INTRODUCTION
One of the great foundation blocks of the healthy relationship between God and humankind is His righteousness. It can be guaranteed that in all His speech and actions He is righteous. By this it is suggested that because He is righteous you can trust what He says, you can trust His word. Invariably, He says what He means, and He means what He says.
Every word that comes from the mouth of God is carefully chosen and perfectly weighted. And because of His foreknowledge, He never, at any time, has to reverse or cancel His promises. In these days when there are subtle attempts to undermine the Word of God, we declare we can trust it, all of it, with no exceptions, and this is especially true of those utterances of the LORD that have covenant status. We have confidence in the righteousness of God, and confidence in the Word of God, and confidence in the covenant promises of God.
Inasmuch as the New Covenant was a guaranteed promise to Israel we must ask how it applies to Gentile believers. But since a proper understanding of the subject will necessitate an examination of the whole covenant relationship between God and Israel we will also examine the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Land and Davidic Covenants.
THE GLORY OF GOD
God’s prime purpose – to work all things for His own glory. Renald E. Showers wrote: “The Bible deals with the issue of meaning. It offers a systematic interpretation of history. It covers the entire scope of history from beginning to end, including the what and why of the future. It presents a unifying principle which ties together and makes sense of the whole gamut of events, distinctions, and successions. The Bible demonstrates that history has an ultimate goal or purpose”. If this is true, what is that ultimate goal?
Normally, there is offered two answers to this question. The first is that God’s ultimate goal in His dealings with humankind is redemptive, that is He is working for the salvation of man. The second is that God is working all things for His own glory. In the first it appears that humanity is central, that is, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”. (Rom. 8:28) In the second, it makes God and His glory central. It seems to this writer that the second is more credible than the first, that is, that God is working all things for His own glory. That it would include a plan of salvation for fallen humanity within its remit is quite understandable, but ultimately all will be accomplished for the glory of God. Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthians spoke of the hardships he endured in discharging the duties entailed in the stewardship of the gospel. He wrote, “For all things are for your sakes”, (2 Cor.4.15) which on the face of it would support the view of those that say that the purpose of God is mainly salvific; but Paul makes that view secondary, and puts the glory of God in prime place, for he continued, “that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God”. Similarly, in Ephesians, he states that events within the predetermined will of God is in harmony with this over-riding aim that all things should redound to His glory. Paul wrote, “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved”. (Eph 1:5,6) The essence of this is repeated in verses 11 through 14. “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory”. To the Philippians he wrote: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God”. (Phil. 1:9-11)
These verses teach that
we are saved to the glory of God, and
we are being kept to the glory of God, and
More Next Time
we are being kept to the glory of God, and
our lives should be lived to the
glory of God.
glory of God.
Indeed Paul encapsulates it in a phrase, “do all to the glory of God”. (1 Cor. 10:31) Christians for centuries have known this. The Westminster shorter catechism asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” and gives the answer, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever”. It supports the first half of this answer (man’s chief end is to glorify God) with the following proof texts:
“I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore”, (Ps 86:12)
“Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified”, (Is 60:21)
“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen”. (Rom. 11:36)
“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”. (1 Cor.6.20)
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”. (1 Cor.10.31)
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” (Rev.4.11)
If you add the verse, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork”, (Ps. 19:1) then it could be suggested that we should also look after the planet to the glory of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment