I would ask you to open your Bibles, at least to begin with this morning, to 1 Peter and the first chapter. 1 Peter and chapter 1. Notice especially verse 5. 1 Peter chapter 1 and the fifth verse, where there we read how we are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Now, why or what does Peter mean when he says we are kept for salvation, speaking of it as something out there in the future? I mean, haven't we already received this? As believers on Christ, aren't we already Saved by him? Well, indeed, we are. We have received salvation. But not yet in its entirety. There's more to come, even as is stated here in verse four of this chapter when he speaks of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. That is to say the sum total of what Christ has secured, that salvation with which he saves, the sum total of it will be fully manifested at last and it is kept for us and we are kept for it in the meantime. Well notice what Peter then went on to write of this great salvation later in this very chapter coming now to verse 10. First Peter 1 10. Of this salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched carefully who prophesied of the grace that would come to you. Referring now to the Old Testament prophets. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ who is in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them, it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us, they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things which angels desire to look into. So great is this salvation, Peter's saying, that those prophets of old and even the angels show this intense interest in it. Though limited in knowledge, And even though those prophets of old did not receive all of the benefits that we now enjoy, yet the minds of the prophets and of the angels have been gladly occupied with our salvation. That's what Peter is here saying, how it was secured and all that it includes. And then Peter gives this excerpt in light of that. Here's the desire of the prophets and the angels, their intense interest. In light of that, verse 13, therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That time he just referred to back in verse 5 about that salvation ready to be revealed at last. Well, here he's saying, now you do this, you gird up the loins. It's a picture of one wearing these robes that they would then kind of tuck into a belt like if they're running a race actually our Lord used the same figure of a Servant waiting for his master to come you'd be like that servant and gird about that is they don't want that rope getting in your way when you're working and so or so you you tucked it in and Notice what it is that is to be readied what it is is to be engaged. He says the loins of your mind, or as the ESV has put it, prepare your minds for action. That's not an exact equivalent, but that is the point. In other words, it's a call to engage in thinking. to have a ready and active mind and in particular a mind engaged, a mind equipped with truth about our salvation because that's the connection here. You see this. If the prophets of old hear their telling about Christ, His coming, the sufferings but also the glory they should follow and this great salvation that He secured for us. If the prophets are so, or so desirous to know more and looking into these things with their limited knowledge. If the angels, sinless angels, if they look into this matter of our salvation with wonder and marvel and this intense interest. Well, what about us? Having much more light, now possessing such blessedness, Peter says, gird up the loins of your mind. Prepare your minds for action. Engage mentally and be occupied with what you now have in Christ. That's the burden of it. Think in terms of what is true. That is to say our salvation must be real and prominent in our thinking because after all this is to govern our thoughts and our life. Thus, we've engaged now in a study for over a year of the ordo salutis, that is, those various facets of our salvation. And if our minds are to be occupied with and even governed by our salvation, then we need to know the truth about it, right? How else are we to think in these terms? And that's so with everything that we've seen now in our studies of the order of salvation, election, and calling, and regeneration, and conversion, and redemption, and reconciliation, and justification, and adoption, and then the gift of the Holy Spirit, and various words used in connection with his ministries. And then there's also the matter of sanctification, both definitive and progressive. And then most recently, we've looked at the matter of perseverance. Brethren, these things, though we've looked at them in the past now, I hope we don't say, OK, well, that's the past. We're done with that. But rather, it's so that we might think in these terms, girding up the loins of our minds still with reference to our salvation, so that each facet of this, well, these things are controlling realities in how we look at life, how we live our lives. And so also with that one final matter now to which we come, glorification. Now if you were asked to define glorification, What would you say? What is that all about? Well, we might rightly think of it as the final link in the golden chain of salvation, or to change the word picture, maybe as the highest peak of that wonderful mountain range of spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ. Please come to Romans chapter 8, where this is clearly indicated. Romans chapter 8 and verse 30. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified, and glorified there pointing in the purpose of God as a done deal, perhaps as already spoken of past tense, but it's obviously something there in the future. Now you see that there is a chronological order. It begins with predestination, God's decree before time, and then that plan is effected in time as sinners are called, that is as they are powerfully drawn and actually join to Christ and then we read here that they are justified in Christ, the Savior who suffered the just in place of the unjust. Well, He bore our sin and He secured for us a perfect righteousness which is credited to us or the imputed righteousness of Christ and then that set the stage for all other blessings as we stand righteous in His righteousness and therefore you have then that final blessing listed glorified, glorification. Now, why is this listed last as the final? Well, obviously, because it happens at the end. Professor John Murray, in his very excellent book, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, said, glorification brings to completion the process which began in effectual calling. And you can see why he would say that. Paul traces it out in this way. And the point is, there's nothing beyond that. There's nothing after this, because this has to do with our eternal state, our eternal blessedness. And one thing is clear from here in Romans 8.30 is that this was God's intention all along. It wasn't simply that we should be called or that we should be simply justified, but ultimately that we should be glorified. That's his ultimate aim in our salvation. We were predetermined, predestined, the word used here, especially to that with that end in view and this is not the only text that affirms this because we find it again and again. Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 4 which talks about how he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him, that is forever, that we would be before him in his presence in that unspeakable blessedness for eternity. Or notice the language of 2 Timothy chapter one. Please come there, 2 Timothy and chapter one. The point I'm wanting to illustrate is simply that this matter of our glorification, that eternal state of blessedness, well, that was the end in view. That was God's plan and purpose all along. So Paul, writing to Timothy, says 2 Timothy 1.9, God in his power 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 given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Here's his purpose before time. but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Here was his plan. that he would come to save sinners, abolishing death, ah, so that we would have that immortality, that is to say, that never-ending blessedness in Christ as he himself secured that for us. Or we could appeal to Hebrews 2.10, referring to Christ's purpose in coming into this world, that he should bring many sons to glory, that is glorified even as sons. Or notice if you would 2 Thessalonians and chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians and the 2nd chapter. Here's what God had in view when we were chosen and then effectually drawn or called. 2 Thessalonians 2, we take up our reading at verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God, from the beginning, chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. He chose you for salvation and the way you would be saved. It'd be the Spirit's operation and your belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now whatever this means, obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus, is here set forth as synonymous with our, it chose you for salvation, that is to say, the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were chosen, we were sanctified by the Spirit, and we were called especially to this end. That is, the obtaining of that glory, or if you please, our glorification, with Christ. So, it's the final blessing because it's the ultimate blessing that is God's great aim in all of our salvation. But again, what exactly is it? Glorification. Why is it called glorification? And what all does that involve? Well, that's our two heads this morning. Firstly, this. Why is it called glorification? Okay, I hope we've established it refers to our final state, our everlasting blessedness, but why is this word used to describe that? Why does God so speak of it as our being glorified And I say that especially in light of how that word is used elsewhere in scripture. Note, if you would please, Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1. Paul's talking about how God had had mercy upon him and saved him. And the churches did not know him firsthand. Most of the churches did not know him. But in Galatians 1.24, when they heard of how the Lord had rescued him and he was then preaching the faith he once tried to destroy, all those churches, when they heard that, verse 24, and they glorified God in me. Same word are being glorified. Same word. They glorified God. Or we can see it again in Matthew 5.16, let your light so shine before men, they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Or 1 Corinthians 6.20, you're not your own, you're bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and your spirit. Glorify. That's the same word. Well, These texts all speak of men giving honor to God. And therefore an obvious emphasis of the word glorified is giving honor. But wait a minute, how can this word be used in any sense of us? Especially it's God who glorifies us. With reference to what God will do for us, that he will give us honor before the whole moral universe. owning His people as His own. You remember Matthew 25-34 where the Lord Jesus will say to all the sheep, all His own, come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world, or even earlier in that very chapter, in that parable of the talents, speaking verse 21, verse 23, of these who had been faithful as they come, faithful, well done, faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. And we can find texts that speak of God actually praising his people. We'll come to those, God willing, next Lord's Day. So in that sense, we will be glorified. That is to say, all of Christ's people will be publicly honored by God himself again before the whole moral universe. So that's one reason it's called glorification. We'll be honored, we'll be glorified before all creation. But, it involves even more than that. Because scripture bears out that it is an experiential change in us, and how clear that is from Romans chapter eight. Let's come back there. Romans chapter eight. In verse 17, Paul refers to our being glorified, even together with Christ, and then he says, expanding on that in Romans 8.18, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Obviously, that's not just talking about when we're gonna be honored before the whole universe, but now he's talking about something that's going to be revealed in us or done to us that will be seen by others. In fact, he goes on to speak of how all material creation right now eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. That is, this work, this glory will be revealed in us and at that, again, to all creation and even more the whole moral universe. So, not only will we be given glory, honor, but we will be made glorious. We will experience that glory and the context of Romans 8 tells us much about that glory. Again, notice I've already referred to verse 17. If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. That is glorified together. with Christ. When he is glorified, we are glorified together with him. And so all of Christ's people, again, will be experiencing this. We will partake of Christ's glory, even forever sharing his honor and His blessedness. And therefore that language that we saw over in 2 Thessalonians 2.14 about our obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the commentator Albert Barnes has said, that you may partake of the same glory as the Savior, sharing His And in fact, 1 Thessalonians 2.12, 1 Peter 5.10, they speak similarly. How we were called to God's kingdom and glory, or we were called to God's eternal glory. This should be our portion. Well that's the point, we were called effectually, we were justified, declared righteous in Christ so that we might share Christ's destiny or put another way, His everlasting blessedness. Or to put it still another way, that we might share His reward which has now in Him become our reward. Reward again not because of any personal goodness in us rather because we're joined to Christ and what is his is ours he is our head and Representative and what he secured he secured for us so in a nutshell What's this word glorification all about? well, it means being honored by God before all creation and and being forever made glorious, even partaking of Christ's glory as heirs together with him. And brethren, what this says about the nature of our salvation. What grace. How thorough a salvation it is. For vile sinners, former rebels against God, to then be so honored before the universe and even partake forever of Christ's glory as a joint heir, not simply, well, here, you get a little trickle, but rather a joint heir with him, all because we are joined to Christ and so bound together with Christ, we partake of his glory. That's why it's called glorification. Honored and then partaking of that glory. But now, the second head. What does this involve exactly? What kind of blessedness will it entail? And let me just say, as a gross understatement, much. A great deal. We're only going to touch on just a few matters now. It is my aim, when we're done with this series of the Order of Salvation that we're going to resume that series on eschatology, which really only has left in it the eternal state of the righteous. So this kind of will segue into that series that began back when the earth was young. And we'll be spending a number of studies looking in more detail as to what the eternal state our glorification really looks like and what it will entail by way of our experience. But you know, even if we should spend the rest of our days in this world looking very closely at all that scripture has to say on this, we would still have to say with Paul, eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men what God has prepared for those who love him. And by the way, that's from 1 Corinthians 2.9. That's speaking of our salvation now. If that's so now, what about then, in our eternal state? In the immediate context of Romans 8.30, Paul's actually given kind of a nutshell, or maybe I should say the essence, of our glorification. The word glorified simply speaks of that which Paul described in verse 29. So notice, if you would, Romans 8 and 29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. And then he goes on to speak of predestined, called, justified, glorified. So glorified is really summed up here in verse 29, or to put it another way, verse 29 is a description of something, at least, of our glorification conformed to Christ. the conformity of our entire humanity to the glorified humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice I'm emphasizing the glorified humanity. We're not talking about Christ and his essential glory as a third member or second member, I guess we'd have to say, of the triune Godhead. We're not talking about his deity, but his true humanity. And remember, he forever retains true humanity. Born that babe in Bethlehem. living that very human life, suffering and dying in the place of sinners, bodily raised, ascended on high, and now there's one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus, who forever retains his true humanity, now and forever glorified, and so we're talking about being conformed to the image of God's Son. That is to say that we shall be like Him. Now already we know conformity to Christ by degrees. Remember 2 Corinthians 3.18 how were being transformed into that same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord as God the Holy Spirit uses the scripture and then more and more there is that increasing conformity to Christ in this life. But come that day it is conformity in full. And to further appreciate that, let's break this down a little bit into at least a few specifics. Firstly, this. It involves the outward man. That is to say, we will be physically conformed to our Savior's glorified humanity. As you know, come Resurrection Day, we're gonna be given New bodies. Okay. Well, what will those bodies be like? Well, we see this in Philippians chapter 3 notice that Philippians chapter 3. I know you're familiar with this And Paul says well, let's take up our reading at the 20th verse of Philippians 3 For our citizenship is in heaven for which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself. That ladder language, that ladder wording shows this is no small feat, to raise all of his people, and not just to raise them, But to transform the lowly body, even if somebody who died yesterday, that body still looks like it did when they were alive, but it's still a lowly body. Or for those who will be changed when he comes, it's still a lowly body. And those who've been in the grave and have already gone to dust over the millennia, still they will be raised and given a body by his great power, his working, all the power involved, all of his people, all in the graves coming forth and yet he has the power to subdue all things to himself and he will. Even doing this he will change our body to be like unto his glorious body. If we believe that Christ died and rose again, even so, he will bring with him those who fall asleep and then you've got bodies being raised and body and soul being reunited and so forth. First Corinthians 15, you know, that's the great so-called resurrection chapter when there's much there about our new bodies. We won't take time to go into all of that. But the point to understand is we're not going to be disembodied spirits. That's the intermediate state. Again, we'll come back to all of this, God willing, when we get to our eschatology series again. But we're not, that's the intermediate state. That is something betwixt now and the final state. We're not going to be disembodied spirits. Glorification is beyond the blessedness that Paul wrote of in Philippians 1, absent from the body to depart and be with Christ is far better, or 2 Corinthians 5, absent from the body, present with the Lord. No. Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 15 says we're all going to be changed. Very suddenly, even those who are still alive and remaining when he comes, they will be changed, but so too those who are in the grave. But changed to what? Well, notice 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Think about reading at verse 47. The first man, Adam, he was of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust. And as the heavenly man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man. Saying the same thing. Christ in his glorified state, well, that glorified humanity, that body, a body like unto his glorious body. Now, maybe you have a number of questions in this regard. You know, actually, what Paul's addressing here in 1 Corinthians 15, people were asking, how is this going to happen? Well, maybe questions come to mind. I mean, our Lord ate and drank and went through walls after his resurrection. Well, does that mean we're going to do that? Eat, drink, go through walls? Well, There's much we don't know for sure. And even when we have completed our study of the eternal state of the righteous, we'll still be saying there's much we don't know for sure. But this much we can be dogmatic about. We will be like him, his glorified humanity, physically. God the Son became man. As I've already said, forever retains that true humanity, now glorified, and he will change these bodies of our humility to be like his glorious body. And the importance of this is underscored right here in 1 Corinthians 15. Picking up where I left off, now verse 50, Paul says, now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. That is to say, our bodies in our present state, even if you're some big he-man, alive and well, when Christ comes, doesn't matter. Our bodies in this present state are not suited for such blessedness. even the strongest and most healthy and the like, well, we're all subject to disease and weakness and death. And we know limits in our own constitution that now limit our ability to glorify and enjoy God. You think of Moses and how God said, no, you cannot see my face, you would die. That'll be it for you. Well, We will not have such limitations then. In fact, scripture speaks of how we will see God, that beatific vision, that we will have a physical frame capable of this that's gonna last forever. We put on incorruption. Never again weary, no pain to distract, no weakness to hinder. Is that appealing to you? Well, with some I know it's very appealing because you're constantly wracked in pain, it seems. There's always weakness, there's always, but again, I don't care if you're young, very picture of health, doesn't matter. These limitations, don't get used to them, they're not gonna last forever. Especially that we might worship and delight in God as we want. Don't you know the frustration from physical dullness and weariness, as well as other limitations that now hinder? Brethren, the day comes when that will cease to be the case. We'll be glorified together with Christ, given a body like unto his glorious body forever and ever. That's glorification, conformity to Christ. But more, our glorification will also give us conformity to Christ, not just in the outward man, but in the inward. man, that is morally and spiritually. That hymn that we sang earlier, the reason I asked for that one, when all the ransom church of God will be saved to sin no more. That day comes. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. 1 John chapter 3, and whereas I readily acknowledge that this includes what we've just considered, the physical conformity to Christ, it clearly goes beyond that. 1 John 3, two, beloved, now we are children of God, right now, and boy, loved with that kind of love, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. That will include the physical body, a body like his glorious body, but notice what John goes on to write in the very next verse, and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. Meaning that it's not only going to be a physical conformity to Christ, but it's going to be that inward, that moral and spiritual conformity to Christ. Saved to sin no more. This was God's purpose when he chose us before time, that Ephesians 1 passage, that we should be holy and without blame before him. This was Christ's purpose in giving himself for us to make us his perfect bride that he should cleanse, sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that he might present her to himself at last as that holy bride, perfect, blameless, spotless. And so it is, too, the work of the Holy Spirit that he's now carrying out in our sanctification, transforming us into the same image from glory to glory. Well, that's all going on now, but then it's going to be complete. Colossians 1.22, how we'll be presented holy and blameless and above reproach in God's sight or Jude's benediction. He is able to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. And he's not only able, he's going to do it. That is our future. Come that day, No more sin. Ever again. Ever again. Is that appealing to you? If you're a Christian, it most certainly is. You know the frustration of remaining corruption. You read Romans 7, and you don't need to read a commentary on it. Your own heart says, yeah, I got that. When I would do good, evil's present with me. The good I would, I don't do. The evil that I would not, that I do. Sadly, you identify too readily with that. The deliverance that you long for, like Paul, oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Ah, Jesus. come that day we will see him and we will be like him. Outward man, yeah, and the inward man, and even more. Another area of conformity to Christ that will be ours is that we will experience his status and his blessedness. Right now, as you know, our Lord Jesus is rightly called the King of Kings, meaning he's king over all kings. He reigns now and forever. Now as king of kings, well obviously he's always above and over us. But even so, we will also be kings reigning with him. Revelation 5.10, as kings, we shall reign on the earth. 2 Timothy 2.12, if we endure, we shall also reign with him. Talking about the future, Revelation 22 is another text, or we could even see quotes from our Lord in the Gospels. Now, what exactly does that mean? Well, whatever it means, it's our blessed future. as part of our conformity to Christ, that we forever reign with him, that we are glorified together with him as joint heirs. What is his is ours, our status, our blessedness. Also, Christ is the son, and he forever enjoys that status and all of its benefits. no less will we. That's the point of that language, joint heirs together with Christ. Now granted, yes, Romans 8, 29, he is the firstborn among many brethren. The idea of firstborn doesn't simply mean he's born first. It's the idea of the head and the chief over all the brethren. But the point is, we are brethren. And the emphasis there is no less, are we God's sons? Adopted, yes, he's the only begotten. But that is our status, and we, as we're told in Revelation 21-7, shall inherit all things, and God himself says, I will be his God, he shall be my son. That's you. That inheritance is undefiled, incorruptible, and doesn't fade away, kept for you, you're kept for it, as God's dear child. And therefore, joint heirs, we enter in, even sharing Christ's inheritance. Yeah, he's the firstborn, the double portion, if you want to think of it that way. Ah, but wait, wait, no, no. We too are joint heirs. We enter in fully to that. Well brethren, in a thumbnail sketch, that's something of what's involved in this facet of our salvation that's called glorification. The conformity of our entire humanity to the glorified humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Physically, spiritually, and morally, and the same inheritance and reward, his blessedness will be ours forever. And it's especially this that Peter had in mind when he wrote those words in 1 Peter 1 and verse 5, with which I introduced this study. You are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Doesn't yet appear what we shall be, but when he appears, well, we'll see him as he is. shall be like him. Now, there are many applications. Boy, we could go through, in fact, when we come to that completion of the eschatology series, looking at the eternal state of the righteous, we will be looking at at least some of the applications that the Bible draws out from this. There are many. But for now, I just want to focus on one application. Just one. It's that one that Peter focuses on in 1.13 of verse Peter, talking about our salvation. It's going to be revealed in the last time. Oh, the prophets, not just the sufferings of Christ, but the glory that should follow Christ and ours. And they long to know more about it. Even the angels, they see it and they marvel. In light of that, verse 13, therefore gird up the loins of your mind. Think right. In light of your coming glorification, this facet of our salvation, think this way. Prepare your mind for action. equip it and engage your mind with this blessed truth. All of our salvation and certainly our future. Peter here calls us to think soberly about, to be level-headed in our thoughts about this as those who are living in touch with reality. You have some people, they just They don't live in touch with reality. Maybe they're in some mental institution, but maybe they're walking the street. What's wrong with that guy? Doesn't he know? He's out of touch. Well, that's not to be us. We're to live with this in view, or to put it another way, we're to live with a view to this of our eternal blessedness. Peter talks about setting our hope upon this, that is our supreme desires as well as our confident expectation all focused on that coming day. When he says, gird up the lawns of your mind, it's basically saying, in light of this salvation and all that it entails, including our glorification, think this way so as to now live like it, to live this way. Mindfulness of our glorification, brethren, is to shape our lives in the meantime. And you can see the many practical applications and outworkings of this doctrine, they begin right here, with our thinking, right? Doctrine and practice. It begins here, with the mind being engaged. Well, let me ask you, how is it with you? These things that we've looked at, and we've just given a thumbnail sketch, how much of a reality is all of this to you? How life impacting? How does it direct your steps? Well, let me put it another way. How often did your eternal future come to mind this past week? And if it did come to mind, What have you done because of it? Or even without consciously recognizing this truth, how has it shaped your life? What have you done? Brethren, do we have anything better to think about? Wouldn't it be better to think about the Olympics and the blasphemy that was just there at the opening ceremony? If you've not heard of that, blessed are ye. Wouldn't it be better to be engaged in politics Who's gonna be Kamala Harris' running mate? Wouldn't it be far better to think about those things? Or to think about the economy? Or to, do we have anything better to think about than our full conformity to Christ forever and ever? Our entering into his glory? You know, non-Christians sometimes mock the Lord's people. Oh yeah, you people, you go around thinking about pie in the sky. No we don't. For one thing, it's not in the sky, it's the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells, and it's certainly far more than pie, my friend, far, far more. But sadly, that accusation doesn't hold in this way, is we don't go around thinking of our coming blessedness enough. We don't think of it as we ought. I mean, this is our future. And are we not the losers for not thinking about these things? In fact, in many ways, we are. Because this truth is to be relevant. This truth is to be controlling now. Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind. Think this way. Recognize what is true. In fact, Peter here talks about some of the outworkings of this salvation in this very chapter. For instance, when he talks in verse 8 about how you're now being a tribe, but even so, you've not seen him, yet you love him and you rejoice now with a joy that's full of glory. That is kind of a pre-taste of the glory and the joy that will be ours. Or notice what he says in verse six. In this, that is your inheritance, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. Various trials, you're grieved by these things. It's caused sorrow, it's a heaviness that they cause. But wait a minute, he says, but you're greatly rejoicing even so, because you're looking at that inheritance and you know your future, you know what you have there, all because of Christ. Well, that's the one point of application. Our coming blessedness is to be that real to us, brethren. It's to be that relevant so that it now directs our steps. And if so, Peter says, it must be in our minds, our thoughts, gird up the loins of your mind. See what is yours, what will come. It's worth thinking about. And indeed, this is our future. Well, brethren, we walk by faith, not by sight. Looking at things that are not seen, Paul says, we live this way. Well, might God help us so to do more on how we're to do so in our future studies. If you're here without Christ, maybe a very nice person, easy to love, we enjoy getting along together and so forth, but this is not your future. This is not your future. On the day when the Lord says to his saved ones, come you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world, He will then say to all those who do not know him, depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. I would say to you, if you're without Christ, that you ask, that you answer the question Jesus put to some very religious people. How will you escape the condemnation of hell? You. How will you escape? Surely you know you've sinned against God. You should know what that sin deserves, eternal damnation. Someday that will be your portion and it will be forever if you're without Christ. So how will you escape the condemnation of hell? Bless God, there is an answer, my friend. There is an escape. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He suffered the just one in place of the unjust that he might bring us to God. Now he ever lives to save to the uttermost all who come to God by him. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. He's the one who said, come to me. More than once, come to me. He also said, those who come to me, no way will I cast them out. Believe on the Lord Jesus. You will go to Christ. What will you now do? If you're without Christ, what will you now do? Go to Christ. Trust in him. Call upon him. Lord, save me. Trust him to do so. If you will not, well, the other question, Hebrews 2.3, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? What's it going to be? Go to Christ. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we do thank you. for such a salvation for sinners. Lord, those born in sin, those who have lived in sin, and even having been shown much light, much love, so much grace, yet we still sin. And yet that's not forever. Lord, we as your people, fully conformed to Christ our Savior, physically, a body like unto his glorious body, morally and spiritually, pure as he is pure, and that forever, and even well-suited to enjoy his inheritance with him forever. Father, grant that this would be much in our thinking, that we would marvel and praise and adore and thank you now, but also that this would also then direct our steps that we should live not for this world, but for eternity. Please give us grace to that end. In Jesus' name, amen.