INTENDED FOR HIS GLORY
By John C. Carpenter
To the church of believers in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote Oh, how great are
God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the
Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes
from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. (Rom 11:33-36, New Living Bible).
What is life really about? What is the purpose of all of creation, from the small proton to the massive cosmos? Why does the universe
exist, and what is it there for? Why is mankind on earth, and what is man's purpose in life? What is the true and meaningful purpose
of every human spirit? Why was every creature created and placed upon this earth? We all periodically wonder about these things. The
answer to all of these questions, and many more, is one thing: to glorify God.
GLORIFY YE THE LORD
The Holy Scriptures clearly
teach that there is no other purpose for all of creation other than to glorify God the Father. But, what is glory, and what does it
mean to glorify God? In verse 36 of our subject verses, the word “glory” is translated from the Greek word ”doxa,”which means dignity,
glory, glorious, praise, or worship. Glory is considered by scholars to be the manifestations of God's divine attributes and perfections,
His holiness, and His honorable state and character. In simple terms, glory could also be considered the magnificence of God with
regard to who and what He is.
The psalmists wrote, ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him;
and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel (Psa 22:23), while God specifically tells us to call upon me in the day of trouble: I will
deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me (Psa 50:15). Scriptures tell us that God's name is glorified when the nations worship Him
(Psa 86:9), and when humans praise the Lord God, they glorify His name forever (Psa 86:12). The prophet Isaiah instructs us to glorify
ye the Lord (Isa 24:15), as well as Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee (Isa
25:3). Christ instructed His disciples to let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven (Mat 5:16). Jesus lived to please and glorify His heavenly Father: Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus
said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself,
and shall straightway glorify him (John 13:31-32). Christ later added, These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven,
and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (John 17:1-5). Jesus
prayed to His heavenly Father, Father, glorify thy name (John 12:28), and God the Father answered from Heaven I have both glorified
it, and will glorify it again (John 12:28). Christ told His disciples Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be my disciples (John 15:8), and instructed Philip and other disciples about the Holy Spirit: howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth,
is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and
he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you (John 16:13-14). Just
before His own crucifixion and death, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that
thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast
given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified
thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self withthe glory which I had with thee before the world was (John 17:1-5). Jesus also specifically told Simon Peter that His death would
glorify God (John 21:19). Paul wrote believers in Rome, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not
to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but,
as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written
for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation
grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God (Rom 15:1-7).
Scriptures instruct believers to glorify God in our body and spirit, which belong to God (1 Cor 6:20), and that our good works seen
by others glorify God (2 Pet 2:12). The apostle Peter also teaches that Christians suffering with the proper attitude glorifies God:if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1 Pet 4:16). Regarding gifts and
ministry, the apostle Peter teaches, As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the
ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever (1 Pet 4:10-11). John expresses his reverence for God the Father: who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for
thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest (Rev 15:4).
FOR THE
GLORY OF GOD
David knew The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork (Psa 19:1), and instructs
us to give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength (Psa 29:1). Believers are to declare his glory among
the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations (1 Chron 16:24) and sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious (Psa
66:2). Referring to the physical advent of Jesus Christ on earth, John wrote, and the Word [gospel message] was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14), while Paul
taught that For of him, and through him, and to him were all things created for His glory (Rom 11:36). Jesus, Himself, taught that
there are some circumstances involving sickness and death in which God can and will bring Himself glory: When Jesus heard that, he
said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby (John 11:4). Christ
receiving His own disciples, as well as believers accepting other believers, also brings glory to God (Rom 15:7). The apostle Paul
wrote believers in Corinth: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass [without full perception and understanding] the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:18). Scriptures also
tell us that the face of Jesus Christ reveals the glory of God (2 Cor 4:6), while Paul taught that the abundant grace [of God] might
through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God (2 Cor 4:15). Paul encouraged the Philippian believers, And this I pray,
that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that
ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God (Phil 1:9-11). Paul taught that a refusal to glorify God with thankfulness is one of the reasons
for lust, especially the sin of homosexuality: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and
creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies
between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another;
men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet (Rom 1:21-27).
When God acts on man's behalf, and is not given the glory which He deserves, God is sorely disappointed (Luke 17:12-18). Jesus Christ
is described in scriptures not only as the express image of God's person, but also as the brightness of God's glory (Heb 1:3). A biblical
teaching that refutes the heresy of the health, wealth, and prosperity doctrines is the idea that God can even use sickness for his
glory, as Jesus Himself explained: When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that
the Son of God might be glorified thereby (John 11:4). Christ clearly is the revelatory brightness of God's glory: God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:1-3).
I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY
Man works so hard at ignoring, even rejecting,
his one true and primary calling in life, to glorify God the Father, and the results are devastating. Just look around at the fruit
of man, the sin, struggles, pollution, corruption, wars, destruction, wasted lives, the evil, crime, the mental and physical illness.
All of this bad fruit is the result of man's rejection of, and refusal to glorify, God. Holy Scriptures make it clear that everything
in creation has been brought into existence by God for His glory, particularly the believer in Christ. The prophet Isaiah teaches,even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him (Isa 43:7),
while Paul wrote believers in Colossae, and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all [everything in this life] in the name [and glory]of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him (Col 3:17). Paul also wrote believers in Corinth, Whether therefore
ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31), and the Psalms instruct us, Give unto the LORD, O
ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering,
and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth (Psa 96:7-9). We are also instructed:Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before
your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness (Jer
13:15-16). We are also instructed: Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the LORD,
ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering,
and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (1 Chron 16:27-29). Additionally, God is a jealous God, and will not
allow His praise and glory to be shared with men or idols (Isa 42:8), and warns, If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to
heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea,
I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart (Mal 2:2). In his revelation, the apostle clarifies for us, Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created(Rev 4:11). John even saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven who was saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters (Rev 14:6-7).
All of creation, including man, was and is designed to give God the glory, power, strength, fear, honor, pleasure, gladness, and praise
due His name. Honoring, praising, and glorifying God the Father brings the Father great joy, and brings the believer deep satisfaction
and peace. Giving God glory is what every man and woman, every aspect of creation, was created and designed for, is what God the Father
intended; all is right in heaven and on earth when God is glorified. Men most often believe that earning significant amounts of money,
gaining political office, getting married, having children, being promoted, building a cabin in the woods, going on vacation, building
a large house, or having an expensive car is what provides the deepest joy and satisfaction. Not so. The deepest joy and peace comes
from fulfilling the reason for which you were created, to give glory and honor to your Heavenly Father. Paul simply explains this
best: everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! AMEN.