Expert: LEBoyd - 12/12/2007

Question
Hello - thankyou for taking my question: While it is obvious to me that Jesus Glorified God by saving us and allowing God to then fully express his love for us........but while this is obvious, are there any actual bible verses that come right out and say it directly: That Jesus' death Glorifies God by allowing God to show his full love to sinners? Thankyou.

Answer
Pete,

That's a good question.  As far as I am aware, there are no verses that specifically state that God was glorified by the death of Christ which then allowed God to show His full love on us.

John 17 is a great chapter that talks about the death of Christ, the glorification of Christ through that death and the glorification of God through that death.  Here's the first few verses of the chapter:
John 17:1-5 1 These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, 2 even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. 4 "I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do. 5 "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.

So, yes, God is glorified in the death of Christ, but it does not specifically say it allows him to show his love to sinners.

Let me put forth a small hypothesis about the love of God.  Jesus says in John 3:16 that God showed His love for us by giving His only Son (many forget this is actually Christ speaking).  Since Jesus says this, was He looking forward in time (so to speak) as if the crucifixion was already completed, or was He referring only to the fact (at this time) that Jesus "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14)?

In other words, did God show His full love to sinners even prior to the death of Christ?  I suggest that He did.  Phil. 2 (and John 17) tells us that Jesus was equal with God and emptied Himself.  This, in and of itself, was a sacrifice by God - allowing Christ to even suffer all the temptations that man suffer.

Jesus *could* have backed out at any time (Matt 26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?")  However, as the next verse say, He was compelled to follow through because it was the only way to fulfill the will of God.

Of course, that death in and by itself is not enough for us.  For we see verses such as 2 Cor 9:13
"Because of the proof given by this ministry they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ"

We must be obedient to the Law of the Spirit, which calls us to action prior to being saved (e.g., confession, repentance, baptism) and action after we are saved (Rom 8:13 "for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

Thanks for the question.