Isn’t that the question? I’m sure perhaps once in your life, you have faced this question.
Whether people agree or not, many people are seeking purpose and identity horizontally such as their wife, from a job, from achievement, from health, or wealth which the cycle continues on over and over again.
No wonder there are so many people who are depressed, are anxious, are fearful or afraid of living in this world.
In the West-minister Catechism written in 1646 answers this very question,
Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
We will expand this from the beginning as we seek to understand the attribute of God and the nature of man in the book of Genesis.
Worship in light of The Doctrine of IMAGO DEI
We are created in the “image of God.”
“So, God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27).
Historically, there have been a different interpretation of the Image of God;
- Thomas Aquinas: focused on man’s intellect.
- John Calvin: on the soul of the mind and heart.
- Saint Augustine: on the mental capacities of the will.
- Dominion and Stewardship: the exercise of dominion over creation.
The trinitarian model which he believed mirrored the triune nature of God. This characterized the being of God himself with all the Trinity of all eternity.
A preacher once said, “Long before the ruffled of angels wings, before the hush of eternity, from all of eternity, the being of God was marked by indescribable, ineffable peace. Father, son, and Holy spirit in triune glory have been characterized from all eternity by peace!”
We are NOT God but created to be like Him and reflect what He is like.
Therefore, the Imago Dei, Latin for “image of God,” is crucial for our understanding of who we are as the direct creation of God.
As God’s image bearers, the purpose man was designed to worship God. When we have failed to understand the crystal clear understanding of the purpose of man, people will turn to something else and worship subjective material things.
Worship with True Eternal Biblical Restoration through Christ
The glory displays even more powerful is found the one who has redeemed it all.
The true everlasting perfect image bearer, Jesus Christ the Son of God is the reason for ultimate worship.
True biblical worship frees us from the craving of acceptance from others. The incomprehensible glorious God who is unchanging, unshakeable, an ever-present help in time of need is for us and not against us (Mark 9:38-41).
The God who made you and I is the same God who grants true identity as worshippers of God.
“And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more. (2 Cor. 3:18)
God, has sent His perfect image, Jesus Christ, to restore God’s image in us as we accept Him as our Savior and Lord.
He restores what was originally broken, and brings us back into a perfect relationship.
“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” (1 Pet. 1:12).
Worship is Only Possible by His Grace Alone
God is all that He is for me by grace alone.
That grace and the gospel sounds too good to be true huh? God freely offers His grace through His Sons’ death made available on the cross, not by us doing some deeds.
As Paul reminds the Corinthians believers of what makes the difference between the kingdom of this world and kingdom of God is the gospel: that Jesus Christ God’s Son came, died, and rose again from the dead as the scripture has promised (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
Yes, grace always does sound too good to be true. We are able to come in worship before God by grace or we won’t come to him at all. God’s love does not flow from our love for Him. Our love for God flows from God’s love for you.
Being rooted and grounded in that grace leads to exaltation of God because of His unfailing faithfulness. There is much greater joy in giving praise rather than soaking me-centered preference.
Grace enables sinners to look beyond the self and look unto Christ who has accomplished the finished work on the cross.
Refusing to come to God by grace or seeking to know him apart from the Bible moves us away from God.
True worship turns mere words into works, a duty into delight, an obligation into a celebration!