The Purpose Driven Life(13)

God’s glory is best seen in Jesus Christ. He, the Light of the world, illuminates God’s nature. Because of Jesus, we are no longer in the dark about what God is really like. The Bible says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory.”5 Jesus came to earth so we could fully understand God’s glory. “The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory…a glory full of grace and truth.”6

God’s inherent glory is what he possesses because he is God. It is his nature. We cannot add anything to this glory, just as it would be impossible for us to make the sun shine brighter. But we are commanded to recognize his glory, honor his glory, declare his glory, praise his glory, reflect his glory, and live for his glory.7 Why? Because God deserves it! We owe him every honor we can possibly give. Since God made all things, he deserves all the glory. The Bible says, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything.”8

In the entire universe, only two of God’s creations fail to bring glory to him: fallen angels (demons) and us (people). All sin, at its root, is failing to give God glory. It is loving anything else more than God. Refusing to bring glory to God is prideful rebellion, and it is the sin that caused Satan’s fall—and ours, too. In different ways we have all lived for our own glory, not God’s. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”9

None of us have given God the full glory he deserves from our lives. This is the worst sin and the biggest mistake we can make. On the other hand, living for God’s glory is the greatest achievement we can accomplish with our lives. God says, “They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory,”10 so it ought to be the supreme goal of our lives.





HOW CAN I BRING GLORY TO GOD?



When anything in creation fulfills its purpose, it brings glory to God.



Jesus told the Father, “I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do.”11 Jesus honored God by fulfilling his purpose on earth. We honor God the same way. When anything in creation fulfills its purpose, it brings glory to God. Birds bring glory to God by flying, chirping, nesting, and doing other bird-like activities that God intended. Even the lowly ant brings glory to God when it fulfills the purpose it was created for. God made ants to be ants, and he made you to be you. St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive!”

There are many ways to bring glory to God, but they can be summarized in God’s five purposes for your life. We will spend the rest of this book looking at them in detail, but here is an overview:

We bring God glory by worshiping him. Worship is our first responsibility to God. We worship God by enjoying him. C. S. Lewis said, “In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.” God wants our worship to be motivated by love, thanksgiving, and delight, not duty.

John Piper notes, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God. Worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God, loving him, and giving ourselves to be used for his purposes. When you use your life for God’s glory, everything you do can become an act of worship. The Bible says, “Use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”12


DAY SEVEN: THE REASON FOR EVERYTHING



We bring God glory by loving other believers. When you were born again, you became a part of God’s family. Following Christ is not just a matter of believing; it also includes belonging and learning to love the family of God. John wrote, “Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life.”13 Paul said, “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.”14

It is your responsibility to learn how to love as God does, because God is love, and it honors him. Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”15

We bring God glory by becoming like Christ. Once we are born into God’s family, he wants us to grow to spiritual maturity. What does that look like? Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus in the way we think, feel, and act. The more you develop Christlike character, the more you will bring glory to God. The Bible says, “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.”16

God gave you a new life and a new nature when you accepted Christ. Now, for the rest of your life on earth, God wants to continue the process of changing your character. The Bible says, “May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”17