TO GLORIFY

GOD 

IS THE PURPOSE

OF MAN

Isa. 43:7 "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made"

Introduction:

1. I would like to take this verse as a REVELATION OF THE PRINCIPLE that has application in the case of every individual life.  The whole burden of this verse is expressed in the briefest word, MAN IS CREATED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.  

a. I remember the words of the prophet against the King of Babylon...”The God in whose hand thy breath is, hast thou not glorified.”

b. Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

2. A right understanding of the purpose of human life will give us the true standard by which to measure our lives. [our problem is that we perpetually measure ourselves by wrong standards].  

a. When I think of the “right standard” I am reminded of Dr. Jowett who was asked by a rather sophisticated lady, “what do you really think of God?”  His answer came quick and sharp:  “Madam, it matters nothing what I think of God; it matters everything what God thinks of me.”    

3. Two lines of study will be:

a. First, man a creation of God.

b. Secondly, man a creation of God, for Himself, and for His glory.

MAN A CREATION OF GOD:

A. Three words are employed to describe that creation:

1. “I have created”

2. “I have formed”

3. “I have made”

B. Comments on the three words.

1. “I have created”

a. This is an all inclusive word, which indicates actual causing to be, by the God of omnipotent power and wisdom. It is the original act of causing to be.    

b. In Gen. the word “created’ appears in Gen 1 only three times....the word translated “made” occurs over and over again.  

c. Note: The word “created” is used only when there was evidently an entirely new beginning, a new departure.

2. “I have formed”

a. This word indicates a PROCESS.  It is a word which is perpetually used of the potter at his work at the wheel.  The idea is that of manipulating of things already in existence...a thing is made to be.  

3. “I have made”

a. This word indicates the OUTLOOK or the RESULT...”I have made” or “I have accomplished” or “I have finished.”

C. Conclusion:

1. It is not without significance that the prophet picks up these three words when he spoke of what God does in the case of man.  

a. “I have created him”   [THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS THAT OF GOD]

b. “I have formed him” [all the mysterious and hidden elements which interest us so much, yet puzzle us.]

c. “I have made him” [when at last man stands upon the earth the completed being produced by God.]

1. Man in all his complex nature is a THOUGHT OF GOD, a WORK OF GOD.  

2. Actually, all the culture  you see exhibited in every age is the outward expression of powers given to man when God created him.

3. I see man expressed in architecture, sculpture, in art, poetry, in philosophy.....BUT ALL OF THESE where in the mind of God in the beginning.

2. I might also mention that “every man is a Divine Creation."

a. Explain:  I have heard it said, “God made Abraham Lincoln and then broke the mold.”  The suggestion is that God makes some people more remarkable than others, then breaks the mold and there is no repetition.  Let me state clearly GOD BREAKS THE MOLD AFTER HE HAS MADE EVERY MAN. EVERY MAN IS A LONELY INDIVIDUALITY, A SPECIAL THOUGHT OF GOD...INCARNATE.   

3. I might also mention that “every man is a Divine Expression.”

a. We are all made “in the image of God.”

1. Perfect personality can only be postulated of God Himself and that personality is limited in man.  Force, mind, heart, will.  {these are all shadows of the things that constitute the personality of Deity} 

2. Man is a “kin of God”” in His image”, made with His likeness....we are an outworking into visibility of the essential facts concerning God Himself. 

4. Because of this:  Man is the ONE LINK between the MATERIAL and the SPIRITUAL.  

a. I look at the world and I see life everywhere in creation, but it never becomes SPIRITUAL UNTIL I SEE IT IN MAN.  [there is never a recognition of the INFINITE and the ETERNAL until I come to man.]

b. let me illustrate:  John 1:4 declares of Him...”in Him was life and that life was the light of men.”  [You can say of every blade of grass  “in Him was life”....you can say the same for a daisy, of every bird in the air, but you cannot say of these things.... “the life was the Light”, UNTIL YOU COME TO MAN]   ONLY IN MAN DOES EARTH HAVE CONTACT WITH HEAVEN.

FOR WHAT IS MAN THUS CREATED?    ”for my glory.”

1. Question: what is the real meaning of this phrase? of all that which lies between the birth and death.

a. Some think:  amassing of wealth, acquiring  knowledge, following after worldly pleasure, is their reason for being here.  [we all know this is wrong....it cannot be that man divinely created, has AS HIS PURPOSE THINGS AS THESE MENTIONED.  

b. Is it the salvation of his soul? No, but this enables a man to start fulfilling the purpose of His being  here.  

2. What is the real meaning?  What is the real meaning of this marvelous life of mine, this creation of God, this expression of God, this link  between the material and the spiritual?

a. Man is created first for the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

b. Man is created secondly for COMMUNION WITH GOD.  

c. Man is Created finally for the REVELATION OF GOD.

3. Let us develop these three:

1. MAN IS CREATED FIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.  

a. There is given to man a consciousness of God which no other being has.  

 Man can know God, although he cannot know Him absolutely and perfectly,  just as a man cannot encompass in his thinking eternity.  We know that no dog thinks of eternity...no lower form of life thinks of infinite space...but MAN IS MADE TO KNOW GOD.  

b. lesson: thus the first way in which man glorifies God is by coming to Him in Christ.  “That they should know thee, the only true God and Him whom thou didst send.”

2. Man is also made for FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

a. Communion with God.  Every man is born initially with a desire and a capacity to listen to the voice of God.  I sought communion, fellowship with God as a little boy.  

3. Man is also made for COOPERATION with God.  

a. The first man was to go and dig this garden and keep it.  The first man was a partner with God.  COOPERATION WITH GOD IS THE LAW OF HUMAN LIFE...

b. Notice how Jesus glorified God...”my Father worketh hitherto and I work.”  [co-operation with God in His case was Redemption and Renewal].  

c. I AM HERE AS A BELIEVER TO REVEAL HIM TO THE WORLD....I AM ALL THAT HE HAS TO THE WORLD....ALL THE WORLD WILL EVER SEE OF GOD IS WHAT THEY SEE IN THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED  HIS SON AS SAVIOR AND LORD. 

4. Conclusion:

1.  Any person who is living for any lower thing than to GLORIFY GOD IS PROSTITUTING their God given powers.   It is the prostitution of human life to live for anything lower than the glory of God.  Question: How are you taking these hours, these days, these powers, this thought, this mind, this spirit AND USING THEM?

2. Listen to what He will do....one of the words we used was FORMED...the word which indicates the activity of the potter....The vessel that the potter formed is marred, spoiled, ruined in the hand of the potter but HE WILL MAKE IT AGAIN ANOTHER VESSEL.  [ this is a PROMISE]  Will you today recognize Him as Savior and Lord and Sovereign?....or as the verse says, “I am Jehovah and beside Me there is no Savior.”