~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~
Question: How would I explain to a non-believer what "of the glory of God" means in Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"?Answer: First of all, let me say thank you for your question. Secondly, let me say that it was a joy and a delight to search this one out. To get started, the word glory is used 402 times in 371 verses in the Bible. It is used synonymously with boast, honor, reflection, splendor, praise, majesty and probably a few other words. It also seems to be a place, an act, and a state of being.
Looking at Romans 3:23, gives us part of the answer - at least a starting point. We must go back to the beginning, in the Garden, in Genesis 1:27-31, 2:7-16. Adam and Eve shared in the glory of God. It was a very glorious time in the Garden, continuously walking with God - no cares or concerns. But then read Romans 5:12 and 3:23.
When man sinned, he broke that glorious relationship with God and instituted sin and all its terrible consequences including eternal death. Thus depriving us of the glory that God had before been prepared and ordained (Heaven) (Romans 9:23; I Corinthians 2:6-10).
Then we have Romans 5:15-19. Christ's death and resurrection restored that hope of eternal glory and splendor - Salvation and heaven. Look at Romans 5:1,2 - "We stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Our hope is to be in a place with God - Glory (Colossians 1:27,28). When we repent of sin and accept Christ's sacrifice, we enter into a glorious relationship with God that ends in eternal Glory. This is our HOPE (Colossians 3:4; I Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14; I Peter 5:1,10,11; Jude 1:24; Revelation 21:23). Of course, the gospels are full of the glory of God (John 1:14, 2:11; 11:4, 40).
I don't know if there is a definition for the word glory, but, if I had one, it would be something like this: "A supernatural, majestic splendor and honor that creates AWE."
From Genesis to Revelation, we find the God of Glory manifesting Himself in a variety of ways. From a cloud on Mt. Sinai to the Mount of Transfiguration, to raising Lazarus from the dead, to being the Light of Heaven (glory). "In the Old Testament, glory often denotes the revelation of God's being, nature and presence to mankind, sometimes with physical phenomena. In the New Testament, it often describes the revelation of the character and the presence of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ."
I hope this will help you get started on a search for the "glory of God." May He richly bless you and manifest His glory (presence) in your life.
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