Faith, Engendered or Hindered

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 5:44

Belief is hindered by seeking glory from man. There is only one glory that is true glory, but there are many false glories. There is the false glory that comes from man. This is a glory that fears man for what glory he may receive from him. It may be in knowing him and being associated with him, even if it be in name only. This is the love of praise and approval from man. This imposter glory posts something on a blog or facebook that makes a person proud of the response they get from others or to know that others are paying attention to them or what they have said. This seeking of glory from mortal, limited, weak and sinful man is a false glory that does not satisfy. It is a false glory because it is not weighty. It is a light weight glory that is like the flower of the field. It blooms and blossoms red but fades quickly into dried up browns that loose their glory. The glory of man is a light weight glory because it is here a moment and then gone, it seems rock solid in promising joy but it quickly returns to the dust. Man was not made to be a vessel for providing the glory we seek. Man was made for a weighty glory that is outside of himself that he needs.

Man’s will must be changed to seek the weight of God’s glory. His will must be changed to seek and delight in what truly gratifies, the only God as he reveals himself. Man is a god we seek glory from in our sin. God is the only God we seek glory from in his grace and truth in Jesus Christ. This is the only true glory we were made for, to be trusting in God in Jesus Christ as he reveals himself in the Scriptures as our only real and lasting treasure and pleasure. This seeking of glory from the immortal, unlimited, powerful and holy triune God is a true glory that satisfies the souls of men. God’s glory is weighty. It is like the sun rising at dawn with all its glorious light to hide the lesser glories of the night sky. The glory of God in Christ is a rock solid eternal glory promising and providing joy for all who seek him. His glory is a true glory that when sought with a true heart of faith engenders greater belief. But how do you seek his glory?

We must come to Christ at the cross repenting of a will that seeks man’s glory and by faith seek his glory through the grace and truth of his revealed person and will in the Scriptures. His glory is known and enjoyed where he is being known and enjoyed in a growing knowledge of who he is and a growing life of doing his pleasure each day. His glory is known through his grace, and we attend to that grace through faith believing his glory is a greater treasure than all that man could ever offer. In this way man becomes one we serve the glory of God to through our lives of faith and repentance, instead of one we try to extract glory out of for ourselves. In this way faith is engendered and not hindered.