Soli Deo Gloria
What comes to your mind when you think of the glory of God? His great works? His excellencies and perfections? His revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ? Certainly, God’s glory is displayed in these ways. But that is not all that the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God.
The Old Testament word for “glory” comes from the Hebrew word for weight, or heaviness. The idea behind it suggests substance and importance. For example, when Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, he instructed them, “So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” In other words, he wanted his greatness, his privileged position and exalted status and power, to be reported to Jacob.
In the New Testament, the word “glory” conveys the same idea. A man’s glory is his good reputation. It is that about him which is praiseworthy. Jesus uses the word this way in Matthew 6:2, “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” These people made a production of their giving so that the greatness of their generosity would be observed by many people.
So when the Bible speaks of the glory of God it is referring to His worth and honor and greatness. Or, when this word is used of God, we could say that His majesty or supremacy is in view.
All of creation has as its goal and purpose the glory of God. He created everything for His own glory. Everything that exists has its existence from God and for God. Romans 11:36 says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
John Calvin was correct when he said that creation is the theater of God’s glory. Because this is true, we exist for the glory of God. And just as the inanimate creation has been called to glorify God, so have we. The inanimate creation and the lower animate creatures, bring glory to God simply by being what God created them to be. As Psalm 19:1 teaches, by virtue of their mere existence the heavens declare the glory of God.
But how do we who are His image-bearers glorify Him? Do we fulfill our responsibility to glorify God simply by staying alive? No. People are called to glorify God actively and intentionally.
What is involved in this? What does it mean for us to glorify God? In what activities can we engage to glorify God? Bring this question up to your Life Groups next week. “What kinds of things can we do to glorify God?”
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