Sin: The Infamous Stripper of Glory – by Bilyana de Soto
Oct 2, 2015 2008
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24 ESV)
The number of times I have heard and read this Bible verse is without count. But not once did I catch on to the words and the meaning of this verse as I did on a very recent reading of the verse. How could I have missed it? How could the notion of sin have trumped the very next words “short of the glory of God? Oh I know sin spells short of imperfection, short of holiness, short of holding high God’s standards – but never before had I tuned in to what it does to our glory. Sin equals no glory. If I am short of $100, it simply means I don’t have $100.
Let me share some insight as to the depth and multiplicity of meaning of what it is that I don’t have. Short of glory then, means no honour, no eminence, no acclaim, no celebrity and no repute; no greatness, no nobility; short of magnificence; of splendour, of beauty and of stateliness. Webster’s dictionary even went as far as to say that glory means ‘the splendour and beatific happiness of heaven; broadly: eternity’.
Clearly our shine and lustre is non-existent. Not only are we short of all these and more, but we are short of God himself on account of this ‘uglifier’ called sin. We are short of heaven and short of eternity in all its glory.
Well I don’t know about you, but that strips me right down to lustreless, ugly and naked. I am ready for someone to dress me and do some restorative work on me. In whose image are you being shaped? Someone is dressing you… What designer label do you wear – a fake brand or a genuine label? There is only one true Designer and there is only ONE possessing the glorious robes I need.
I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God for he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.– Is. 61:10
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” – John 11:40.
Thank God for Jesus Christ and the glorious designer clothes on offer by believing on Him.
– Bilyana De Soto
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