General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

SERMON

J. O CORLISS

April 12, 7 P.M.

I READ my text from the eighth chapter of the book of Romans, the eighteenth verse particularly: “For I reckon that the sufferings of these present times are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” There are two principal thoughts here introduced. The first one relates to present suffering and the other to future glory. The apostle remarks that in reckoning up, in summing up the whole matter, he believes that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with that future glory. Indeed, there is no comparison whatever between suffering and glory, because they are directly opposite to each other, and we can not compare things that have no likeness to each other. There may be a contrast between them, but no comparison. GCB April 15, 1901, page 241.8

There is a reason why the apostle has uttered these words, as stated in preceding verses. Speaking of divine gifts bestowed he says: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” We are not naturally the children of God; but through an adoption introduced by God himself, all of us may look up and call him Father, just the same as the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God;” “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” I apprehend that a joint heir is the same relation as an equal heir, indeed, a joint heir is an equal heir, just as a joint partner in business is an equal partner. We are “joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” The condition of our being joint heirs with Christ is, therefore, that we suffer with him; suffer as he suffered when here upon the earth. That is, we are to pass through all the temptations that he did, and shall I say, meet them as successfully? I am certain of one thing—that he had no more power with which to overcome than is accorded to us. He had the power of heaven, the power of glory from God, and all this has been given to us through the Lord Jesus Christ; and he has shared all this power with us. Then is it too much to say that we are not only to suffer with him, but to suffer as he did? Suffer as innocently as he did, and overcome? There is no plan revealed by which the Lord will save people who do not overcome; for I read concerning those who will be found at last prepared to meet the Lord, that they are “without fault before the throne of God.” To be without fault is to be just as pure and holy as were the first pair when they came from the hands of their Maker. In other words, it is redemption in its entirety; it is that we are to be brought back into the very condition in which man was first created. Nothing short of this can hope to enter heaven, for God will never receive into heaven an element of weakness or of sin that will jeopardize the souls of those who are there. Sin has once alienated the affections of God’s subjects, but there will never be in that eternal world anything permitted to alienate the subjects of God from his righteous reign. So, then, this is included in the condition named: “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 241.9

This means a great deal more, perhaps, than our sin-beclouded minds are able to comprehend. But there is one blessed thing about it, and that is, the nearer we live to God, the more the effect of sin is removed from our minds, the better will be our minds to understand the things which God would have us see. The reason we stumble along here and there, is because we have not power to see the things in our path which are placed to trip our feet. Our beclouded minds therefore need the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that we may see and avoid the things that Christ saw and overcame. We may thus suffer with Christ, and not fear to enter the contest, or step into that which promises to bring suffering to us. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.1

In order that we may do so with courage, the Lord presents before us the glory of the future, saying that the suffering to be met here is not to be compared with that. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.2

No, it can not be, because the suffering will be of short duration; the glory will be eternal. Then there is no comparison on that ground. Suffering here is not enjoyed because it causes pain, loss of friends and property, and inconvenience on every hand. But when we enter into glory, there will be no loss to endure. All then will be joy and happiness, and we shall be permitted to bask in the sunshine of God’s eternal glory. So there is no comparison whatever between suffering and glory. Why, then, should we take into consideration the suffering? Why should we let this weigh anything in the balances as we consider whether we will give ourselves to the service of the Lord or not? Does he call to distant lands, to serve in hardships? If we can only get one glimpse of the future; if we can only see the glory that radiates from the throne, then we never would turn our eyes to behold the things that are called sufferings, because the beautiful things to be seen by faith would eclipse all these, even though we were passing through the direst of them. But we are apt to look upon these things as hindrances; we are apt to look upon them as clogs to our spiritual life, when in reality, they should be stimulants that would add to our desires, and our works in the service of God. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.3

It is not necessary to describe the sorrows or the sufferings that we have to endure here. There is no one who has come to the years of maturity who could not tell a terrible tale of woe if need be. All are well acquainted with the things that we meet in our daily lives. It will therefore be necessary to leave these with you, and pass on to bring before you the future prospects, with which the suffering is not worth to be compared. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.4

What is glory? Is there anything in the lexicons that will define it? I do not believe it can be defined outside of the word of God. But in that word we are told that the throne of God is one of glory. Matthew 25:31; Revelation 3:21. Why it is a throne of glory is not wholly because it shines with a radiance that would dazzle with deadly effect the eyes of mortals, but because it is a throne where holiness and stability reign. What some people call splendor,—that which dazzles the eyes of many is not glory. Much in this world that attracts people’s minds is not worthy to be called glory in any sense of the word. Some have had the idea that the monarchs of earth have glory attached to their reign, but while there are some things which may seem desirable in the positions they occupy, there are perplexities, cares, and anxieties, that we know nothing about, and it is well that we do not know them. Probably not many of us would be able to bear up under the trials that the pettiest king of earth has to endure. There is no glory in earthly thrones, but of suffering in plenty. We may have a taste of the glory of God here, and yet, you say, we suffer: but so sure as we have glory here, it will eclipse the suffering. So then, with an enjoyment of glory here, suffering would never be mentioned. They are not to be compared: hence they can not coalesce. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.5

I call attention now to a scripture that reveals something of what the glory of God is like, and which he permits people on earth to behold the shadow of. This is in the closing part of Ezekiel’s description of the throne of God, found in the first chapter, twenty-sixth verse, and forward: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire around about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.6

Notice what that brightness was like. “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain.” Can anyone portray the beautiful colors of the rainbow? These are blended so beautifully that no one can distinguish where one ends and the other begins. So delicately, indeed, do these colors intermingle with each other that we behold the glorious whole with the deepest admiration. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.7

The glory that surrounds the throne of God is then not only like the bow in the clouds, but this last is made to all new, the bow of promise, even as it was to Noah after the flood swept the earth. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.8

But that bow in the cloud in the day of rain is but the faintest shadow of that bow of glory which surrounds the throne of the universe. So God lets fallen men see the shadow of the glory with which God is surrounded. It is all poor, fallen humanity can bear now. But if we should see the reality, there must of necessity, be a wondrous change in us, or else we would be stricken down by it. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.9

Even Jehovah himself could not have such brightness of glory surrounding him were he tainted in the least with sin. The glory here described is simply the light of life shining out from God himself; and that life is the light that we prize as much here while moving about in our daily avocations. GCB April 15, 1901, page 242.10

You will remember that when Moses was required to go out of Egypt to the promised land with the people of Israel, the following is recorded in Exodus 33:18: “And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. [God did not reprove him for the request, but instead, gave a promise which included the very thing asked for.] And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.1

That was the answer to Moses’ request. By this it is seen that the goodness of God is his glory. The character of Jehovah is glory. Do you not see, then, that if there shall be glory revealed in us, as our text says, there will be, through some plan that has been conceived, a character revealed in men which will be similar to the character of God himself. There must be a restoration from the paths of sin, and all the elements of naughtiness and wickedness be eliminated. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.2

In connection with the promise that God made Moses at this time, he said, “To-morrow, come up into the mount, and be there, and I will reveal myself to you.” In what way?—“There is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by.” The sequel shows that when Moses went up there, the Lord descended and stood with him, and proclaimed to him the name of the Lord. But what did he announce as his name?—Simply his character: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,” etc. Every element of goodness is therefore contained in the name of Jehovah. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.3

Turning again to another statement found in the sixth chapter of Numbers, we find the commission that God gave to his priests in dealing with the people. Speaking of what should be done for the people, he said to Aaron, as recorded in verses 23-27: “On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel.” What name?—“Merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness,” etc. And the priest was to bless the people by putting the name of God upon them, which is his glory. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.4

Does the same privilege obtain in the promises of the New Testament?—Certainly. Turning to the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew, nineteenth verse, I read as it is given in the Revised Version: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The same commission has really been given to a gospel minister as was committed to the priests of olden time. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.5

I would that persons who take upon themselves baptismal vows understood that in this they consent to take upon them the name of God. Baptism therefore means that when an individual walks down into the water, and the minister—the priest of the Lord—baptizes him into the name of the Father, into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Ghost; that in that the name of the person is changed as fully as was Jacob’s of old, when God gave him the name of Israel. His name had been Supplanter, but when this conversion took place, his name became “Prince of God.” So every individual who now becomes a Christian receives a change of name, because he has become a son of God, and is to represent God, and Christ, and the Holy Ghost in the earth. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.6

That is God’s plan of adoption, by which men come into the family of God, so as to be able to say, Father, Father. Thus they become joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.7

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Before the glory of God in its effulgence can shine upon men and women, this glory must first be revealed in them. Man was first made in the image of God; and as God is glory, man had glory given him. Every element of the character of God was bestowed upon man. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.8

Had he not been created with enough power of mind to comprehend what God would do for him, and say to him, it would not have been so great a fault in him had he made the mistake he did in sinning. God placed him where he would comprehend the glory of God. God wants man to have that glory revealed in him again. Speaking of man’s creation, the apostle says: “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor.” He was elevated to the high position of being crowned with the glory of God, and so perfect was that glory that it shielded man from any possible lustful sight. It was indeed man’s original clothing. As the first pair associated together, nothing could be seen which could induce a wrong thought. But when sin came, the glory departed. Then God clothed the first pair, and made earthly garments with which to cover their nakedness. That glory must sometime be restored, but not while we live in connection with sin. So long as we are in contact with sin, God’s glory to the fullest extent can not dwell in us. Our bodies never can have that crown of glory restored to them until sin has not only been eliminated from the body itself, but from the world entirely. There will, however, be a time when these bodies will stand out in the fullness in which God created them, but that will be when the Lord Jesus Christ comes, and we appear with him in glory. Then there will be bodies given to all the saints that will be just as pure, and just as holy, and just as full of glory as the bodies of Adam and Eve were when they came from the hand of a faultless Creator. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.9

But sin has done a terrible work in the earth. There are things now that we can never attain to, so long as we are in contact with sin, any more than the feet of our Lord Jesus could rest upon this earth again while it is blasted by sin. When he was glorified, he could not return here to walk the earth as he did nineteen hundred years ago. When he does come again, his feet will not touch this sin-cursed earth, but he will sit in mid-heaven, and angels will be sent to “catch up” the saints to meet him there. Holiness can never unite with sin. And I want to tell you, friends, that God has placed within our reach the power to say, “I will be his fully; I will have the mind of Christ,” but, like the apostle, we shall find still another law within us, warring against the powers of the minds. Until the Lord comes and changes these vile bodies, and makes them in the likeness of his glorious body, there will always be something for us to regret because of our connection with the things of the world. There will always be a longing for that better day. If we could come to the point here where we would be entirely free from these things that sin has brought, we would never long for the coming of our Lord Jesus. We would be perfectly satisfied where we are; but the condition of things is such that we long every day and every hour, and I may say every minute, for that bright day to dawn when Jesus Christ will come in his glory, and change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body. Romans 8:19-22; Philippians 3:21. This was the design of our Lord Jesus Christ in coming into the world. GCB April 15, 1901, page 243.10

I read in the second chapter of Hebrews another verse; “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” So, you see, the sufferings came to the Lord Jesus first, and it must come to us first, in order that we may be brought to glory as sons of Jesus Christ. As long as we are here in the flesh, we shall have but the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27. Hope looks to the future for the fulfillment of desire. It is not the full realization of the perfect thing; but while Christ is in us here, he is in us as the hope of glory, by the Holy Ghost dwelling in us. Glory is perfection of character. The Lord will prepare his people for that state, so that when he appears in mid-heaven, men may be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye to meet him. Then our bodies will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible bodies. The dead in their graves will be changed also as quickly as the living, and they will be made immortal in the act of coming out of their graves, so that when they see the glory of Jesus Christ they can stand before him; for no one can do that unless they are like him. I read this from a statement that has been given us (1 John 3:2): “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” Why?—Because we shall see him as he is, not as he was nineteen hundred years ago when here in flesh, as he is. Mortal flesh can not stand before the immortal glory of Jesus Christ. So, the last preparation is that finishing touch of holy immortality, which Christ will put upon us when he comes. That glory will seal men and women so that they may be prepared to receive him. Otherwise, we would be like the soldiers who stood at the tomb of Christ, when the angel came down to raise the Saviour of mankind. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.1

But what is this glory? I have not time to read all the scriptures upon that point, but we will find that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to three of his disciples, those who formed the innermost circle of his acquaintance.—Peter, James, and John. These were alone permitted to go in with the Saviour when he raised the maiden to life. They were the only ones, too, who were permitted to stand upon the Mount of Transfiguration with him, and also to witness his sufferings in the garden. Yet he showed them what that glory would be. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.2

In the seventeenth chapter of the gospel according to Matthew, we find the description of that glory. There is a description of the transfiguration. “He was transfigured before them.” To transfigure a thing is to change its figure, just as to transport a thing is to change it from one port to another. Christ had before that looked as any other person looked, but in a moment, as the glory of God came down upon him, he was transfigured, and the result was that his face did shine as the sun. Have you ever tried to look into the face of the sun at noonday? You know very well that your eyes are not strong enough to endure it for any length of time. I have gone out under apple trees in a Michigan summer, and found apples lying there with the tops all baked by the heat that came from the sun ninety-five millions of miles away. What would become of us were we to come into the presence of the glory of Jesus Christ if it came down into the very presence of mortals? Would anyone be able to endure it? “His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as light. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.3

I call attention to the description of an angel. The brightness of his glory is such that you and I are not capable of comprehending it. “Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold, of Uphaz: his body was like beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” That is the description Daniel gives of the angel which he saw in vision. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.4

This is similar to the description of an angel in every part of the Bible. The symbol of the tenth chapter of Revelation was not drawn from fancy, when the Revelator says that he “saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.” No, it was simply a description of an angel clothed with the glory of God. True, it was a symbol, but that symbol was drawn from the likeness of the reality itself. So the faces of the Lord Jesus and his angels all have the brightness of the sun. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.5

So we have them before us the thought of what glory is. Are men and women here to be transfigured by the same glory that shines in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ? Remember, we are to be joint heirs with him, and whatever he inherits, the children of men will inherit. Are we to inherit glory?—Yes, that glory is to be given us. Through Jesus Christ we inherit it. It is nothing that we posses naturally: nothing that we can by any means secure by our own efforts. But when we become sons of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, we are heirs of glory, and so must inherit glory. You will find that stated in the thirty-fifth verse of the third chapter of Proverbs: “The wise shall inherit glory.” Describing the scenes of the last days, and of the closing events of this world’s history, the Saviour tells us that “the Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Matthew 13:41-43. GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.6

Thank the Lord! This is the glory which is not only to be revealed in us, but the glory that is to be reflected from us, the glory that we are to inherit from being connected with the family of heaven. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.7

I call attention to one more text. The apostle Paul seems to have caught the inspiration of this thought of the Saviour when he says, in 2 Corinthians 4:17: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Not only will men shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, but there is an eternity of ages in which they will shine. They will then be restored to the image of God, and while it is not in the province of man to describe what that is, yet we can, by the stretch of our minds, see something of what man will have, and these things are given to encourage us as we pass through the tribulations of earthly life. It is to give us courage so that we may not faint by the way, I am glad that the Lord has given us these things for our encouragement. But one thing more from this text: He says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 244.8

I almost wish it were in the province of man’s mind to comprehend eternity. I heard once of a skeptic who, in undertaking to ridicule the religion of the Bible, referred to the verse of that hymn that was sung so much when I was a boy,— GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.1

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright, shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
Than when we first begun.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.2

“There,” said the skeptic, “that’s about all the logic there is in Christianity. It needs but a child to see that if we have been there ten thousand years, we have just that much less time to be there.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.3

But is that correct?—No, indeed. If we were to write down upon a blackboard the word “eternity,” and subtract ten thousand years from it, what is the result?—Eternity. Subtract ten thousand years more, or a million, if you please, and what result do you have?—Eternity. Paul says “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.4

And then the thought that throughout all that eternity of ages, our faces may glow as the sun! I is any wonder that the apostle said what he did when he wrote the words of the text. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us?” O, that we may get glimpses of the glory of God to that extent that our eyes may not look upon our sufferings, or upon what we have been pleased to call hardships and trials, but that we may, by keeping our eyes fixed upon the glory, pass by these things that we have called troubles, and realize that there is nothing in them worth our notice. May God help us to press toward the goal that has been placed before us by the Lord Jesus Christ. May the blessing of the Lord be with us, to help us all and be together, throughout the ceaseless rounds of eternal glory for Christ’s sake. GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.5