Digital Logos Edition
Your concept of God can become worn thin by years of familiarity, hard circumstances, or a society that frowns on his uniqueness or even his existence. But when you lay aside these threadbare images and return your gaze to God's awesome character, you come away not only refreshed but inwardly different.
In this book Charles Ryrie turns your thoughts specifically to the glory of God. It's a subject little written about and perhaps even less understood, but in his gifted way of making dry theology everyday practical, Dr. Ryrie clearly explains what it is, how it changed the men and women of Scripture, and how it can change you.
If your Christianity hasn't been making a difference lately, perhaps your idea of God has lost its glory. Allow this book to help you reflect anew on his glory now and to encourage you that one day you will see that glory face-to-face. You won't be the same tomorrow.
Charles C. Ryrie is a renowned author and scholar. He has written dozens of books which have sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. As a scholar, he has served in several capacities throughout this career. He was ordained by the First Baptist Church in Alton, Illinois. He spent five years at Westmont College, first as professor, later as dean of men and chairman of biblical studies and philosophy. In 1958 he became president of Philadelphia College of Bible. He spent most of his career as a professor of systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. The father of three, he is now professor emeritus of systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary and acts as visiting professor of theology at Philadelphia College of Bible.
“The New Testament word for glory comes from a word that means ‘to seem or think.’ Glory concerns what people think about something or someone, and thus refers to the reputation the person or object has. The glory of God is what He seems to be, which in His case is what He really is. It is God seen in some or all of His characteristics.” (Pages 18–19)
“The glory of God means the awesomeness, splendor, and importance of God seen in some way. When God is glorified, He is seen or shown in a pure, worthy, and sincere way. With God there can be no showing off with a sense of pride, for His character is perfect, and when He is seen, there is no mixture of wrong motives or sin. When, for example, Isaiah saw the glory of God, it was inseparably linked with the holiness of God: ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory’ (Isaiah 6:3). With God holiness and glory fit together in total compatibility. With us glory gets tinged with wrong, even sinful, motives.” (Page 18)
“God has a number of facets to His character, and His glory may be seen sometimes through one facet and sometimes through another. But whenever even one of the aspects of His being is seen, He is glorified.” (Page 19)
“Such examples underscore the concept that glory relates to the intrinsic worth and splendor of the person or thing.” (Page 18)
“The principal Old Testament word for glory has the idea of being heavy, important, even awesome.” (Page 17)