Glory to Glory

The Problem

The other day I was in an FMA¹ worship leader meeting, when someone made a comment that surprised me. To a woman who had just shared her story, he said, “It surprises me that you felt unqualified, because you carry yourself so confidently.”

His comment surprised me not because she does not carry herself confidently, but because in my experience everyone I’ve talked to has doubted their qualification for God’s calling at some point in their life. It may not have been an overarching theme of their life at one point, but I feel fairly confident in saying all whom God has called have at some point been faced with the question, “Am I qualified?”

Asking the Right Question

It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve heard the phrase, “God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” The fact of the matter is that the closer we get to the perfect, holy, fully transcendent God, the more clearly we see our sin and humanity. And the more clearly our humanity sees our sin, the more we wonder why the Glorious One would want us.

For many people, that’s when pride is revealed. When we tell God He somehow made a mistake in choosing us, that is exactly the same as saying we know better than He does, that we’re somehow smarter than Him and know ourselves better than the all-knowing One knows us.

I don’t say this to shame anyone. I still go through periods of wondering why, with all the more talented musicians out there, God picked a kid from an island in the outer reaches of Alaska. Wanting to know why isn’t wrong; telling Him He doesn’t know what He’s doing is. That said: He does want you to know why you are qualified.

The Covenant and Glory

In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about the glory of the old covenant and the surpassing glory of the new covenant.

“If the ministry that condemns men was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”

- 2 Corinthians 3:9-11²

Just before this, Paul references Exodus 34, which tells how after Moses would speak with God, he would put a veil over his face because the radiance would frighten the Israelites. If that glory came from the giving of the law by which no man can be saved, Paul reasons, how much more glory will be released through the new covenant of Jesus the Messiah, Who is life to all who receive Him?

“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.”

- 2 Corinthians 3:18³

The veil was torn when Christ died. Now, in every believer, Holy Spirit, God Himself, dwells. We live our lives constantly closer to God than Moses was able to go. The result of this is that we are transformed into His image, going “from one degree of glory to another.”

There is an assumption that comes with that phrase. The assumption is that the believer already has been transformed into something glorious. After all, it is impossible to go from one degree of glory to the next if one is not at the first level of glory to begin with!

The Point

The moment you accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross and received the Holy Spirit, you became glorious. You began to look more like the Glorious One Himself. That is your qualification. Where you are right now is glorious, who you are right now is glorious, and you are a reflection of God – and I guarantee God is qualified to do the job He has assigned to you!

God doesn’t call the qualified, but He does qualify the called by making them into His image and placing in them His glory. So next time the accusation comes against your heart that you aren’t worthy of His calling for your life, remind yourself and the enemy that you are qualified. You are more than qualified; you are glorious.

1.  FMA = Forerunner Music Academy

2.  New International Version

3.  English Standard Version