The devil may affirm the truth of Scripture, but he cannot treasure its beauty and value. This distinction is crucial for believers, as our faith is not just about acknowledging the truth of Scripture but delighting in its beauty and glory. The devil's knowledge of Scripture lacks the love and reverence for the divine truths it contains. As believers, we are called to find joy and satisfaction in the presence of the Trinitarian God, which the devil cannot share. This joy is a deep-seated delight in the divine glory that Scripture reveals. [04:34]
Psalm 119:18-19 (ESV): "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!"
Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper appreciation for the beauty of God's Word in your daily life, beyond just understanding its truth?
Day 2: Joy in God's Glory
Our supreme gladness in God's glory is what makes His greatness shine in the world. This satisfaction is both the goal of our soul's fulfillment and the ground of our certainty in faith. The connection between the truth of God's Word and the beauty it reveals is what keeps us in the fold of faith. Our quest for truth and joy are intertwined, finding fulfillment in the discovery of God's glory in Scripture. This joy is not just a declaration of truth but a profound delight in the divine glory that Scripture reveals. [06:44]
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."
Reflection: How can you find joy in God's glory even when circumstances in your life are challenging or uncertain?
Day 3: Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart
The glory of God in Scripture is both rewarding to the heart and real to the mind. This divine glory is seen through the eyes of the heart, a spiritual perception that requires understanding. The concept of spiritual eyes allows believers to perceive God's truth beyond mere intellectual acknowledgment. This perception is a gift that enables us to see the divine glory that authenticates the truth of Scripture. It is a glory that shines through creation, Christ, and the gospel, revealing the divine origin of the Word. [15:00]
Ephesians 1:17-18 (ESV): "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."
Reflection: What steps can you take to cultivate the spiritual perception needed to see God's glory in your daily life?
Day 4: Knowing the Bible's Truth through Divine Glory
Historical insights from figures like Jonathan Edwards reveal that ordinary people can know the Bible is true through a sight of its divine glory, not just through historical reasoning. This divine glory is a spiritual beauty that authenticates the truth of Scripture. It is a glory that shines through creation, Christ, and the gospel, revealing the divine origin of the Word. Our confidence in Scripture is grounded in this self-authenticating glory, which is seen by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. [17:32]
2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV): "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Reflection: How can you become more aware of the divine glory that authenticates the truth of Scripture in your own life?
Day 5: The Self-Authenticating Glory of Scripture
The divine glory in Scripture is a spiritual beauty that authenticates its truth. This glory shines through creation, Christ, and the gospel, revealing the divine origin of the Word. Our confidence in Scripture is grounded in this self-authenticating glory, which is seen by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. This divine glory is not just a physical manifestation but a spiritual beauty that reveals the truth of God's Word. It is a glory that is inescapably real to the mind and rewarding to the heart. [41:00]
Psalm 19:1-2 (ESV): "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge."
Reflection: How can you actively seek to experience the self-authenticating glory of Scripture in your daily walk with God?
Sermon Summary
In our journey of faith, we often encounter the profound truth that the devil, despite his knowledge of Scripture, lacks the love and reverence for the divine truths it contains. This distinction is crucial for us as believers. While the devil may acknowledge the existence of the Trinity, he cannot affirm the beauty and value of God's steadfast love and the life-giving power of His Word. Our faith is not just about affirming the truth of Scripture but treasuring its beauty and glory, which the devil cannot do.
The essence of our faith lies in the connection between the truth of God's Word and the beauty it reveals. This connection is what keeps us in the fold of faith and the devil out. We are called to delight in the glory of the Trinitarian God, finding our joy and satisfaction in His presence. This joy is not just a declaration of truth but a deep-seated delight in the divine glory that Scripture reveals.
Throughout my life, I have sought to understand and articulate the relationship between God's glory and human happiness. Our supreme gladness in God's glory is what makes His greatness shine in the world. This satisfaction in His glory is both the goal of our soul's satisfaction and the ground of our certainty in faith. The quest for truth and joy are intertwined, and they find their fulfillment in the discovery of God's glory in Scripture.
The glory of God, as revealed in Scripture, is not only rewarding to the heart but also inescapably real to the mind. This divine glory is seen through the eyes of the heart, a concept that requires us to understand the spiritual eyes that perceive God's truth. Historical insights from figures like Jonathan Edwards and the Westminster Catechism have guided my understanding of how ordinary people, even children, can know the Bible is true through a sight of its divine glory.
This divine glory is not just a physical manifestation but a spiritual beauty that authenticates the truth of Scripture. It is a glory that shines through creation, through Christ, and through the gospel, revealing the divine origin of the Word. Our confidence in Scripture is grounded in this self-authenticating glory, which is seen by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Key Takeaways
1. The devil may affirm the truth of Scripture but cannot treasure its beauty and value. Our faith is distinguished by our delight in the glory of God, which the devil cannot share. [04:34]
2. Our supreme gladness in God's glory is what makes His greatness shine in the world. This satisfaction is both the goal of our soul's fulfillment and the ground of our certainty in faith. [06:44]
3. The glory of God in Scripture is both rewarding to the heart and real to the mind. This divine glory is seen through the eyes of the heart, a spiritual perception that requires understanding. [15:00]
4. Historical insights from figures like Jonathan Edwards reveal that ordinary people can know the Bible is true through a sight of its divine glory, not just through historical reasoning.[17:32]
5. The divine glory in Scripture is a spiritual beauty that authenticates its truth. This glory shines through creation, Christ, and the gospel, revealing the divine origin of the Word. [41:00] ** [41:00]
In Psalm 19:7-10, what are some of the attributes of God's Word mentioned, and how do they contrast with the devil's perspective on Scripture? [02:48]
According to Ephesians 1:18, what does it mean to have the "eyes of your heart" enlightened, and how does this relate to perceiving God's glory? [15:00]
In 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, what role does the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" play in understanding the truth of the gospel? [35:22]
How does the sermon describe the devil's acknowledgment of the Trinity, and what is the key difference between his acknowledgment and a believer's faith? [01:34]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the concept of "treasuring the glory of the Trinitarian God" differ from merely acknowledging the truth of Scripture? What implications does this have for a believer's faith journey? [04:34]
The sermon mentions that our supreme gladness in God's glory makes His greatness shine in the world. How does this idea challenge or affirm your understanding of the relationship between God's glory and human happiness? [06:44]
What does it mean for the glory of God in Scripture to be "both rewarding to the heart and real to the mind"? How can this dual perception strengthen a believer's confidence in Scripture? [08:02]
How do historical insights from figures like Jonathan Edwards and the Westminster Catechism contribute to understanding the divine glory in Scripture? What does this suggest about the accessibility of Scripture's truth to ordinary people? [17:32]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a time when you acknowledged a truth from Scripture but struggled to treasure its beauty and value. What steps can you take to deepen your appreciation for the beauty of God's Word? [04:34]
Consider how your joy in God's glory is currently expressed in your life. What practical changes can you make to ensure that your life reflects a supreme gladness in God's glory? [06:44]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of seeing God's glory through the "eyes of the heart." How can you cultivate a spiritual perception that allows you to see and appreciate this glory more fully? [15:00]
Think about a moment when you felt a deep-seated delight in the divine glory revealed in Scripture. How can you recreate or sustain such moments in your daily spiritual practice? [05:04]
How can you help others, especially those who may not have a deep theological background, to see the divine glory in Scripture? What role can you play in guiding them to perceive this spiritual beauty? [17:32]
Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to see the glory of God. What practical steps can you take to open your heart and mind to perceive His glory in that area? [35:22]
The sermon suggests that the devil cannot share in the delight of God's glory. How can you guard your heart against attitudes or behaviors that might hinder your ability to delight in God's glory? [04:34]
Sermon Clips
The devil is doctrinally more orthodox than most evangelicals, and the difference is that he hates almost everything he affirms in the Bible. So, I thought perhaps he could be a member of ETS because he could affirm these truths, but on second thought, I don't think so. [00:01:26]
What keeps the devil out and keeps us in is the connection between the truth of the word and the beauty and preciousness of what it reveals, not just its truth. What keeps him out and us in is the connection between affirming the truth of the word and the Trinity and treasuring the value of the word in the Trinity. [00:03:56]
The glory of the Trinitarian God revealed in Scripture is a source of great joy. We don't just declare it to be true; the devil does that. We delight in the glory of the Trinitarian God. The glory of God is the ground of our joy, and that's the most important difference between us and the devil. [00:04:54]
I've argued on countless occasions that not only were we made to be supremely satisfied in the glory of God, but this satisfaction itself is the way that God's glory is seen to shine most brightly. The greatness of the glory of God is what makes us supremely glad, and our supreme gladness in the glory of God is what makes the greatness of his glory shine in the world. [00:06:14]
The glory of God seen in Scripture is both the goal of the soul's satisfaction and the ground of the soul's certainty. The glory of God in Scripture proves itself not only to be incomparably rewarding to the heart but inescapably real to the mind. The quest for truth and the quest for joy are the same quest. [00:07:44]
There is a peculiar glory that shines through the meaning of the scriptures that shows it to be the Word of God, and this divine glory can be seen for what it really is by the eyes of the heart. It's a phrase from Ephesians 1:18, and you should devote much energy in your soul to knowing what they are in you. [00:14:38]
Edwards is arguing that a path to well-grounded conviction of the truth of the gospel and the scriptures that tell the story of the gospel is a path that a seven-year-old John Piper, a Sudanese villager, a Papua New Guinea tribesman can follow. It's a path that anyone can follow who has eyes to see, namely the path of seeing the glory of God in Scripture. [00:19:47]
The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God by the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God. They meant something by that. I don't know what it was. You can see how that's just pushing me to say, whoa, what does this mean by that? [00:21:14]
The Bible shows that God intends for us to have a well-grounded conviction that he is a powerful, wise, merciful creator and sustainer simply by our seeing his glory in and through creation. God intends for us to know, not just intend for us to know, he says we know every person on the planet knows that God made the world. [00:24:45]
The problem was not that the glory of Jesus was inadequate to manifest his deity or that the glory of the word is inadequate to manifest its divine origin. The problem, as Jesus said in Matthew 13, was seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear. [00:34:06]
The gospel and the story of how God saves sinners, that story, the gospel emits a divine supernatural light. That's the name of one of Edward's sermons, a divine and supernatural light. He gets it from this verse to the eyes of the heart, not the eyes of the head. [00:35:04]
The whole Bible authenticates itself by the shining of the glory of God in and through it, which means that we know that the Scriptures are the Word of God because in their true meaning, we see the self-authenticating glory of God. [00:41:00]