given to us in abundance. Why are we not learning to trust in the Lord and understand that he will not withhold any good thing from us? 

Look and see here that our focus on things of this world will do us no earthly good, and then in eternity no heavenly good. Rom 8:5-11

If we simply learn to focus on the things unseen and not so much on the seen, we would run the race that is set before us and not get upset with the simple little sufferings and sorrows that we have along the way of this narrow road. We must make heaven more real to us, focusing on it, recognizing the certainty of it for us, and then we will fight the better fight of faith.

We definitely will experience trouble in this world but it is nothing compared to the great astounding glory that we shall participate in at the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus! Remember, Eph 1:17-18, Heb 12:2

We are going to experience his glory in the future, but the experience is happening even now! Look at this and understand with the Spirit! 2 Cor 3:18; Rom 8:14-18

We are to expect trouble in this world. But also understand this: our heavenly Father will not allow anything to separate us from his love. We may go through trials, but as he has told us, he will deliver us from them all. I want you to focus on this last sentence. Let's repeat it. 

We should be confident that, though we are being challenged daily in this life, we are to focus on the fact that he said John 14:1-3

We have been created for the praise of the glory of God. As we glorify him, we will experience the glory. Mt 5:14-16 

There is nothing compared to being caught up in the glory of the Lord. This message is to help us understand that in this world we will have trouble, but those troubles are nothing compared to the joy that we shall experience when we are with our Lord.

Let us continue to seek a deeper understanding of the glory of God that is available for us to experience here and now, in eternity.

Glory Is Tied to Endurance and Suffering

1 Pe 5:10 states explicitly that God has “called you to his eternal glory in Christ,” indicating that glory is part of the calling of the believer. However, to experience this glory, you will experience trouble in this world. This world is not your home. It is not even your friend. This world hated your master, and if you are serving him unashamedly, you will not have friends in this world. This is something we have to get used to. Unless we are willing to give up friendship with the world, we cannot have glory with the Father. Keep your eyes on the glory! 2 Cor 4:15-18. Our focus is not to be on this world, but on God! Don’t let the troubles of this world get you down. Ro 5:1-5; 2 Cor 12:7-10 Rejoice therefore even in enduring Suffering!

Glory is not in spite of suffering but often through it.

Again, I say Rejoice! 1 Pet 4:13. I would ask you a question: how can we rejoice? Because of the love of God, he allows us to suffer, but He will not forsake us! Look at that Scripture again.

Participation in his sufferings now means participation in his glory later. As Christ suffered unjustly and was glorified, believers share in His pattern — cross first, then crown. This joy isn’t just emotional cheerfulness but a deep assurance that suffering has meaning in God’s plan. The phrase “to the extent that you partake” shows that the greater the fellowship in Christ’s suffering, the greater the depth of joy. Mt 5:11-12; Ro 8:17-18

Joy flows from understanding that trials refine our faith and glorify God. The “exceeding joy” echoes the promise of eternal reward and vindication.

Our present hardship leads to eternal joy. 

Let us now try to speak of the glory of God so that we may understand what we are going to experience in its fullness at the coming of the Lord. There is actually no way that I can bring this to your mind because our limited minds can’t comprehend the eternal glory. This is because 1 Co 2:9

A little bit more about the glory of God, and maybe this will help us to have a picture of the greatness of his glory that we shall experience one day! Ex 15:11;Ps 111:3; Jer 17:12; Is 30:30; Ps 145:5,12; Ps 148:13; 1Pe 4:13

Glory for Us Is the Fulfillment of God’s Love for Us 

God’s love for His children is expressed by him bringing us into eternal fellowship and glory with Christ. John 17:24; Col 1:27, Ps 73:24; Ro 8:29-30; 1 Pe 5:10; 1 Jn 3:2; Ro 5:2-5

Multiple-Choice Questions

• According to Ephesians 1:15–18, what does Paul pray for the believers to receive?
  A. Greater wealth and success
  B. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing God
  C. Deliverance from all suffering
  D. Power to rule nations

• What happens when the Holy Spirit enlightens the eyes of our understanding?
  A. We see spiritual truth beyond natural reasoning
  B. We gain worldly wisdom
  C. We lose our individuality
  D. We no longer experience trials

• What did Jesus lay aside to come into the world?
  A. His divinity
  B. His glory
  C. His mission
  D. His authority

• What does it mean that believers will be “made rich” through Christ (2 Cor 8:9)?
  A. We will gain earthly prosperity
  B. We will share in His eternal glory and spiritual inheritance
  C. We will receive material blessings
  D. We will escape all suffering

• According to Romans 8:17–18, what accompanies being heirs with Christ?
  A. Political authority
  B. Earthly rewards
  C. Suffering with Him leading to glorification
  D. Freedom from all pain

• How can believers begin to experience God’s glory now?
  A. By personal discipline alone
  B. By being transformed by the Spirit from glory to glory
  C. By performing good works only
  D. By renouncing faith entirely

• What does 1 Peter 5:10 teach about glory?
  A. It is earned through human effort
  B. It follows after suffering in Christ
  C. It is available only in heaven
  D. It can be bought through sacrifice

• What attitude should believers have toward trials, according to 1 Peter 4:13?
  A. Fear
  B. Complaining
  C. Rejoicing in participation with Christ’s sufferings
  D. Indifference

• How does suffering serve God’s purpose in our lives?
  A. It refines our faith and leads to greater glory
  B. It proves God’s absence
  C. It removes our need for faith
  D. It limits spiritual growth

• What does “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27) reveal?
  A. Glory is a future promise only
  B. Christ’s presence within believers is both the source and assurance of glory
  C. Only a few can attain glory
  D. Glory depends on personal merit