"Whom he justified, them he also glorified."

How do we go from justification to glorification? Is there a Divine program that brings us from justification to glorification, or is glorification imputed (ascribed) to us? Are justification and glorification sovereignly imposed states given to us apart from any significant effort on our part?

"It is all by grace!" many preachers of today cry. "Jesus did it all! Settle back and enjoy the free ride. Nothing is required of you. Agree with our doctrine and nothing can prevent your entering Paradise when you die. He became poor in money so you would be rich in money. He suffered so you will never have to suffer. You forever will be an unworthy sinner who perpetually is accepted of God on the basis of imputed (ascribed) righteousness."

That this wrenching of the Scriptures has gained the ground that it has is a sad commentary on the self-love of the present generation of human beings and also on the lack of prayer and consecration of the believers.

It seems that not enough thought has gone into the consequences of such a position. Would we want to be part of a "holy" city that was holy by assigned righteousness?—where the people were still worldly, lustful, and self-seeking but justified by their identification with Christ?

We know that ascribed righteousness is a temporary device because the eternal purpose of God is stated as our change into the image of Christ. God did not predestine us to be forever unrighteous and accepted "by grace" but to be changed into the very likeness of Christ in every element of our personality.

As we proceed we shall speak of the process of moving from justification to glorification. We believe there is widespread ignorance of the necessity for such a move and of the actual Divine process that accomplishes the move.

Justification. While there were instances of God justifying people under previous covenants, the justification contained in the new covenant is of a much superior kind.

For God to justify someone is to declare that person acceptable to God. No matter what type of personality the individual has or what he has done, God has declared him acceptable. His sins are forgiven. He is authorized to participate in the Kingdom of God.

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (Romans 4:6)

Under the old covenant the forgiveness of sins was available through the offering of animals. The blood, the life of the innocent animals, was offered in place of the life of the sinning human being. The blood served to appease the wrath of God. The blood provided an atonement, a covering, so that God was able to accept the worshiper.

The forgiveness of the new covenant is as superior to the forgiveness of the old covenant as the Person of the Lord Jesus is superior to a bull or goat. There indeed is a tremendous difference in quality.

The blood of bulls and goats could serve only to defer the wrath of God until the next offering. But the blood of Christ put an end to the guilt of sin for all time.

To be continued.