Rev. xxii. 4. “And they shall see His face.”
THE vision of God is threefold—the vision of righteous-
ness, the vision of grace, the vision of glory.
I. Righteousness includes all those attributes which
make up an idea of the Supreme Ruler of the universe.
Perfect justice, perfect truth, perfect purity, perfect moral
harmony in all its aspects. It is a vision of awe, tran-
scending all thought. A vision of awe, but a vision also
of purification, of renewal, of energy, of power, of life.
II. The vision of righteousness is succeeded by the
vision of grace. When Butler in his dying moments had
expressed his awe at appearing face to face before the
moral Governor of the world, his chaplain, we are told,
spoke to him of the blood that cleanseth from all sin.
“Ah, this is comfortable,” he replied; and with these
words on his lips he gave up his soul to God. He only
has access to eternal love who has stood face to face
with eternal righteousness. The incarnation of the Son is
the mirror of his Father’s love.
III. The mirror of love melts into the vision of glory.
Here we catch only glimpses at rare intervals revealed in
the lives ol God’s saints and heroes, revealed, above all, in
the record of the written word and in the incarnation of
the Divine Son. There we shall see Him face to face,
perfect truth, perfect righteousness, perfect purity, perfect
love, perfect light; and we shall gaze with unblenching
eye and our visage shall be changed.
J. B. Lightfoot, D.D.
Think about the insanity of...ministry idolatry. The people in your congregation did not become active participants in your ministry so that collectively they could make you feel better about yourself and more secure with your ministry gifts. God didn’t call you to your particular ministry position so that you could finally cobble together an identity that you could live with. The leadership of the church didn’t call you to be their pastor because they knew that you needed a forum where you could find meaning and purpose. The troubled people in your congregation did not come with their troubles so that you could feel needed, essential, and appreciated. The people who faithfully give don’t give so you can build a successful ministry and bask in the security of your accomplishments. So you will never find in your ministry the rest of heart that every human being seeks. And when you look there, it only ends in anxiety, frustration, hurt, disappointment, anger, and bitterness and may ultimately lead you to question the goodness of God... The only defense against this the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only when we are living out of the life that grace alone is able to give that we quit seeking life elsewhere. It is only when we are embracing the rest of the forgiveness of grace that we can look at ourselves honestly and grieve without wallowing in debilitating guilt and shame.
Paul David Tripp