Glory To God In The Highest

Thus sang the heavenly hosts in announcing to the shepherds the birth of the Savior -- see Luke 2:14.

It has amazed me recently at some of the discussion concerning the glory of God.

God's glory -- this is IT! This is what it is ALL about. I am teaching my son the old truth, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Or if you wish to get a little more Piper-esque, " to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever."

We are saved for God's glory. We exist for God's glory. C S Lewis says that this is the business of life, bringing glory to God.

I remember in my seminary Church History class, Dr Fred Grissom (the last hold out at SEBTS after the Patterson regime came to town) lecturing about Calvinism and Arminianism. Ol Fred came down this way, that he would rather stand guilty of giving God too much glory and credit for his salvation than not enough. I agree. God does not share His glory; He is a jealous God. "I am the Lord; that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another." Is 42:8

The amazing thing is that when we (by His grace) come to this conclusion, that it is all about Him and His glory, that we really find peace, joy and satisfaction. Jesus said that the person who loses his life will find it. Jesus called those who wanted to be His disciples that they must first deny themselves. We must get to the place of Paul when he wrote, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

It shouldn't be an issue -- that it is all about God's glory. It doesn't seem to an issue in heaven.

"And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.'" -- Revelation 4:9-11


"Not unto us , O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake." Psalm 115:1 May we echo this with our mouth, with our lives, but most importantly with our hearts and minds.

In salvation
In life and in death
In heaven and on earth
"Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen."