Image

Who Wants Glory?

"Glory suggests two ideas to me, of which one seems wicked and the other ridiculous. Either glory means to me fame, or it means luminosity."

Christians talk a lot about “glory.” And understandably so. The word appears in our Bibles over 300 times. We sing about it in songs. We hear about it in sermons. But what is glory? How many of us could offer a coherent and appealing definition of what we actually mean by the term?

Does glory simply mean fame and notoriety? Does it just mean the radiation of light? And are either of these something the Christian should even desire?

On June 8, 1941, in his sermon titled, The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis raised this very question. His answer is worth sharing:

I turn next to the idea of glory. There is no getting away from the fact that this idea is very prominent in the New Testament and in early Christian writings. Salvation is constantly associated with palms, crowns, white robes, thrones, and splendour like the sun and stars. All this makes no immediate appeal to me at ill, and in that respect I fancy I am a typical modern.

Glory suggests two ideas to me, of which one seems wicked and the other ridiculous. Either glory means to me fame, or it means luminosity. As for the first, since to be famous means to be better known than other people, the desire for fame appears to me as a competitive passion and therefore of hell rather than heaven. As for the second, who wishes to become a kind of living electric light bulb?

When I began to look into this matter I was shocked to find such different Christians as Milton, Johnson and Thomas Aquinas taking heavenly glory quite frankly in the sense of fame or good report. But not fame conferred by our fellow creatures—fame with God, approval or (I might say) “appreciation” by God.

And then, when I had thought it over, I saw that this view was scriptural; nothing can eliminate from the parable the divine accolade, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” With that, a good deal of what I had been thinking all my life fell down like a house of cards.

I suddenly remembered that no one can enter heaven except as a child; and nothing is so obvious in a child—not in a conceited child, but in a good child—as its great and undisguised pleasure in being praised. Not only in a child, either, but even in a dog or a horse.

C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory,” preached at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford on June 8, 1941. Published in C.S. Lewis Essay Collection: Faith, Christianity and the Church, October 7, 2010.

Special Request:

For nearly eight years, we've highlighted issues ignored by mainstream media and resisted globalist ideologies eroding Western civilization. We've done this joyfully, without paywalls, despite personal costs to our team. Your support has kept us going, but operating costs exceed donations, forcing us to use ads. We’d love to ditch them, so we’re asking for your help. If you value our work, please consider supporting us via Stripe or PayPal. Every bit helps us keep fighting for our kids’ future. Thank you!

What's New?

Use the blue arrows at the bottom to scroll through the latest.
20 Reasons to Believe the Resurrection

20 Reasons to Believe the Resurrection

"The evidence surrounding the resurrection demonstrates that it is not a mere legend but an event grounded in real history."
By
by Staff WriterApr 20, 2025
The Resurrection

The Resurrection

"The resurrection is Christianity. It is the core of our faith. Hence, Resurrection Sunday."
By
by Matthew LittlefieldApr 20, 2025
Is Taxation Theft or the Price We Pay for Civilization?

Is Taxation Theft or the Price We Pay for Civilization?

"Surely, there should be a seriously low cap on how much money a government can legally take from the public before being forced to concede they’re simply not able to do the job they’ve been tasked with."
By
by Ben DavisApr 19, 2025
White House Launches New Website Exposing COVID Response: Fauci, Lockdowns, Mandates, and Lab Leak Theory

White House Launches New Website Exposing COVID Response: Fauci, Lockdowns, Mandates, and Lab Leak Theory

“Public health officials often mislead the American people through conflicting messaging, knee-jerk reactions, and a lack of transparency," the White House has said.
By
by Staff WriterApr 19, 2025
‘Blessed Ramadan’ and ‘Happy Easter from the Dogs’? PM Accused of Snubbing Christian Australians

‘Blessed Ramadan’ and ‘Happy Easter from the Dogs’? PM Accused of Snubbing Christian Australians

"Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing backlash after he posted a social media message wishing Australians a 'Happy Easter weekend from Toto and Toby,' his dogs."
By
by Staff WriterApr 18, 2025
The Hope of Israel

The Hope of Israel

"Jesus was murdered by corrupt men so that you and I could be saved, so that the hope of Israel could be fulfilled."
By
by Matthew LittlefieldApr 18, 2025
UK Supreme Court Affirms Sex Is Assigned by Biology, Not Bigotry

UK Supreme Court Affirms Sex Is Assigned by Biology, Not Bigotry

"Despite the court ruling in favour of protecting female-only spaces, the Supreme Court still backs the legal 'right' for a man to identify as a woman, and punish anyone who doesn’t refer to him as one."
By
by Rod LampardApr 17, 2025
Kidnapped Pastor Rescued After Deadly Shootout

Kidnapped Pastor Rescued After Deadly Shootout

"Sullivan was delivering a sermon when six armed men entered the building and took him captive in front of his wife and children."
By
by Staff WriterApr 17, 2025

Image

Support

If you value our work and would like to support us, you can do so by visiting our support page. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Visit our search page.

Copyright © 2025, Caldron Pool

Permissions

Everything published at Caldron Pool is protected by copyright and cannot be used and/or duplicated without prior written permission. Links and excerpts with full attribution are permitted. Published articles represent the opinions of the author and may not reflect the views of all contributors at Caldron Pool.

Caldron Pool does not condone the use of violence, threats, or intimidation for political or religious purposes. We strongly advocate for peaceful, respectful, and free communication and open debate without fear of reprisal or punishment.