Unity: God's Glory
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Intro: The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, established in 1647 and remaining the doctrinal standard for most evangelical churches, as well as Presbyterian churches, asks, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer is, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
Isaiah 60:21; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 10:31
21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
What does it mean to “live for the glory of God?”
Not just believing in God
Not just doing good things
Not just gaining God’s attention and admiration for the sake of a blessing
Story of Judas: not a betrayer from the beginning but a man who never learned the secrete to living for the glory of God.
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
Metaphor of the rock and clay… some are the rock and make God the clay; other let God be the rock and they become the clay!
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
When it comes to Unity in the body of Christ, Paul has shown us that it is a matter of love, obligation, and following our model in Jesus.
7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Our acceptance of one another in unity glorifies God! How so?
8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
When Jesus demonstrated this toward us he fulfilled God’s promises to the Jews and Gentiles.
This truth for the Gentiles is seen in all of Scripture: Law (Pentateuch, Writings, Prophets).
When we accept one another in unity we continue that “showing of the truthfulness” of God’s promises.
Not that we are responsible for making them true.
Not that we can cause them to become lies.
But to turn our focus on being a part of something bigger and that our actions in everyday life reflect eternal consequences.
You are “kind of a big deal” in that your life is now a physical continuing of Christ’s life. He is living here on earth through you and me. This is the secrete to understanding what it means to “live to the glory of God.”
Are you living for God’s glory?
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Hope that comes from seeing your beliefs become a real part of your life fills us with power for living for God’s glory.
That kind of hope only comes as the Holy Spirit renews our minds to see life through Jesus’ eyes.
And it is God who gives us joy and peace in our beliefs as we make them a part of who we are.
Then we are truly living for God’s glory!