A Life Of GlorySample

Triumph

To recap the last 4 days - Our purpose is to manifest the glory (the visible character) of God. To do so we must conform to His holy character. The problem is that sin, through Adam and subsequently us, destroyed that holiness and placed us under God’s righteous judgment. God has provided grace through Christ, sufficient enough to save us and our purpose. So, based on what we now know, how should we live? In one word: triumphantly!

Paul unpacks this triumphant lifestyle for us in the book of 2 Corinthians. In chapter 2 He first gives thanks to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ. Notice several things here. First it is God who leads. This is His role, to lead us. Not sometimes, not every now and then, but always! The God of the universe leads us always in triumph in Christ. This triumph that he speaks of is not defined as happiness, comfort, or ease of living. Instead, triumph is characterized by determination. That we live so graced by God that nothing can defeat us.

He likens this to the triumphal procession of a returning General from battle. The place of honor is the General riding in a chariot, robed in purple, the color of authority, with a laurel wreath upon his head which symbolizes victory. In the chariot with him are his family all dressed in white robes. The illustration Paul is giving us is that we are the family riding in Christ’s chariot, wearing white robes, which symbolizes holiness, already victorious, because of the General’s victory. 

Paul concludes this picture by describing the fragrance of the event. In front of the General are people throwing fragrant flowers along the path. Through us, he says, the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ and all He has done, is diffused throughout His creation. We are the wonderful fragrance of Christ’s victory! We are the ones whose triumphant lives show the glory of God and tell of the magnificent grace found in Christ. We live triumphantly because of the One who is victorious, always leading us in triumph. 

Two questions: Do you live triumphantly? Why or why not?