Day 9 – Bringing Glory Through Our Obedience

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
~ Romans 11:28 ~

Brothers and sisters, as the literal spirit children of our loving Heavenly Father, we have unlimited, divine potential. But if we are not careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant. We can drift away from the true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living waters of the Savior’s eternal love and priesthood power.
~ M. Russell Ballard – This is My Work and Glory ~

A sacred and profound truth is the revelation that our Heavenly Father’s work and His glory rests upon our eternal happiness. It encapsulates the infinite atonement where we receive liberty, grace, mercy, and blessings. It is through His grace we have an eternal destiny laid out before us. The Apostle Paul teaches that those who are called of God are called because of His purpose. All that we experience – our Heavenly Father has worked out for our own good.

Some challenge this and bemoan the simple truth. They question the validity of such profound teaching. And yet they failed to see the scriptural truth behind this simple doctrine of Christ. They murmur, complain, rationalize, doubt, and fall away. For them, they have lost sight of their eternal perspective and turned to those things of the world to bring them temporary happiness and joy in this life.

In this life – we have the moral agency to choose liberty and freedom that is in Christ; or to choose captivity and bondage that leads to destruction and misery (2 Nephi 2:27). It is key to unlocking the blessings of the infinite atonement and our motivation to fulfill the purpose and glory of God. It is essential to our progress and ability to become Christ like. Furthermore, it is essential in becoming like our Heavenly Father. Every choice our Savior faced was one of good over evil.

The enticing of the spirit of God or the spirit of the adversary is constant and consistent. Over time, we learn how to choose one over the other. If we choose the right, we are putting on the righteousness of Christ and patterning our lives after his. When we choose the right, we find peace and happiness that surpasses all understanding. We also find freedom and liberty in those decisions.

And when we choose liberty and freedom over captivity and bondage – we are choosing to walk in obedience, offering up ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:2) to God. It means we are willing to take up our cross every day and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24-28). It also means that we have committed our lives over to Christ where we are baptized in His baptism and partake of the bitter cup he partook (Matthew 20:20-23). It is the call to come unto him and remove all that which may hinder our relationship and fellowship with Christ (Mark 10: 17-22).

All of this brings glory to our Heavenly Father.

• Glorify God through our worship
• Glorify God through Christ-like love toward others
• Glorify God by becoming Christ-like ourselves
• Glorify God through our kind service toward others
• Glorify God through ministering and bringing others unto Christ

All of which requires our faithful obedience to the principle teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And, when we glorify God – he is in the process of sanctifying us so that we shall be glorified with Christ (John 17:9-24).

Going forward with purpose and faith in our Heavenly Father requires a sacrifice. We are that sacrifice. And it is a costly sacrifice because the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ was a costly sacrifice. Let us bring glory to God, the Father, and Jesus Christ. Whereby we are sanctified and glorified with Christ.

Key Point

The purpose of our Heavenly Father is to bring about our immortality and eternal life. This is the foundation of the infinite atonement and plan of salvation. When we choose to live faithfully to His will and teachings – we are being sanctified and will be glorified with Christ. Our ability to choose to come unto Christ and follow him is one that leads to liberty and freedom. Otherwise, when we choose to walk in disobedience, neglect our faith, and turn from the teachings of the Gospel of Christ, we are led astray and into captivity. Let us go forward with faith and purpose by being obedient to our Heavenly Father’s will – for we shall be blessed and sanctified in all things.

Meditate and Ponder

What does it mean to be sanctified and glorified with Christ? How does obedience to our Heavenly Father relate to us becoming Christ-like? What does it mean to become living sacrifices unto God?