Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. (vv. 31-32)

… and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

True believers are glorified together with the Son and the Father because we are one through the Spirit. This is explained further in chapter 17. The word “glory” exists only for God and those united with Him. This glory was given to us through Christ’s obedience written in Romans 5:12-21. Those who follow the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ say that Christ’s obedience to the law has brought us eternal life. But it is simply not true. Paul himself refutes the idea in Romans 8:11 and 2 Corinthians 4:14.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

… knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. (2 Corinthians 4:14)

Our eternal life has already been achieved when Christ resurrected. And we will resurrect to the eternal life on the last day. Our eternal life has nothing to do with the perfect keeping of the law.

Adam and Christ were not given the same condition unlike what many theologians and ministers believe. Adam was a mere slave and Christ is the Son of God. If obedience to the law brings glorification, Adam should have been glorified in the Garden of Eden. But his failure to overcome the temptation proves that he was nowhere near God. He was not like the Son of God. In fact, Adam and Eve wanted to be like God by following the devil.

Christ’s obedience written in Romans 5:12-21 is related to His death on the cross. The cross of Christ brought us God’s glory. We are justified and glorified through the blood of Christ. We are no longer rebellious servants like Adam and Eve. We are now the children of God through faith. Faith is the work of the Spirit.

The Reformation focused on explaining how a man is saved. However, the Reformers failed to see the whole picture of God’s plan from the beginning to the end. Their mistakes still affect us. Many people do not know how to interpret the Old Testament. Many Christians think that the Israelites are still the chosen people of God. The elect are those who received the Holy Spirit by grace without any previous merits. We are chosen before the foundation of the world.

… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:4-5)

Everything is focused on the kingdom of God. Christ came to preach the kingdom. His work was focused on making His chosen people the children of God. He made the Father known to us through His words and actions. Christ’s death and resurrection made us perfect, not His obedience to the law. Perfection is not about being sinless. Perfection is about being God. Adam and Eve were made upright. But they did not have God’s glory. They were neither righteous nor holy. Only those who are given the Spirit are holy and righteous and can overcome temptations. In many ways, we are still sinful and weak. But God sees us as His own children. God sees us holy and righteous. He disciplines us when we go astray. But He will never cast us out. The relationship between the Father and the Son is not based on obedience to the law. It is based on love. Christ showed us God’s love on the cross. Therefore, our relationship with God is based on love, not on the law. Anyone who receives the Holy Spirit obeys God’s words, not out of fear but out of love.

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another. (vv. 34-35)

Only the Son made us the children of God, not Adam. Adam’s obedience did not make him glorified. God did not allow anyone to help the Son because the adoption of the saints had to be done only through the death of the Son. Salvation (in other words, glorification) of the saints is God’s sole work.

Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.” (v. 38)