5 Solas: God's Glory Alone - Glory Thieves
The Bible is full of cautionary tales and warnings about idolatry. We see time and time again the grim consequences for idolatrous Israel. But do we truly grasp the danger and pervasiveness of this sin?
The true danger of idolatry is that it robs God of his glory. It substitutes things which cannot bear the load of worship and ultimately collapse. The Reformers saw what the worship of the Roman Catholic Church had become. The Mass and the theology were stealing glory from God, instead of turning our eyes heavenward to see the glory of Jesus Christ, it bid of look towards earthly saviours.
The examples were numerous: Mary as a co-mediator with Jesus, the Pope as the Vicar of Christ on earth, and the treasury of merit earned by the Saints, and the way the Mass was a re-sacrifice of Christ each Sunday, to name but a few. All of these, the Reformed believed, diverted glory from God to created beings. In many ways, that is one reason we are Protestants. None of the above mentioned people or things can bear the load of worship.
While we could go more in-depth on the differences between Rome and Protestants but it isn’t the most pressing issue we face in our churches. When we think of God’s glory alone, our danger is found in the every day kind of idolatry.
What steals God’s glory? Anything that is put on equal status with him (cite Keller, Romans 1:21f). What is it for you? Football? Rest? Fame? Fortune? Sex? Power? Social media? What diverts worship from God, in your heart, to other things?
I say and write all of this knowing my own heart and my temptations towards other saviours. I can find solace in earthly things. I can place my hope and security in the temporary and transient. God’s glory alone pulls us back to Eden. To the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and asks will we glorify God and enjoy him forever? Or will we listen to the lies of the serpent?
What is the answer? The answer is to see God in all his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Read Ephesians 1-3 and see how glorious God is. Meditate on the wonderful doctrine of the Trinity, God is all glorious _in and of himself!_ Drink deeply of the truth of the incarnation. God became man! Look with downcast eyes towards the cross as the prince of glory died in order that you would glorify God!
The glory of God is one of those themes throughout Scripture that sets our eyes, hearts, and minds, on something greater than idolatry. Indeed it’s the only thing that can truly satisfy us. So, let us truly repent of our idolatry and …
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
