What is your purpose as a human on planet earth in the 21st century? Many of the writers and philosophers in our postmodern world describe our purpose in life as (these are actual quotes) “to make a positive impact on the world,” “to communicate with other living beings” or simply “to live it”. One valedictorian at a high school in Colorado got real honest: “I’m sorry,” he said, “but I do not know the answer to the meaning of life.”
If you’re looking to our culture for your purpose in life, you might think your purpose is to do whatever is necessary to make yourself happy. To be true to yourself. To be the next American Idol. But, if the Bible is really “God’s Word” on the subject, then our culture has it wrong. God’s own glory is what is most important to God, so our purpose—both as individuals and as a church—flows naturally out of that. Our primary purpose is to glorify God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 commands us: “…Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Ephesians 3:21 declares: “…To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
In fact, everything God created was created for the purpose of bringing glory to Him! Look at Psalm 19:1—“The heavens (i.e., the universe) are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Colossians 1:16 tells us, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” “All things” (That’s you! That’s our church! That’s continents. Spotted owls. Fridays. Gold.) were “created through Him and for Him” (not only by Him, but also “for Him”—for His pleasure. His glory!).
The next logical question then, is: How do we do that? How do we accomplish our primary purpose—both as individuals and as a church? At the risk of oversimplifying things, let me answer with two broad statements:
1. Never try to steal His glory.
This—as I understand it—is what Lucifer tried to do. Isaiah 14:13-14 is probably a transcript of what Lucifer said when he tried to steal God’s glory: “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Bad idea. He was cast out of heaven for it. He will be punished forever for it. Write it down somewhere: Never try to steal God’s glory.
2. Always try to give Him glory.
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:31? “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That’s pretty broad, but the point is very significant: “Whatever you do” with your time on earth is an opportunity to glorify God.
- If you’re a businessman, you can do business with integrity and point others to Christ.
- If you’re a teacher, you can love the unlovable student and tell them of the love of Christ.
- If you’re a father or mother, you can reflect the love and discipline and grace of your heavenly Father to your children.
- If you’re a student, you can do your work as though you were doing it for Jesus Himself—this will glorify Him.
- If you’re a rock star. Trash collector. Lawyer. Cop. Farmer. Brother. Sister. Friend. Neighbor. IRS Agent (seriously!). Anything you do is an opportunity to glorify God!
We glorify God when we seek Him and imitate Him and love Him and obey Him. We glorify God when we invite people to trust Christ and grow up in Him.
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16? “You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Our good works glorify God.
Peter communicated this same idea in 1 Peter 2:12: “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” In 1 Peter 2:5, he compared us to stones in a temple being built up for God’s glory: “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Peter also told us that as we use our gifts and serve one another and build up the body, God is glorified. “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:8).
Is all this new to you? Are you wondering why you’ve never heard this before? Never noticed it before? Are you now worried that you’ve wasted a lot of time? That’s history. That’s yesterday. What really matters is today and tomorrow—what you do this afternoon and tomorrow and this week and next month for the glory of God. What matters is whether or not you fulfill your purpose—to glorify God in your life. In your relationships. In your work. In your use of your time, talent and treasures. What matters is whether you seek to glorify God in your decisions. In your goals. In your plans. What matters is whether we as a church body glorify God together—from now on.
Let your prayer be the same as Jude: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24, 25)
