Everything for the glory of God - Pastor Karim

From the beginning, humanity was created to live in communion with God, to reflect His character, to walk in obedience before Him, and to declare His glory throughout the earth.

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Pastor Karim

Transcript

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Welcome to this new episode of the Gospel for the Nations podcast. This podcast has been brought to you by Pastor Kareem. Our desire is to open the Word of God with you and to speak in a way that is clear, simple, and full of grace. Wherever you are listening from, we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch your heart through his word, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

So today we are going to see another topic, which is a good reminder for most of the believers, but also for the non-believers. Not yet grounded and rooted in what God wants us to do. So the title of the message today is everything for the glory of God. Amen. So the main passage will be in 1 Corinthians, it's just one verse, but then of course we will expand this verse as usual. So the greatest purpose of humanity is not first to pursue success, recognition, pleasure, or personal fulfillment, but to glorify the living God who created all things by his power and according to his perfect will. From the beginning, humanity was created to live in communion with God, to reflect his character, to walk in obedience before him, and to declare his glory throughout the earth. This was the plan from the beginning. So creation itself reveals his majesty and power. The heavens testify of his greatness. And the earth display the work of his hands. And all things exist because he willed them into existence. It is his own design. Yet sin entered the world through the rebellion of humanity. Man instead of glorifying God began to seek his own glory. And humanity desired independence from God, wisdom apart from God, and a life centered upon self rather than upon the creator. So this separation corrupted the human heart. Instead of worshiping God, humanity became enslaved to pride, immorality, idolatry, selfish ambition, and rebellion against the holy God and his holy will. In his mercy, God did not leave humanity without hope. Through Jesus Christ, God revealed his glory perfectly and made a way of reconciliation for sinners. Through his death, his resurrection, those who believe in him are forgiven, justified, reconciled to the Father, and called no longer to live for themselves, but for the glory of God. This is the very heart of the Christian life. And it is exactly this issue that the Apostle Paul addresses in his letter to the Church of Corinth. The Church of Corinth was surrounded by a pagan culture filled with idolatry, immorality, divisions, pride, and spiritual immaturity. Even within the assembly, believers were struggling with selfishness, spiritual arrogance, disorder, and misuse of Christian liberty. I am free. And in the middle of these practical and spiritual problems, Paul begins, brings them back to one central principle that governs the entire Christian life. So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things, do all to the glory of God. All do eat, drink, say, think. The question before us today is therefore deeply important. Are we truly living for the glory of God? Are we still living for ourselves? Amen. So before arriving to this verse, Paul is addressing a practical issue concerning food sacrificed to idols. Some believers understood that idols had no true existence and therefore believed that they had complete freedom to eat anything. In one sense, their understanding was correct. Yes, they could. But the problem was not merely about food, it was about the condition of the heart and the misuse of liberty. Some were using their freedom without love for weaker believers. Their knowledge had become disconnected from humility, holiness, and care for the body of Christ. So Paul therefore reminds them that the Christian life is not governed merely by personal rights, preferences or desires, but by the glory of God and by the love for others. This is why Paul mentions ordinary things such as eating and drinking. Even the smallest and most common actions of daily life are to be submitted to the glory of God. Christianity is not limited to church gatherings or visible ministry. I would say God is everywhere, right? Our words, attitudes, relationships, private life, conduct, reactions during suffering. This is a good one. Service within the church and daily decisions all reveal whether we are living for the glory of God or for ourselves. But understanding what it means to live for the glory of God, because we have to understand, we must first understand what the glory of God truly is. What is the glory of God? In the Old Testament, the word often translated as glory is in Hebrew word kadob, kabod, which carries the idea of weight, greatness, honor, majesty, and importance, a greater importance, a higher thing. It was used to describe the greatness and the splendor of kings, riches and power, but above all the overwhelming majesty and holiness of God Himself. Sometimes the glory of God was revealed visibly, yes, through the cloud, in the wilderness, through fire, light, or the filling of the temple with his presence. He was revealing himself. So these manifestations reveal the greatness, the holiness, and the authority of the living God before man. A higher being that we cannot control. But in the New Testament, the Greek word is doxa, speaks of honor, praise, splendor, and majesty. It describes the radiance and the perfection of God revealed before humanity. But the glory of God is not merely a visible light or external manifestation. The glory of God is the revelation of who He is. His holiness, righteousness, justice, power, wisdom, mercy, truth, and love. The Bible teaches that all creation exists to reveal this glory. The Psalmist declares, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. And again, Scripture says, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. But also the prophet Isaiah proclaims, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together. Amen. Throughout Scripture, God reveals his glory before humanity. Through the visions of Ezekiel, to the glory surrounding the birth of Christ, through his revelation to Stephen, and through the light of the gospel revealed in Jesus Christ Himself. God is revealing Himself even today. Creation testifies to the majesty, wisdom, power, and holiness of the Creator. All creation is from God. Do you remember when I did a preaching about do we create something? No. We don't create raw material, only God creates raw material. Human beings are assembling, coordinating things, putting things together, but we don't create anything. Only God creates. But God did not merely create all things to display his glory. He also created all things to respond to his glory in worship, obedience, and reverence. This is the response that we have as children of God. Scripture commands: ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Again, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. And the prophet Jeremiah declares, give glory to the Lord your God. Is he your God? Amen. This means that glorifying God is not optional for humanity. It is the very purpose which we were created. This is the good news. We were created to glorify God. It is not optional. So the seriousness of sin is therefore this. Humanity seeks to rob God of the glory that belongs to him and places self at the center instead of the creator. I take the glory. I do this, I do that. No, God does all. Yet through Jesus Christ, God reconciles sinners to himself so that they may once again live for his glory. Yes, live for his glory. And the greatest revelation of this glory is found in Jesus Christ Himself. The apostle Paul writes that God has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. In the face of Jesus Christ. I will read it again because this is important. So let me read again the verse. 2 Corinthians 4.6 says, in our heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the face of the glory of God. Is God manifested in flesh? Christ is the perfect image of the invisible God. In him, the holiness, mercy, righteousness, love, truth, and wisdom of God are perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. He came to reveal God. Because Jesus is truly man and truly God. He is a perfect human and a perfect God. The glory of God is seen in the humility of Christ, in his obedience, in his compassion towards sinners. And supremely in the cross and resurrection. The cross did not appear glorious according to the human wisdom. It appeared weak. The cross was the worst for a human being. Shameful, humiliating before man. Yet there, the justice and the mercy of God met perfectly together, so that sinners might be redeemed through the blood of his son. So the church exists for the glory of God. The church at Corinth was founded by the Apostle Paul during his second missionary journey around 50 AD. Corinth was a wealthy and influential port city, filled with many cultures, philosophies, pagan religions, immorality and idolatry. The city was especially known for its corruption and for the worship connected to the temple of Aphrodite. It sounds like Kosamui, right? And although the believers actually received the gospel, many were still struggling spiritually and thinking according to worldly wisdom rather than according to the mind of Christ. And I would say the heart of Christ through the Holy Spirit. So division. Had entered the assembly. Some believers probably identify themselves with certain leaders instead of remaining united in Christ. Sexual immorality had entered the church in ways that even the pagans condemned. Believers were bringing one another before worldly courts instead of resolving matters with humility and wisdom within the body of Christ. There was disorder within the assembly, including during the Lord's Supper. And many who consider themselves spiritual became focused on spiritual gifts, knowledge, recognition, then upon love, humility, and edification of the church. Their condition revealed something serious. Something serious. They were no longer living primarily for the glory of God. But were allowing pride, self-ambition, worldly thinking, and spiritual immaturity to influence the life of the church. Yes, evil can influence the life of the church. But the church doesn't belong to man. The church belongs to Christ. It is his church. And it is the Holy Spirit who built his church. Scripture commands believers, you are not your own. For you were brought with a price. So glorious, so glorifying God in your body. Do we remember that we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ? And that we don't belong to ourselves anymore? Do we? The church exists to glorify God together with one voice, one spirit, one faith, one God, one baptism, etc., etc. And one head, which is Christ. Paul writes elsewhere, then together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father, our Lord Jesus Christ. One voice, one vision, one direction. Even suffering for Christ becomes an opportunity to glorify him. The apostle Peter said, If yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in the name. And with this example before us, we must also examine ourselves. Do our attitudes, our words, our conduct, our worship, and our relationships truly glorify God? I include myself first. Or are we sometimes still seeking our own glory instead of his? It is a genuine question. The Christian life is therefore not centered upon self-expression, personal recognition or worldly wisdom, but upon reflecting the character of God, holiness and humility, and glory of Jesus Christ before the world as good testimonies of faith, as ambassador of Christ. Amen. But God glorifies Himself even through human evil. Yes? It is a fact. One of the deepest realities revealed in Scripture is that even the sinful actions of men remain under the sovereign authority of God. Yes? Yes. But this is important, this doesn't mean that God is the author of sin. You see? For God is perfectly holy and righteous. But yet nothing happens outside his authority. And even rebellion cannot escape his sovereign purposes. Jesus told Judas concerning his betrayal, what are you going to do? Do quickly. In you. The crucifixion itself, the greatest act of injustice, even committed by humanity, was still under the sovereign reign of God. Yes. God needed sinful persons with a hard heart to accomplish his plan. The apostle Peter publicly declared in Jerusalem during his first sermon at Pentecost concerning Christ. This Jesus delivered up according to the divine plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. Yes. It's a fact. Again in Act 4, believers proclaimed Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel gathered together against Christ to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. Yes, it was predestined by God. Everything was in God's hand. Human intentions were evil. Yes. Yet God accomplished redemption through those very acts. We also see this throughout all scripture. Joseph's brothers acted wickedly against him. But yet God used it to preserve many lives from famine. Joseph suffered, but God wanted his people not to be starving in famine. God permitted Satan to afflict Job, knowing his integrity of heart, yet only within the limits established by his sovereign authority. Even anger, rebellion, and pride of nations serve the purposes of God. Everything serves God and His plan. This truth does not remove human responsibility, no, but it reveals the absolute sovereignty of God over history. And this gives us hope. And this should strengthen us as believers. God is in control. Even suffering, persecution, injustice, trials, and opposition are never outside the hands of our sovereign God. Yes. What men intend for evil, God is able to use for his glory and for the good of his people. And the greatest proof of this truth is the cross itself. What appeared to be darkness became the revelation of eternal salvation. Yes, because Jesus is the perfect example of a life entirely surrendered to the glory of God. Everything he did was done in complete obedience to the Father. He did not seek his own glory, but the glory of the one who sent him. He humbled himself, took the form of a servant, lived among sinners, endured rejection, suffering, humiliation, and death upon the cross. But yet, even in suffering, Christ glorified the Father perfectly. The cross was not a defeat. So that all who believe in him may receive forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. And now, through union with Christ, we believers are called to walk in the same direction and no living according to ourselves. But for the glory of God. So true sanctification is the progressive work of the Holy Spirit transforming us into the image of Christ. Christ is our target. Some people say, Yeah, but Christ, we cannot reach him. Yes. But you can look at Christ and see him as an example. Of course, he was sinless. He was God. But he came to be a friend, to be a master, to be the one that we have to rely on in our moral values, anything we do in life. So, yes, we cannot attain Christ, but we have to see him as an example. To his perfect stature. And the more Christ increases in us, the more self decreases. Yes? So, what does it mean practically to glorify God? When we glorify God, we walk in obedience to his word. When we glorify God is when we pursue holiness rather than compromise with sin. We glorify God when we forgive others as we have been forgiven through Christ. We glorify God when we remain faithful during suffering and trials. But we also glorify God when we love the brethren sincerely and persevere in the unity of his church. We glorify God when we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ boldly before the world. We glorify God when we humble ourselves in repentance and prayer. We glorify God when Christ becomes greater and we become smaller. The glory of God is not merely a theological concept, it becomes a visible through transformed lives that reflect the character of Jesus. Amen. So to conclude, everything exists for the glory of God. Creation exists for his glory. The church exists for his glory. Salvation exists for his glory. Even suffering and trials are no outside his glory and sovereign purpose. Jesus Christ perfectly glorified the Father in all things. And now those who belong to him are called to reflect his character before the world. We no longer belong to ourselves. We were purchased by the precious blood of Jesus. Therefore, every word, every thought, every action, every relationship, every trial, every action of service, every part of our lives must be surrendered to Him. One day every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To the glory of God the Father. May we therefore live as faithful servants of Christ, seeking not our own glory, but his alone. Amen. What can we learn and apply from this passage? Just four points, just to resume that. God created us for his glory. We are to live for him in all things. Christian life is not centered upon ourselves, but upon honoring God in every area of life. It is a way of life, a new way of life, a new journey in life, newness of life. We entered a new kingdom. When you enter a new country, you try to learn the language, right? We try, I say try. The laws, the rules, the regulations, and you adapt yourself. This is what we have to do. We don't belong to the world anymore. Amen. God must increase, and we must die to ourselves daily. Living for God's glory means rejecting pride, selfish ambition, and the desire for personal recognition. Yes, God must increase in our lives. God calls his church to holiness. We are to walk in obedience before him. Holiness is living separated from sin and reflecting the character of Christ through our conduct and testimony in the church and outside the church. The gospel has to be preached but has to be lived out as well. If we say that we preach Christ, but our life is a mess, we deserve Christ. We don't serve Him. And God remains sovereign over all things. We are to trust Him faithfully. Even through suffering, injustice and trials, God accomplishes His perfect will for His glory and for the good of His people. Yes, love God loves us. He gave His only and begotten Son to save us, to save our souls. Amen. Okay, let's pray. Hallelujah. Heavenly Father, Almighty and Sovereign God, we thank you for your word, for your grace that allows us to know you, worship you, and gather together as your people in this place. Lord, forgive us when we seek our own glory instead of yours. Teach us by your Holy Spirit to die to ourselves daily and to live for your glory in all things. Keep us on the narrow path. Sanctify us through your truth and continue to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Lord, help us to trust you in every circumstance, knowing that you are sovereign, faithful, righteous, and good. To you all alone belong all the glory, honor, praise, and worship forever. And we all pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise God.

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Thank you for listening today. If the Lord used this message to bless you, feel free to share it, so others can also be encouraged and strengthened for the coming days. Keep seeking Him, keep reading His Word, and keep trusting His grace every single day.