Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, believers will finally be glorified. All human glory derives from God.
Human glory in the creation
Human glory as God's intention
Hebrews 2:6–7 See also Psalm 8:4–5
But somewhere it is testified in these words: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor
People are created in God's image
Genesis 5:1 See also Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness.
Human beings have precedence over the rest of creation
Matthew 6:26 parallel Luke 12:24 See also Matthew 10:29–31 parallel Luke 12:6–7; Matthew 12:12
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Human responsibility for creation
Genesis 2:19–20 See also Genesis 1:28; Psalm 8:6–8; Hebrews 2:8; James 3:7
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
Human glory diminished after the fall
Romans 3:23 See also Genesis 5:3; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 5:12
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The imperfect nature of human glory
1 Peter 1:24–25 See also Isaiah 40:6–8; Psalm 49:10–11, Psalm 49:16–17, Psalm 103:15; 2 Corinthians 3:7–8, 2 Corinthians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 3:13
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
Human glory is given and taken by God
Psalm 82:6–7 See also Exodus 9:16; 1 Kings 3:13 parallel 2 Chronicles 1:12; Jeremiah 27:6–7; Daniel 2:37–39, Daniel 4:29–31, Daniel 4:36; John 19:11; Romans 13:1
I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.”
The temporary nature of the glory of the wicked
Philippians 3:19 See also Isaiah 5:15; Luke 16:25; Revelation 18:14–17
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
The temptation associated with human glory
Matthew 4:8–9 parallel Luke 4:5–7 See also 2 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:15
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.”
The uniqueness of God's glory
Job 40:9–10 God shows Job the impossibility of human beings attaining the perfection of God's glory. See also Exodus 15:11; 1 Chronicles 16:24–28 parallel Psalm 96:3–7; Isaiah 42:8, Isaiah 48:11
Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
God's glory revealed to human beings
Exodus 24:17 See also Exodus 16:10; Psalm 26:8; Ezekiel 1:25–28; Luke 2:9; Acts 7:55
And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
Glory is not to be sought from other human beings but from God
Matthew 6:2 See also Jeremiah 9:23–24; Hosea 4:7; John 5:41–44; Philippians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:4–6; James 4:16
So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
It is a human duty to glorify God
Psalm 34:3 See also Psalm 63:3, Psalm 86:12; Daniel 4:37; Romans 15:6; Galatians 1:3–5
Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.
Glory is restored to redeemed humanity by the death of Jesus Christ
Romans 8:30 See also Romans 9:23; 1 Corinthians 15:47–49; Colossians 3:10
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Spiritual glory is divinely given
John 17:22 See also Psalm 84:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18
I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one —
Glorification when Jesus Christ returns
Colossians 3:4 See also Romans 8:18; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 2:20; 1 John 3:2
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.