Shorter Conversations: Question 1
To read the heart behind this series, click here! Essentially, it is exposition for you, and then a way to talk about the WSC with your family!
Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
Perhaps the first thing to be clarified is the meaning of the word chief. I remember hearing Pastor Harry Reeder comment that the chief end is not the only end. That is, humans were created to do many different things, for many different reasons, but the chief end is the main purpose we are made for, and that is to glorify God and enjoy him!
As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10.31, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
We have many responsibilities - you might be a husband, a father, a wife, a mother, a son, a daughter, an employee, a boss, a friend, an athlete, a musician, a teacher, a preacher, and the list could go on and on! However, the end to those things is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
While it might go without saying, there is one God, and the implication is that our chief end cannot be to enjoy the other god that usually competes for God’s attention - ourselves. My chief end is not to glorify myself and enjoy myself. These affections go to the God alone.
Before answering the question of how to glorify and enjoy him, it is worth asking why we are to glorify and enjoy Him?
"You were bought with a price. So glorify God with your whole body." ~ 1 Corinthians 6:20,
"All the nations who You have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and will glorify your name." ~ Psalm 86:9
"Your people also will be righteous… that I may be glorified" ~ Isaiah 60:21
Interestingly, the your in this passage is Zion! The city of God. The people of God.
"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Him be glory forever. Amen" ~ Romans 11:36
So why do we glorify God? Because we belong to Him, and our praise belongs to Him. All the earth belongs to Him. "The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it!" Psalm 24.1
We glorify God because He deserves to be glorified and because we were made to glorify Him.
But what does it mean to glorify Him? To enjoy Him?
To glorify God is not to add to Him glory - you can't add to God!
Rather, it is to attribute to God the Glory that He has, His splendor, His respect, the honor which is due to Him. Thomas Boston notes that glorifying God is honoring Him in your heart, with the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and living holy lives - remember, you reflect Him as you are made in His image! See 1 Cor. 16:20, Psalm 50:23; and Matthew 5:16.
And what about enjoying Him?
To glorify Him is deeply connected to enjoying Him. Because when we operate with the right frame of mind, with the right motives, and do the right things the right way, when we worship God, we not only Glorify Him, we enjoy Him. It's why musicians who perform for His glory get to enjoy the music rightly. It's why scientists who study creation can glorify God in His creative genius, and enjoy the beauty of creation. But beyond that, you will never be happy with any god other than God because counterfeits are never satisfied, and can do nothing for you (Psalm 115).
"So, rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4) And start today, because forever isn't just tomorrow, it's today, tomorrow, and every day.
Kid's Corner (The “answers” are our kids’ answers! I’m sure your kids will have excellent answers of their own!)
Q: What are some things God made you to do?
A: God made me to dance. God made me to climb. God made me to do science!
Q: What are some things God made mommy and daddy to do?
A: God made mommy to take care of us. God made daddy to wrestle with us.
Q: Are those the only things we can do?
We can do a lot of things, but God said the main thing we were made to do is to praise His wonderful name and to enjoy Him always!
Q: Do you think you can praise God in how you dance? Climb? Do Science?
Q: Do you enjoy those things?
Q: What did God make?
A: All things.
Q: So did God make dancing? Climbing? Science?
If we glorify God in everything we do, we can also enjoy God in everything we do. So, whatever we do, for whatever reason we do it, we have to remember that the main reason we do anything is to glorify God and to enjoy Him!
