Living for the Glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Why do you do what you do? Paul challenges us today to do everything to the glory of God – whether we eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Why?

First, we ought to do all to the glory, honor, and praise of God because God is our Creator. We owe our very existence to Him: our ability to speak, to think, to move, to breathe, to dream, to joy, to sorrow, to reflect – all comes as gifts from His hand, the God who fashioned and molded us in His image and gave us this world in which to live. Therefore, we ought to glorify Him.

Second, we ought to do all to the glory, honor, and praise of God because He is our Preserver. He holds us together and prevents the universe from collapsing all-together. The components of the atom that would split apart left to their own devices are by Him held together in harmony supporting life. He causes the grass to grow, he enables the birds to fly, he gives food to the beasts of the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man. The Lord does all these things; therefore, we ought to glorify Him.

Third, we ought to do all to the glory, honor, and praise of God because God is our Redeemer. Though we rebelled against Him and brought all creation into decay and corruption and separated ourselves from Him, He pursued us. He sought out the lost sheep; he swept the house looking for the lost coin. He called our father Abraham and in Abraham promised that He would bless all the nations of the earth. He called our father Jacob and changed his name to Israel, promising that through him He would bless all the nations of the earth. He called David and anointed him king and promised that He would raise up one of his children to rule and reign forever over all the nations of the earth. These promises God has fulfilled in Christ – He sent Him to bless all the nations of the earth, all the families of the earth by ruling over us and delivering us from our enemies – both earthly and heavenly.

So why ought we to do all we do to the glory of God? Because He is worthy to receive glory. He created us, not we ourselves; He preserves us, not we ourselves; He saves us, not we ourselves. Therefore, whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, let us do all to the glory of God.

But rather than live for the glory of God, we frequently do what we do for other reasons. We live for ourselves; we live for other gods; we get distracted by the gifts and miss the Giver. Reminded of our sinful tendency, let us kneel and confess our sin to God.