"Glory to God in the highest...." (Right?)

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.” (Lk. 2:14)

“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God…” (1 Cor.10:31)

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” (Ps.115:1)

“We do not preach [present, promote] ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord…” (2 Cor.4:5)


“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

These Scriptural (or Scripture-based) statements are the essence, shape and structure of all true and God-pleasing Christianity (all Christian worship, proclamation, witness, work, ministry, mission, etc.)

And the order, the priority, is crucial: first comes the glory of God, from which flows salvation’s peace and joy for those who belong to him by faith. However, if you omit the glory of God, or even seek to reverse the order, then it all comes to nothing. Lose the priority of, and the focus on, glorifying God, and you have lost any possibility of bringing His salvation, peace and joy to men.

The glory of God is his attributes on display – to glorify him means to focus on Him (His attributes, works and ways) and then to respond in the doxology (praise) and devotion (practice of godliness) that accords with this manifested glory.

God must reveal himself and his glory if they are to be known and encountered by us. He does so in creation, and (perfectly) in His personal Word (His Son) and His inscripturated, inerrant Word (which comes by His Spirit).

To glorify God means to magnify Him, to make much of Him – always sticking to His own revelatory Word in Scripture since that is how He has chosen to now make Himself known.

Is the evangelical church truly committed to this absolutely fundamental principle – a commitment that consistently shows itself in the actual programmatic choices that are made for ministry, worship, witness and mission?

Will we make much of Christ – His glorious person and saving work – in what we do as church this Christmas? Will our events and programs and services focus on Him, tell His Story, proclaim Him and the Good News about His saving work through His incarnation, proclamation, His atoning death and victorious resurrection?

If we are not focusing on God, proclaiming Him, making much of Him to others, we are not glorifying Him. And if we are not glorifying Him – whatever else we may be doing, attaching His name to our activity – we are sinning.