God's Kind of Christian
The finished work of Christ redounds to God's glory by revealing His great attributes clearly, particularly at the cross.
Charles Price emphasizes that the finished work of Christ at the cross reveals God's attributes, including His sovereignty, justice, righteousness, wisdom, and love. The cross is the ultimate display of God's glory, as it fulfills Old Testament prophecies and demonstrates His justice in punishing sin while offering salvation through Jesus. Price highlights that through Christ's obedience and sacrifice, we see the fullness of God's character and love for humanity. This understanding leads believers to glory in Christ's death, recognizing it as the foundation of their faith and relationship with God. Ultimately, the message is that God's glory is intertwined with Christ's sacrifice, which is the source of our own glory as Christians.
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How does the finished work of Christ redound to God's glory? It does so because it reveals God's great attributes clearly. We must remember from our earlier study of the word "glory" that to glorify God means to "acknowledge His attributes" or "make them known." It means proclaming His sovereignty, justice, righteousness, wisdom, love, and everything else that may rightly be said about Him. But where are these attributes best known? The answer is: at the cross, for only here is the perfection of God's sovereignty, justice, righteousness, wisdom, and love abundantly and unmistakably displayed. We see God's sovereignty in the way in which the death of Christ was planned, promised, and then executed, without the slightest deviation from the prophecies of the Old Testament. We see God's justice in sin actually being punished. Without the cross God, could have forgiven our sin gratuitously (to speak from a human perspective), but it would not have been just. Only in Christ is that justice satisfied. We see God's righteousness in recognition of the fact that only Jesus, the righteous One, could pay sin's penalty. We see God's wisdom in the planning and ordering of such a great salvation. We see His love, for it is only at the cross that we know beyond doubt that God loves us even as He loves Jesus.
Jesus revealed these attributes of the Father fully by His death. Hence, His obedience to the Father's will in dying, fully glorified Him. No wonder we sing:
To God be the glory--great things He has done!
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
And opened the Life-gate that all may go in.
That is God's glory . . . and Christ's glory . . . and our glory too, for we glory in Christ's death, rather than in any works or plans of our devising.
. . . . "It is finished." The work is done. (The Gospel of John, vol. iv., pp. 1266-1267).
Sermon Outline
- God's Glory Revealed Through Christ's Work
- God's Sovereignty in the Death of Christ
- God's Justice in Punishing Sin
- God's Righteousness in Christ
- God's Wisdom in Planning Salvation
- God's Love Revealed at the Cross
- The Meaning of Glorifying God
- The Attributes of God Displayed at the Cross
- The Planning and Execution of Christ's Death
- The Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies
- The Satisfaction of Justice Through Christ's Death
- The Recognition of Jesus as the Righteous One
- The Planning and Ordering of Salvation
- The Love of God for Humanity
Key Quotes
“To God be the glory--great things He has done!” — Charles Price
“Who yielded His life an atonement for sin” — Charles Price
“It is finished.” — Charles Price
Application Points
- We should glory in Christ's death rather than in our own works or plans.
- God's attributes are best known at the cross, where His sovereignty, justice, righteousness, wisdom, and love are displayed.
- We should recognize Jesus as the righteous One who paid the penalty for our sin.