Dr. James Grier has served as Associate Professor of Philosophy at Cedarville College for 13 years and was Vice President and Dean of Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary for 16 years, where he continues to serve as the Distinguished Professor of Philosophical Theology as well teaching part-time at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Jim and his wife, Shirley, live in Rockford, Michigan.
He began his message the same way the Bible itself begins. He began to describe the act of creation and how man was first made in the image of God. He then went to Genesis chapter two to describe the importance of man not being alone and how Adam was given a partner. Here man was given a command to take care of the garden, where they could have the glorious communion with God everyday. There was a brief overview of Genesis chapter three where man fell and Adam’s sin became his shame, causing him to hide under the trees when he heard the voice of his creator. This is what placed a barrier between man and woman and man and God. This brought mankind into conflict with creation, conflict with life, and conflict with his wife. Grier’s introduction was in fact saddening to see the decisions that Adam made, and the barrier placed in man’s relationship to God.
In chapter four Able and Cain were introduced to us. Cain was unhappy with God that he would not accept his offering so he killed his brother. Here is where God was upset that he ever made man. Grier next went on further to Noah and the tower of Babylon, showing the fallenness of mankind and what sin did to all of humanity. Grier described Moses, the man who would give sign after sign for the people of God to see how great their God was, and told the Lord’s people exactly what they may do to serve him. The Lord’s people were even given the Ten Commandments which told them how to live for the God. Next, God gave Moses the command of making a tabernacle, where God could come down to be with his people. This glory of God was so great that later in time it would help defeat armies and at battles destroy everyone who was against the Lord’s people. Dr. Grier then moved on to the kingships of the Lord’s people, describing how in Solomon’s time the glory of God lived throughout their day. But soon, God’s people began to worship other gods, even as the prophets would cry out to the Lord’s people, turn, turn, turn!, to the point that the glory of God left his people and they were left in the dark and without their God.
Then Dr. Grier entered the New Testament. A man named John was born to make way for someone that was to come for God’s people. Asking us then to turn to 2 Corinthians 3:11-18, he read,
“11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Paul, here citing passages in Exodus to the people of Corinth, would read these passages to explain how the blood that was once sprinkled on the people of Israel that gave his presence among his people, had now come to consummation of his people. For Christ is the image, the fullest shadow, of what Moses had been a type of. We were then brought to the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit came, now giving us the glory of God that would dwell with us forever . This glory gives his people what they have longed for and wish that they had had previously. We as believers receive this glory of God to glorify God. At this time Dr. Grier turned his head to the crowd, looking in all sincerity towards the pastors and said, “Pastors, if you do not preach for the glory of God, you aren’t preaching correctly.”
He went on preaching in tears that we can see this glory of Christ from his word by being transformed by the Spirit, and in light of this we can glorify God like never before. This Spirit is the agent that brings about the transformation, so that we can see the Lord as if in a mirror. Dr. Grier asked, “Is this your plan in worship services, to make people transformed by the Spirit?” And what matters most is that when the believer sees the glory of Christ in worship, in the Word, this is when he is transformed to the glory of God and image of Christ, like we were originally made to be. Here is where Dr. Grier most emphatically gave his application. He reached out his arms, pointing to us, asking how do we prepare to worship God? How to we get ready to serve him in preaching? Do we manifest the glory of Christ in our preaching? Is Christ the center of our preaching? He is the revealer, and the one revealed, the content of our preaching. Will the people of God see the glory of God in our message? Will the transforming of the Spirit take place, and will we leave conformed differently towards the image of Christ?
“We the people of God manifest the glory of Christ.”
Dr. Grier then concluded by quoting the last chapter of Revelation, showing the pastors at the conference the hope that we the people of God will have one day when we will be together with the glory of God dwelling together for eternity. “We shall see his face,” not now, but after this world passes away, death will be swallowed up in victory and we shall see all the glory of Christ. For then the glory of God will shine upon his people, he will bless and keep you, and make his face to shine upon you. As we hold the glory of God, being transformed everyday by the Spirit of God, we must glorify Christ in our preaching and worship, until we are called home.
