To the Glory of God

We cannot add to the glory of God, which is perfect; yet the Scriptures maintain that in some mysterious way the created order (Ps 19:1; 72:19), the course of history (Isa 66:18), and above all the church of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:21) are all intended to reflect and manifest and display his glory. As John Piper puts it: “The manifestation of the glory of God is the meaning of the universe.” God’s glory is the ultimate goal of every breath we take, everything we are allowed to do—and should, for us as believers, be our ultimate motivation in all our endeavors (“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” [1 Cor 10:31]). We must consciously keep this goal before us and seek to submit all our activities (personal, relational, vocational, spiritual) to that overarching design, in order to bring to our lives value, meaning, and a divine orientation and significance, even in our most mundane involvements.    If this is true through all of life, it is, if anything, even more important to have this perspective as we undertake the work of the church. Human theories, techniques, ideas, systems, tastes, and structures must all be submitted to a compelling and overriding passion for the glory of God. —Ron Man, “Principle 1: To the Glory of God,” in Let us Draw Near: Biblical Foundations of Worship, 439–40