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By Hank Walker | Pastor at Peach City Fellowship

This article marks the final installment on the Ordo Salutis (the Order of Salvation). So far, we have examined the doctrines of (1) Election; (2) The Gospel Call; (3) Regeneration; (4) Conversion (faith and repentance); (5) Justification; (6) Adoption; (7) Sanctification; (8) Perseverance; and, today, (9) glorification.

GLORIFICATION is the final state of the believer upon death or the return of Christ.

In this present age (before Christ’s return), glorification occurs in two stages: (1) upon the death of the believer, he/she is immediately present with Christ in Paradise (heaven), but in a spiritual form (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-24); (2) upon the return of Christ and THE RESURRECTION, glorification for the believer is completed as he/she is given a new, CORPOREAL body (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Jn. 3:2).

Moreover, in addition to glorifying Christians, God will glorify the entirety of His creation. Everything and everyone that has ever been touched by sin and corruption (which includes every molecule in the universe) will be DESTROYED (2 Pet. 3:10-13) in what can only be described as the unraveling of every atom, every planet, every star, every element, and every living thing— “burned up and dissolved” in a single moment of time!

But, if God destroys the “heavens and the earth” and everything in them, what will be left?

Consider this promise—”Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:1-4).

Isn’t that an amazing future for ALL believers?!

BUT, heed God’s warning for ALL those who are NOT IN CHRIST— “… THEIR portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is THE SECOND DEATH” (Rev. 21:8b)!

Grace and peace, y’all. Soli Deo Gloria