The Glory of the Cross

"When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He," (Jn. 8:28). "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me (Jn. 12:32). Properly understood, the cross is a principal manifestation of Christ's Sonship and glory. Thus, His remark as the cross loomed hard before Him: "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified" (Jn. 12:23; cf. vv. 24-25, 27-28). On the cross, He put away the sin of the world and brought in everlasting righteousness, so opening the door of salvation to all men.  

God was glorified in the Son when He was "put to death in the flesh, in order to bring God's lost creatures back to Him (I Pet. 3:18). And, since the Son thereby glorified the Father, the Father, in turn, glorified the Son (Jn. 13:31-32; cf. Phil. 2:5-11). 

The same principle is operative with regard to us. If we glorify God by identification with and submission to His Son, God will, in due season, glorify us (Jn. 12:26; Rom. 8:17; Col. 3:3). "If we be dead with Him, we shall also live [and reign] with Him" (II Tim. 2:11-12; cf. Rom. 6:8).--Harold F. Lohse