A. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever. –Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 10:31; Ps. 73:24-28; John 17:21-23.

The glory of a carnal man is this world, the glory of the Christian is found in his fellowship with God (John 17:21-23). For there he finds that he shares in God’s glory, which Christ has made him a partaker of. Thus, he knows that to advance God’s glory is to further his own inheritance. But also, to be one with God is his chief joy. As such, he regards not the things of this world as his glory, but as blessed gifts which are useful means to: 1) greater enjoyment of God in divine fellowship; 2) glorify his beloved God, and so, increase in joy and inheritance himself. For a formerly fallen man may be regarded as restored in such a way: proper order and purpose have returned unto him, which was lost in Adam.

No carnal man is truly happy, for he wages war against the grain. He seeks his own glory and is left wanting. He finds not true joy, but only heaps wrath upon his head in cosmic rebellion. Each carnal man wanders about this world lost in this way: they do not know where they are going. Some, neigh, many, delude themselves by “inventing” an end, just to have it wash away in the judgment. They find ways to exalt themselves and forget their creator in turn. Some remain confused all their lives, simply to fall into the eternal pit. But the Christian may eat and drink (1 Cor. 10:31), and do all that is lawful to God’s glory, who alone is worthy of our worship, and entire life (Rom. 11:36). For the Christian has all he needs for this life and the next in Christ (Ps. 73:24-28). Thus, he may regard the worship of his Lord as the end of his existence, and all else as means to this end.

Fin.