Glorify and Glory

“Glorify” means to magnify with praise, to extol, to treat as more splendid, more excellent than would normally be considered. Therefore, to glorify God is, in action and words, to pointedly refer to Him in an extremely magnifying manner. To ascribe honor to Him, acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes, and acts.

“hadar” – a Hebrew word meaning honor or adorn.

Dan. 5:22, 23 What two things does Daniel accuse Belshazzar, king of Babylon, of not doing?

What did the king and his nobles praise instead?

Who or what do you glorify/greatly honor/praise/ or treat as most excellent, and why?

“kabed” – a Hebrew word meaning to give honor or make heavy.

Psa. 50:23 What does it say that someone can do to honor (glorify) God?

Do you honor God in this way? Why?

How often?

Psa. 111:1; 112:1; 113:1 What are the Psalmist’s readers commanded to do?

How does he go about praising the Lord (111:1-9)?

Are you doing this, and why?

“Doxaso” – a Greek word meaning to honor.

Matt. 5:16 Why should citizens of Christ’s kingdom let their lights (life) shine before people in such a way that they may see their works?

Are people glorifying your heavenly Father for this reason? How do you or can you know?

If they’re not, when and how do you plan to let your light shine in this (vs. 16) way?

Lk. 4:15 For what was Jesus praised/glorified by all?

Do you ever praise God for His teachings in the Bible, and why?

Jn. 11:4, 44, 45 Why was Lazarus allowed to get sick and die?

Have you ever thought about the idea that maybe some of the hard situations that you’ve encountered could have really been given so that people would glorify God, as God caused the outcomes to be positive?

If so, share such a situation, if you had one?

Jn. 14:13 What promise did Jesus give to His disciples, and why?

Do you glorify (praise or honor) God when you or others that you know receive answers to their prayers? Why?

Jn. 15:8 How is God the Father glorified (honored)?

And what kind of fruit (Gal. 5:22, 23)?

What kind of fruit are you bearing, and why?

Acts 21:18-20 Over what were James and all the elders glorifying/praising God?

How often do you glorify God because of what He’s doing through another Christian’s ministry, or do you get jealous, and why?

Rom. 1:18-23 Even though people from around the world knew God, what didn’t they do?

What did they exchange the glory/excellencies/splendor of God for?

Knowing the one, true, Creator God, how do you relate or respond to Him, and why?

Rom. 15:5, 6 Why does Paul want God to grant these Christians to be of the same mind (to have mutual esteem and patience) with one another?

How often do you, as part of a group of Christians, glorify/praise God together, and for what?

Rom. 15:9 For what were the Gentiles to glorify/praise God?

Do you ever glorify God for this being shown or given to you? If so, when?

1 Cor. 6:18-20 How are we to glorify/honor God?

How does a person glorify/honor God in his/her body (vs. 18)?

Are you glorifying God in your body? If so, how?

Gal. 1:22-24 For what or whom were these Christians glorifying/praising God, and why?

Have you ever glorified God for the conversion of someone who once used to be an enemy of Christianity, and if so, who?

1 Pet. 4:10, 11 What should Christians do, so that in all things God may be glorified/praised/honored?

Do people glorify God because of how you’re using your special/spiritual gift in helping other Christians?

And/or, do you glorify God because others are using theirs in this way?

1 Pet. 4:16 When and how should a Christian glorify/praise God?

Have you ever done this? If so, when?

Did you feel ashamed for suffering, and why?

“doxa” - is the Greek word meaning glory; the honor resulting from a good opinion; praise.

(It can also mean the state of blessedness into which the believers are to enter through being brought into the likeness of Christ – Rom. 8:18, 21; Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4; 1 Pet. 5:1, 10).

(It can also mean supernatural brightness or splendor – Matt. 24:30; Luke 2:9; Acts 22:11; Rom. 9:4; 2 Cor. 3:7; James 2:1; or natural brightness or splendor – 1 Cor. 15:40, 41; Matt. 4:8; 6:29).

(It can also mean in reference to Jesus, His radiant attributes of deity – John 1:14; 2:11; or in reference to God, His perfections or divine excellence – Rom. 3:23; 6:4; 1 Cor. 2:8; 2 Pet. 1:3; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14).

Acts 12:21-23 What happened to king Herod because he didn’t give God the glory/praise/honor when people cried out saying that his was “the voice of god and not of a man”?

Are you careful to give God the glory that is due Him, especially when people praise you for something that really has been given to you by God (e.g., talents, abilities, intellect, position, personality, power, possessions, etc.)?

Why?

1 Cor. 10:31 What should we do to the glory/praise/honor of God?

How much of what you do is to the glory of God?

Do you really even consciously think about why or what your motives are for why you do what you do?

2 Thes. 1:11, 12 Why did Paul pray that God would fulfill (bring to full expression) every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power (a life of good works that faith in Christ prompts) in these Thessalonian Christians?

Is Jesus being glorified/honored by people because of your living a life of goodness (good works)?