What does a phrase like Phil. 1:11 mean: “to the glory and praise of God.” Similarly, what does the beginning of the Westminster Shorter Catechism mean: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” It means, whether you like it or not, know it or not, understand it or not, you were made for the glory of God.
Now, what does that actually mean?
In Phil. 1:3-11 Paul says he has joy thinking of the Philippian church. “3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” Why does he have joy? Not because of them, ultimately, but because of God’s work for them and in them: “5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now….for you are all partakers with me of grace…” He has joy looking at them because he sees that God has brought them to faith in Jesus, is sustaining their faith, is sanctifying them, and will bring them home one day. “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul’s joy is ultimately in God.
The reason your life can be such a roller coaster of joy and depression, highs and lows, is because we naturally/sinfully find our joy in creation over Creator; we think we are made to glorify and enjoy ourselves. We think we will be secured in joy if we have better friends, get that boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, make the cut for the team, get the job, if our parents reunite, etc. But the Bible says that ultimately joy is found in the glory of God.
When we know we are made for God and His glory, to find ultimate joy, identity, and security in God, we can go love people rather than use them for our benefit. “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness…” When secured in joy looking at God’s glory, we can celebrate when someone else finally makes a good friend, makes the cut, has their parents reunited, gets the job, or is great at something.
Paul’s joy is in seeing that our entire salvation, from our faith to our growth to our glorification to come, is all through Jesus Christ. God is at work in your life only through and because Jesus has purchased this for you. Jesus lived, died, and rose to bring you home to God; to know God and have God at work in you. This is why he says it is all to the glory and praise of God. “…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” You are made to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
We could say it like the Heidelberg Catechism: “What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”
This means we can have unshakable joy in the midst of sheer chaos. When you have no friends, you can still have joy, because you belong to Jesus. When you don’t make the cut, your parents split, you get dumped, and you aren’t great at anything, you can have joy because you belong to Jesus, because you were not made for those things. Joy doesn’t work that way. Joy comes in knowing and living out that you are made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Phil. 1:1-11 - Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
