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Soli Deo Gloria Soli Deo Gloria November - December 2017 BABIBLE ADVOCATE ® Soli Deo Gloria Glory of God Alone Inside 2017: Reforming-Transforming ARTICLES 4 To God be the Glory | John Lemley t 7 Piles of Leaves | Jaye Brown 8 The Mystery of Glory | John Klassek 12 Let’s Take Another Look | Robert Coulter 14 Living in Captivity | Cathy Mogus 18 Living With the End in Mind | Amber Mann Riggs 20 Choosing Goodness | Dr. David Downey 24 The Great Commission | Jody McCoy Scripture quotations Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. EPARTMENTS D King James Version (KJV) Public Domain 3 First Word — Lord of Glory Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved 11 Questions & Answers worldwide. Scripture verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright 16 History — Whaid Rose © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. 17 Poetry — Francis Freed 23 Did You Know? 28 Hurricane News and Disaster Relief Photos 30 Mail Bag Unless otherwise noted, photos in this issue are from Pixabay.com. 31 Last Word — Soli Deo Gloria Cover photo: Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Randall Connaughton photographer. Used by permission. Find us at baonline.org “Like” us on Facebook! 2 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org First Word BABIBLE ADVOCATE® A publication of the Church of God (Seventh Day) This magazine is published to advocate the Bible, represent the Church, and Lord of Glory glorify the God of grace and truth. t’s hard to believe 2017 is already winding down to a close! It seems Volume 151 • Number 6 as though we just began our yearlong Reforming -Transforming jour- © Copyright 2017 by the Church of God Iney together. Of course, the now five hundred-year-old Protestant (Seventh Day) Reformation goes on, as will our efforts to transform vision into real- All material in this issue is subject to U.S. ity. But the finalsola in this series does provide an appropriate end. and international copyright laws and may not be reproduced without prior written Soli Deo Gloria is the telos (end) to which our year together has been approval. Permission may be obtained by pointing. The goal of all is the glory of God alone! writing the editor. The BIBLE ADVOCATE (ISSN 0746-0104) This is no simple matter. Humans fail to recognize God’s glory be- is published bimonthly by Bible Advocate cause we are fixated on our own. Notably, the psalmist achieves clarity Press, 330 W. 152nd Ave., Broomfield, CO 80023. Periodicals postage is paid at only after a double negation of self-occupation: “Not unto us, O LORD, Broomfield, CO, and at additional offices. not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, be- Subscription is free to any who ask. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to cause of Your truth” (115:1). To discern God’s glory, we have to get us Bible Advocate Press, Box 33677, Denver, out of the way: “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthi- CO 80233-0677. ans. 1:29-31; Jeremiah 9:23, 24). “Who is this King of glory?” David asks in Psalm 24. He is the one Bible Advocate Press we began with, the subject of the firstsola : Christ alone. So this last Jason Overman: Editor sola brings us full circle. The Word made flesh in Jesus (John 1:14) is Sherri Langton: Associate Editor the fullness of God’s grace, truth, and glory that the psalmist encoun- Keith Michalak: Director of Publications, tered. Jesus is “the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7, 8; James 2:1). graphics This locates God’s majesty and power, not in all-determining control or Sylvia Corral: Translation force, as some think, but in the loving, sacrificial cross of Christ. Hope Dais, Martha Muffley: Proofing, clerical Perhaps most exciting of all, God desires not only to show us His glory but also to share it with us. Fulfilling the Old Testament stories Subscriptions and Orders where the glory of the Lord filled the temple (Exodus 40:34; 1 Kings Bible Advocate Press P.O. Box 33677 8:11; Ezekiel 44:4), the “hope of glory” promised by the prophets and Denver, CO 80233-0677 proclaimed by Paul is that the glory revealed in the resurrected Lord phone: 303/452-7973 fax: 303/452-0657 will be revealed in us too (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colos- e-mail: [email protected] sians 1:27; Revelation 21:11; Isaiah 60:1, 2). orders: [email protected] Are we to be that vibrant 21st century church? I Notice: Send all address changes and can think of no other way to that end than by seek- other correspondence to the address ing the radiant glory of God in the face of Jesus. In above. the pages that follow, paths toward this glory are Publications Agreement No. 40042428 paved — all to the praise of His glorious grace. See The Bible Advocate Online appears at baonline.org. you next year! — Jason Overman November - December 2017 • 3 [Foundations] To God be the Glory subject of Scripture (John 5:39), God in the highest . .” (2:14). The grand finale of the solas. the object of our faith (Galatians At the age of twelve, He was 3:26), and the One to whom already about His Father’s busi- by John Lemley God’s grace invites this fallen ness, bringing Him glory (v. 49). world (Titus 2:11). He is the head At Jesus’ baptism, God was of the church (Ephesians 5:23). “well pleased” with His Son’s ast in the BA’s 2017 sola Christ’s preeminence is grandly obedience (3:21, 22). Chapter 4 series commemorating the expressed in “That’s My King,” begins with Jesus in the wilder- Lfive-hundredth year of the a sermon by Pastor S. M. Lock- ness, where He was tempted of Reformation is the sola to which ridge. As he says, Christ truly is the Devil. Notice His resolve in all the other solas point. The “the greatest phenomenon that living for the glory of God alone. Reformers were convinced that has ever crossed the horizon of He refused to make bread of Christ and Scripture alone, and this world.” But Christ’s central- stones, because glorifying God faith and grace alone, are only ity, to God’s glory, is meaningful did not give place to satisfying valid when understood and lived only if He is the greatest phenom- physical cravings. Earthly power for soli Deo gloria — for the glory enon to ever cross the horizon of and glory were as rubbish; God’s of God alone. We confirm this your life. Has He? glory was all He sought. conviction. God’s glory is para- During His temptation, Jesus mount, and we stress the neces- Gospel glory was not tricked by a quote from Scripture (4:10, 11). He knew sity of keeping our focus on Him The early chapters of Luke nar- Psalm 91, describing the blessed- in the here and now. rate how Jesus Christ represented ness of the one dwelling in the Jesus Christ is, of course, cen- a life lived to the glory of God. secret place of the Most High. tral — the unique Savior of the That glory began at His birth, He recognized the important world (1 John 4:14). Jesus is the when the angels sang, “Glory to 4 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org words “in all your ways” (v. 11) vengeance, that God be glori- God alone.” Salvation through that Satan left out. Our Lord re- fied. Jesus Christ is solely God’s plan mained steadfast, determined for Jesus gave beauty for ashes, (1 Peter 1:18-21). All the glory, all His ways to be in God’s secret that God be glorified. honor, and credit go to Him! place — the place of God’s glory. Jesus gave oil of joy for Glorifying our God is our highest Finally, Luke 4:17, 18 tells mourning, that God be glorified. purpose. about Jesus giving a sermon at Jesus gave the garment of Oh, the depth of the the synagogue in Nazareth, stat- praise for heaviness, that God be riches both of the wisdom ing His reason for glorifying God. glorified. and knowledge of God! How His message was based on Isaiah Why all this? That we “may be unsearchable are His judg- 61: called trees of righteousness” — ments and His ways past finding out! . For of Him and “The Spirit of the Lord God to God’s glory (v. 3). through Him and to Him are is upon Me, because the Lord God’s glory remained the all things, to whom be glory has anointed Me to preach emphasis throughout Jesus’ min- forever. Amen (Romans 11:33, good tidings to the poor; istry. When He was told that His 36). He has sent Me to heal the friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus brokenhearted, to proclaim said, “This sickness is . for the The obstacle is that we’ve all liberty to the captives, and glory of God . .” (John 11:4). sinned (Romans 3:23). Sin pre- the opening of the prison When Jesus was asked why a vents us from glorifying God, in to those who are bound; to man was born blind, He said, word and in deed, as we ought proclaim the acceptable year “that the works of God should to.
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