ckyContinuing our reflections on man's purpose for living, we pick up where we left off yesterday.
What is the chief purpose of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. This, in my opinion, is getting to the foundation of our quest for knowing man’s purpose.
The glorifying of God. 1 Pet. 4:11. "That God in all things may be glorified." And l Cor. 10:31. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
What is meant by “God’s glory?” God has in himself an intrinsic glory. He is called the "God of glory," (Acts 7:2), to which we strive to bring glory to him. 1 Chron. 16:29, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name." And, 1 Cor. 6:20, "Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit." The glory we give God is our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others. Phil. 1:20, "Christ shall be magnified in my body."
Glorifying God involves at least five things: admiration, adulation, affection, submission and gratitude.
Admiration / appreciation. To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts, and, to have an honored esteem of him. Psalm 92:8. "Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore." Psalm 97:9, "Thou art exalted far above all gods." To know God brings forth both wonder and delight. We glorify God when we admire His attributes, His promises, His power and wisdom in making the world. Psalm 8:3.
Adoration /adulation. Glorifying God consists in adoration, or worship. Psalm 29:2. "Give onto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Neh. 8:6,"they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground." We glorify God by praising him. Doxology, or praise, is a God-exalting work. Psalm 50:23, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. Psalm 96:12. "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name."
Affection / caring love. This is part of the glory we give to God, who counts himself glorified when he is loved. Deut. 6:5, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul."
Submission / obedience. This is when we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready to listen to His voice of guidance. We glorify God when we are devoted to his service. The wise men that came to Christ did not only bow the knee to him, but presented him with gold and myrrh. Matt. 2:11. So we must not only bow the knee, give God worship, but bring presents of valuable obedience. God has given every man a talent; and when a man does not bury it, but improves it for God, he demonstrates his submmission to God. Obedience also means fulfilling the great commission: Go into all the world, preach the Gospel and make disciples. And when we do “accomplish” for God, He gets the glory, not us. In short, we glorify God by living a holy life and sharing it with others.
Gratitude / joyful spirit. We glorify God by a lifestyle of gratitude and joy. It brings glory to God, when the world sees a Christian cheerful even in the worst times. Followers of Jesus Christ have ground for cheerfulness. They are made right with God creating inward peace, fulfillment, contentment and joy for the now, plus eternal life with Him in the hereafter.
Tomorrow we'll examine "enjoying God."
What is the chief purpose of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. This, in my opinion, is getting to the foundation of our quest for knowing man’s purpose.
The glorifying of God. 1 Pet. 4:11. "That God in all things may be glorified." And l Cor. 10:31. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
What is meant by “God’s glory?” God has in himself an intrinsic glory. He is called the "God of glory," (Acts 7:2), to which we strive to bring glory to him. 1 Chron. 16:29, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name." And, 1 Cor. 6:20, "Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit." The glory we give God is our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others. Phil. 1:20, "Christ shall be magnified in my body."
Glorifying God involves at least five things: admiration, adulation, affection, submission and gratitude.
Admiration / appreciation. To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts, and, to have an honored esteem of him. Psalm 92:8. "Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore." Psalm 97:9, "Thou art exalted far above all gods." To know God brings forth both wonder and delight. We glorify God when we admire His attributes, His promises, His power and wisdom in making the world. Psalm 8:3.
Adoration /adulation. Glorifying God consists in adoration, or worship. Psalm 29:2. "Give onto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Neh. 8:6,"they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground." We glorify God by praising him. Doxology, or praise, is a God-exalting work. Psalm 50:23, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. Psalm 96:12. "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name."
Affection / caring love. This is part of the glory we give to God, who counts himself glorified when he is loved. Deut. 6:5, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul."
Submission / obedience. This is when we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready to listen to His voice of guidance. We glorify God when we are devoted to his service. The wise men that came to Christ did not only bow the knee to him, but presented him with gold and myrrh. Matt. 2:11. So we must not only bow the knee, give God worship, but bring presents of valuable obedience. God has given every man a talent; and when a man does not bury it, but improves it for God, he demonstrates his submmission to God. Obedience also means fulfilling the great commission: Go into all the world, preach the Gospel and make disciples. And when we do “accomplish” for God, He gets the glory, not us. In short, we glorify God by living a holy life and sharing it with others.
Gratitude / joyful spirit. We glorify God by a lifestyle of gratitude and joy. It brings glory to God, when the world sees a Christian cheerful even in the worst times. Followers of Jesus Christ have ground for cheerfulness. They are made right with God creating inward peace, fulfillment, contentment and joy for the now, plus eternal life with Him in the hereafter.
Tomorrow we'll examine "enjoying God."
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