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Good morning. Today we’ll do the last one of the last solas. That is Soli Deo Gloria or God’s glory alone or glory to God alone. Let’s pray. Father, we thank you for this morning that you have given us, Lord. You have given us, Lord, this privilege to come as your people to gather in your presence.
And we pray, God, that you would bless our time in your word. And we pray, Father, that we may behold your glory and we pray that you will reclaim our hearts once again for your glory, God. Help us see, O God, your true worth, the intrinsic value, Lord, of your glory and may we live for your glory, O God. Give us grace.
In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen. Soli Deo Gloria is a Latin phrase that means God’s glory alone or glory to God alone. And many people assume that the reformers like Calvin or Luther may have coined these terminologies or may have systematized these doctrines. The reality is that they are cataloged as the teachings of reformation much later in the 20th century. But they have spoken about these truths throughout their lives. And the five solas are systematized based on the writings of the reformers.
For example, Luther’s co-worker Philip Melanchthon, he wrote that only by grace do we justify and only by faith we are justified. And they’ve used these phrases, but there was no — they haven’t written down a systematic teaching on these particular topics. David VanDrunen brings a very critical apologetic in his book called God’s Glory Alone: The Majestic Heart of a — of Christian Faith and Life. He points out that while the reformers maintained that scripture alone is the authority for Christian faith and life, Roman Catholics expressed reverence for scripture, but argued that the church’s tradition and the Pope in Rome stand alongside scripture to interpret it infallibly and to enhance its teachings.
And when reformers claimed that justification comes by faith alone, Roman Catholics responded that justification does indeed come by faith, but also through works alongside faith. They had similar debates about grace and Christ. And when the reformers made a statement that the Roman Catholics consistently countered the reformers’ assertions. When the reformers declared that glory belongs solely to God, did Roman Catholics genuinely respond that this glory is shared equally between God and other entities like they did with other aspects of Christian truth?
They must have faced a dilemma here. Even if Rome never outrightly condemned the concept of glory of God alone, as it did with the ideas of Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, they have given glory to other entities by inventing a tradition that is not scriptural.
When we say scriptural, it means it is God-given, right? In 1518, six months after the Reformation Day, a debate took place in Heidelberg. This was called the Heidelberg Disputation. Luther critiqued a then popular view called theology of glory. Many theologians of Luther’s time thought that God could be known by the speculative power of human reason. And Luther critiqued this way of knowing God. And the proponents of the theology of glory said that reason and personal perceptions should be employed to know God and also to increase the knowledge about God.
But whereas Luther advocated a view called the theology of cross. Luther was not against reason, but it is a — but it — but the issue is with the starting point. These two views, the theology of glory and theology of cross, that they have different starting points. And theology of glory had its starting point with human reason and human pursuit. But Luther said that there is no hope in human reason. Luther critiqued this and said human starting point of knowing God should be at the cross, should begin at the cross. He said that there is no hope for humans unless God takes the initiative, reveals himself to us, and strips our pride by
first bringing us to the cross. Because only at the cross, our pride is broken. We see our sin. We see our true problem. Luther said, the clearest revelation of God is not by human contemplation, but when the human reason surrenders to the revelation of God in the scriptures.
We come to know God through the humanly unimaginable way and that way is the way of the cross. God redeems them from sin and provides them with genuine knowledge of himself. To behold the glory of God, we must behold God becoming man, God living like a man who was mocked, ridiculed, beaten and crucified. To gain everlasting beatitude, we must utterly humble ourselves and find refuge only in a cursed cross.
The way to behold the glory of God is through the lowliness of the cross, of Calvary. We begin there. We live there. We continue our entirety of Christian lives at the cross of Jesus Christ. The proponents of the theology of glory said that if we emphasize on God's glory alone, then it seems to demean human beings.
John Calvin, in his zeal to proclaim the supremacy of God's glory, recognized that God manifests his glory through the beauty of his handiwork. Because of the fall man couldn't understand the source and the purpose of his existence, and fallen man fails to recognize that we are the handiwork of God, that we are created by God, we are formed by God. Fallen man cannot grasp the uniqueness of God, that God is distinct from all. The triune God is the creator alone and everything else is his creation.
God is uniquely holy and set apart from all his creation. He is nothing like any of his creation. He exists entirely in a different realm of order and our finite minds cannot comprehend this truth. When fallen men seek glory in the light of God's greater inexhaustible glory, they know not what they are talking about.
God's glory is the manifestation of his distinctiveness. It is his holiness. When the heavenly hosts called to one another in Isaiah chapter 6 verse 3 and said to each other these words, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Now what is earth filled with here? What did God manifest in creating all things? The earth is filled with God's glory. The earth is filled with God's creation. God's creation is the work of God. He manifested his creative ability, which is his glory, and that glory exclusively belongs to God alone. Because he alone can create things. Why is this, why is this glory exclusive to him? Because this glory belongs solely to God, because only God can make, God can create. He is the only Creator and everything else is his creation. We should have the distinction in our minds that of Creator creation distinction. If God's glory it
shines in creation, the original creation, it shines even more in the new creation. It shines even more in Christ is in the work of his redemption. In creation God manifested his glory by creating everything from nothing, right? He said things came into existence, right? But in redemption he it amount it demonstrated more of his glory. Because of sin there is death, there is ruin, there is God's wrath. Man has ruined God's world with sin and rebellion everywhere, and to redeem a people for his glory God sent his son to live righteously in this world and to die for paying the penalty through
his suffering and death, then rising again on the third day for our justification. And we can only be right with God through Christ's atonement, through Christ's finished work. And God's glory in redemption shows his glory. God's glory in redemption shows that, his glory of love. Right? He's, he demonstrated his love, the glory of his love, by sending his only son into this world for a people who do not deserve his love. And not only that, but his justice demands just punishment for the sinner, and by God sending his son into this world God also demonstrated His glory, His glory of mercy.
By letting Jesus die in our place, by letting absorb our wrath, by satisfying God's divine justice, by interposing for us, God demonstrated His glory of mercy. And He demonstrated His glory of justice by punishing Jesus for our sins. God is a just God. He cannot let people go. He cannot freely forgive sinners. If He is a just God, He should bring every sinner to justice.
But God demonstrated His glory of justice by punishing Jesus in our place. And then God shows grace. From the moment He started calling us through the glorious gospel, by regenerating us, by justifying us by faith, forgiving us, sanctifying us, and eventually by glorifying us in Christ Jesus. God keeps on, kept on, keeps on, demonstrating his glory in redemption. In creation, in providence, in redemption, and in glorification, you see the exclusivity of God's glory.
The glory of God is unmatched. So my question, our question should be this. Where is the glory of man in all of this? Where is the glory of man? Man is certainly intelligent, reasonable, creative, and capable of doing many things. Right? But we must not forget that man is created by God, and he is created by God in God's image. So therefore, because he's created by God in God's image, he could demonstrate certain abilities which are natural to man, which are unique to man from when compared to other creation. Therefore man should rightfully give glory to God for all his abilities.
The fallen man is incapable of realizing this. Realizing that he is created by God and he is given certain abilities by creating us in his own image. But we the redeemed should not fall in the trap of our sinful nature. We the redeemed should behold, continue to behold all the days of our lives the glory, the majesty of a great God and bring and give glory to him alone.
We will dwell on a few passages to understand the concept of God’s glory. Number one, we’ll read Ephesians chapter 1. And we’ll read verses 11 till 14. Ephesians chapter 1, verses 11 till 14. Let’s read it together. Ephesians chapter 1, verses 11–14. “And also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his purpose, who works all things after the counsel of his will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of his glory.”
If you look at verse 11, there is this word called “counsel of his will.” God works all things according to the counsel of his will. The counsel of his will is the decrees of God. These decrees of God are God’s eternal purposes made between the three persons of the Trinity.
And they are made between the three persons of the Trinity in the eternity past for the glory of God, for the glory of the triune God. God decreed these things even before time, even before anything came into existence. But he executed whatever he had decreed in the eternity past. He executes them in time.
Beginning with creation. And whatever he works in time, from creation till consummation, is decreed in the eternity past. He decides nothing in time. Here we see that he works. You see, there he says that in verse 11, “who works all things.” All things. Everything that God has worked and will work, he works all things according to the counsel of his will, according to the counsel of his divine will. And whatever he works in time, from creation till consummation, he works according to the counsel of his will, is decreed in the eternity past.
The counsel of his will is a counsel of the triune God. All the decrees of God are the decrees of the triune God. And this is theologically called as also the covenant of redemption. Any covenant is based upon three foundations of Trinity. Number one, God is one. Number two, there are three distinct persons in the Godhead. Number three, those three persons are co-equal and co-eternal. And all the works of the Trinity should be understood within this framework of Trinity. And one of the eternal counsels of God is the — is, this is called as the covenant of redemption. And covenant of redemption is a covenantal agreement that was made in the eternity past among the three persons of the Godhead to redeem a people for his glory. And Soli Deo Gloria depends on this foundation of the eternal counsel of redemption. This is an agreement between
the three equals, the three persons of the Trinity. Though the will of the Father is the will of the triune God, is a divine will, and it is represented by the Father in the work of redemption. And Jesus said in the context of salvation, is speaking in John chapter 10, he — and verse 30, is he said that “I and my Father are one.” I and my Father and are one. He’s talking about work of salvation in John chapter 10, right? And Jesus says that “I and my Father are one” in the work of the salvation. And this is — and and who are
the sheep, who is a shepherd, who would hear the voice in John chapter 10. All this was mutually agreed upon and decreed in the eternity past. So salvation of people is the purpose of the triune God. The eternal Son of God agreed with the Father to become Christ, the Messiah, the Savior. The second person of the Trinity became Christ at one point of time. He became a man at one point of time. He was anointed as Christ, as a Messiah at one point of time. And in the function as Christ, he is submitted to the Father according to the eternal decree of God.
It was voluntarily and mutually agreed upon. So the redemption of a people was the eternal counsel of God. It was mutually agreed. And what was agreed upon? This was not a covenant with the humanity. It was an intra-trinitarian covenant in which the Father chose a people, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4, and Son agreed to redeem them through his blood, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7, the Spirit committed to apply the work of redemption and seal those believers, Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 to 14.
And this is a brief explanation of the phrase in verse 11, “works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Our salvation is according to the counsel of the triune God, according to the counsel of the triune God’s will. This will is carried out by three persons accordingly by each one with respect to their roles in the grand scale of redemption. They have different roles, but one goal.
And look at the covenantal language in Christ's high priestly prayer in John chapter 17. The Lord's prayer in John chapter 17. If you turn your Bibles, look at verse 1. John chapter 17, verse 1. Jesus said, “Father, the hour has come.” In other words, the time has come.
What time? The time has come. And Jesus says, “glorify your son that the son may glorify you.” The time has come now. As if there was a discussion between them or an agreement between them. And Christ's obedience, death, and resurrection are not merely about saving sinners, though that will accomplish, his work will accomplish that, but it's about vindicating God's justice. It's about demonstrating his love, his mercy, his grace. It's about manifesting his glory. The hour has come. Jesus spoke of completing the work of the Father that the Father had given him and the people whom he had given to him. Look at verse four and five. He says, “I glorified you on the
earth, having accomplished the work which you have given me to do.” Now, he says, “now, Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.” Even anything came into, before anything came into existence, Jesus was with the same glory, Father, with the Father. And there was a time where Jesus became a man. That is called as humiliation of Christ, where he stepped down into this world and became a man. The writer of Hebrews also uses different terminologies but conveys the same idea. He conveys the ideas of humiliation and also exaltation. So the covenant of redemption shows that each person of the Trinity takes joy in the glory of the others.
The Father glorifies the Son. The Son glorifies the Father. And the Spirit glorifies both by applying their work. There is mutual glorification within the Godhead. And we as God's redeemed creatures, we must see the intrinsic worth of the triune God. And the work that has been accomplished by the triune God. And the work that they had accomplished can not be accomplished by any man. Any human.
Right? And as redeemed people who has tasted the goodness of God. Who has tasted the grace of God. Must give glory to God alone. Must give glory to God alone. Look at, let's turn to Romans chapter 11, our second passage. Our second passage, Romans chapter 11, first let's read verse 36.
It says, how could man perceive God's holiness and understand God's standard of holiness? And how could man recognize that the just and holy God demands the just verdict for our sins? Now how can we know that is an abomination to justify and freely forgive a sinner?
Who could have imagined that God devised a plan of redemption before the foundations of the world? And in that plan, God would demonstrate both love and justice. And thereby justly showing his love for his people. And at the same time, justifying his people by satisfying his justice through punishing Jesus on the cross. For our sins. Who could have imagined all these things?
Who could have perceived such a plan? Firstly, man could have never diagnosed his true problem, actual problem. How could we imagine that God could ask us to be a part of the solution when we ourselves are the problem? Even this credit goes to God alone. And that is the reason after expounding God's plan of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles, Paul breaks into doxology by echoing the wisdom of the prophets.
In Romans chapter 11 verse 33, he says, “Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways.” His ways, his knowledge, his wisdom are unfathomable, unsearchable, untraceable. We cannot find such wisdom in any other works of man.
You cannot trace it to any other creature. To any other greatest mind who ever lived on the face of this earth, you won't find it anywhere because it originates only in the mind of God. Verse 34 and verse 35 of Romans 11. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who became his counselor? Or who has first given to him that it would be paid back to him?” The answer is no one. These rhetorical questions, they establish God's absolute independence. He needs no counselor. He needs no helper. He needs no contributor. It depends on no one else. Salvation is not a cooperative venture between God and humanity.
It is monergistic, done by God alone. Yes, we will cooperate with God, but only once he has saved us. Only once he has enabled us through his Spirit. Paul says in the book of Philippians that even that is God's work. Even that is God's work. God is not indebted to anyone.
Entire plan and process of salvation, as described rightly in Romans chapter 8 verse 30, from predestination to justification and from justification to glorification, everything belongs to God, or everything ours? Everything is God's plan and it's God's work. And when you read the Bible and when you read it according to his own terms,
you will gain wisdom and a true knowledge of God and the knowledge of his plan of redemption as revealed in the scriptures. That will lead us to true doxology. And that's the reason Paul concludes his teaching on salvation in chapter 11 verse 36 by saying, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever.”
Amen. From him, God is the source of all things. He is the source of creation, redemption, and even sanctification, even our glorification. Everything originates in God. And everything is to him. God is the means of all things. He supplies the grace and the strength through his indwelling person, the Spirit of God, even in our sanctification. He accomplishes his purposes through his own power and wisdom. To make sure that we are glorified, we are sealed with the person of the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. God accomplishes everything. And then to him, and God is the goal of all things. Everything is designed to return glory to him. Glory to him solely. Soli Deo Gloria. Glory to God alone. And what is the motivation to stay on this path of glorifying God? What is the motivation to stay on this
path of glorifying God? Carve these words on your hearts. Isaiah chapter 42 verse 8. Isaiah chapter 42 verse 8. It says, “I am the Lord, that is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images.”
This is one of the powerful declarations and scriptures about God. God says, “I am the Lord.” He's saying that “I am Yahweh.” God revealed his name to Moses. He said, “I am who I am.” There is — which means there is no one else like him. That's his name. You cannot compare him to anyone else. There is no one else who is also called as Yahweh. There is no one else like Yahweh. He alone is Yahweh. He alone is a self-existent, eternal, unchanging, uncaused being. No one else possesses such a glory. No one else is self-existent. No one else is eternal. No one else is unchanging. And no one can have, no one can ever possess those attributes. So no one else can become like God. God did not become.
He is. He is and he always will be. We become. We change. Right? Because we are creatures. And God will not and cannot share his glory with another. So rightfully, God is jealous about his own glory. Because there is no one else. There is no one else. And we humans should not attribute to someone else what belongs to God exclusively.
So do not think of having little glory along with God. We do not deserve. Everything comes from Him. Satan wanted to be like the Most High. He forgot that he was a mere creature. He wanted to be like the Most High and he was banished forever from the presence of God.
Remember, we will always remain creatures, benefactors of God's mercies and grace. And God will always be the Creator. God will always be the giver. He is the one who blesses us. We receive his blessings. We are dependent on him. We are dependent on him. So therefore, let's come to another passage. First Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31. First Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31. Paul says, “Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, all to the glory of God.” Now Paul mentioned this in the context of food offered to the idols, and the, and the Corinthians were exercising their Christian liberty without regard
for weaker believers. And Paul's solution to that problem was not legalism, that is forbidding all such food, or his solution is not license also, eating without concern for others. Instead, he elevates the discussion to a higher principle. The principle here is the glory of God. And this principle transcends specific cultural questions and applies to every aspect of life. And Paul increases the scope here. He says, “whatever you do.” If the mundane things like eating and drinking are to be done for the glory of God, then he's saying, remember, whatever you do, whatever you do under the sun, whatever you do under the sun as a redeemed believer. Yo, it could be your work, it could be your marriage, whatever you do, whatever
you do as a redeemed believer, you're doing it for the glory of God. Your satisfaction is not the primary goal. Your happiness is not the primary goal. As a created being, as a redeemed being, your primary goal is to glorify God and God alone.
Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin, they destroyed the line between secular and sacred roles. They argued, you know, in the medieval period, the popes and the cardinals and the priests exalted their roles as more holier than any other vocation. But the reformers like Luther and Calvin, argued that all are legitimate callings.
If anything is legitimate, that is a calling from God. If you're a farmer, if you're a cobbler, if you're a mother, that is a legitimate call. That is a call from God. Whether a cobbler, farmer, magistrate or pastor, everything is valuable in the sight of God. And Martin Luther stated that even a father changing diaper, he didn't say mother changing diaper, father changing diapers, if it's done by faith and gratitude to God, it displays God's glory. And Calvin asserted that all of life is religious, or all of life is unto God. Calvin taught that the gospel is for all of life. When Christ saves a man, he saves his whole person.
So don't think that if you're working a job you're wasting your life. Don't think that. You have a job. That is different. Do it for the glory of God. You have a family. Be faithful. Do it under the glory of God. You have a role in the church. Do it under the glory of God. Everything under the sun, the glory of God. The underlying principle is to live all of life before the face of God. Coram Deo, there's a Latin phrase which means that, all of life before the face of God. If God has stationed you in a particular place, if God has stationed you in a
particular job, in a particular family, in a particular church, which is biblical, in a particular role, in that particular — Live your life unto God. Paul says, “Do all to the glory of God.” Not to your glory, not for your satisfaction, or not to build your own kingdom. Our motive must be theocentric. Our motive must be theocentric.
The problem with today's Christianity is that most of us are narcissistic Christians. We are me-centric Christians. Somewhere, somehow, the postmodern or the modernistic philosophy has found a way into the hearts of Christians. Or maybe Christians are not done away with that kind of utilitarian mentality.
Now if I do this, the reasoning is, what is in it for me? If I go to this church, what will I get? If I attend church on time, is it really beneficial? Should I sacrifice my sleep for the sake of the church?
Will it not affect my health? No, only on Sundays you think this way. Only on Sundays. Other days, it's fine. Only on Sundays, you remember your sleep, you remember your health and everything, right? So, my sleep should not be affected. You remember your, your baby's health or everything on Sunday morning itself. If I serve in church, will it profit me? And you have your own equations in your mind, right? And since it is not so beneficial, you have come to a conclusion that it's not profitable to serve a people like this who are undeserving. Don't — they don't deserve, right? It's all a waste of your time. So you have made up your mind that you will mind your own business, give a nice smile on a Sunday morning and get back to your business. Oh man, relationships are horrible. I don't want relationships. I want
to stay to myself. I'm happy there. I have my own space, right? Now let me ask you a question. Why do you call yourself a Christian then in first place? Why do you call yourself a Christian in the first place? From where did you get this mentality, this philosophy? There is also another kind of narcissism that exists among us. Now they come to the church with an entitlement mentality. They want to be respected or elevated, and if they perceive that no one respects them, no one cares for them, no one recognizes their talents, then they will not come to the church. They have decided that
this church doesn't deserve me. Or they will desire to go to another church. A sense of entitlement. Or since they are in the church, since they are in the church, they should do something to be seen by people, or people should somehow recognize them. So they keep doing things after thing, this thing and that thing, only to be seen by others and then later to be praised by men. And if no one praises, discouraged. So they will quit doing things for a period of time because no one is recognizing me, no one is praising me, or no one is talking about me. No
one is appreciating me, so they stop doing things for a while, and then after a period they get back into this cycle again, right? If someone give, if someone gives feedback, they can’t take it, or they don’t want to take it. Dear brothers and sisters, we all know, we acknowledge, we confess this, that we don’t deserve anything before God. Our Christian life is because of God’s grace and his provision. We all believe this. But why do we come to church with an entitlement mentality? We need to reject this utilitarian approach to Christianity. These are all me-centric questions.
But a redeemed believer must ask questions differently or must ask different questions. Whatever I am doing or aiming to do, or whatever you don’t like to do, you must ask one thing: is it scriptural? Is God calling you to do something, or is God calling you not to do something? Is it scriptural? It’s not about my comfort. The question, it, will it glorify God? Will it edify others? Will it build the church? Will it further the purposes of God? Will it further the gospel work? Does this magnify Christ? Does this glorify God? The question is not that will everyone treat me as a better Christian. No, that’s not the question here. The question is, will my efforts
whatever I do, will that magnify Christ? Our actions shouldn’t be motivated by personal satisfaction, happiness, or comfort. Instead, we should act because it is right according to the scriptures. Scripture says, love others, not because they deserve, not because it is easy. Commandment. The Scripture says, forgive others, not because they deserve, because we receive freely the forgiveness of God, so we forgive others. The Scripture says, we serve others, not because I’ll get something out of it, because it is my call as a believer to serve in the body of Christ, not because I’m going to get something, not because I’m going to get a name or fame, because Scriptures demands.
So we do it. That is a call. That is a call. We should serve. Even if others take advantage of us because God called us to serve and the reward is with him, we serve. And more importantly, you’re obeying God and in your service to others, you’re manifesting the mind of Christ. Paul says in Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 till 7. Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 till 7. Paul said, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,” or “vain glory” in some translations, “but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves.”
With humility of mind. What is this mind? What is this mind? With this mind, regard others as more important than yourself. So in Christian life, in the church life, you are no longer important to yourself, your brother, your sister. So he says that, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Then he says, “Have this attitude, have this mind, have this mind in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus.” This is the mind that is referring to in verse 3, with the humility of mind. This humility of mind is the attitude that we see in Christ
Jesus who although he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of man. Paul says elsewhere that Christ was fully God in his body. But he did not have the reputation as God. He had the reputation as a mere man when he lived on this earth.
He lived like a servant. He was ridiculed, mocked. He never vindicated himself. He never tried to show that he is God. No, he didn’t do that. They live like a servant. He knows that God is watching. He knows that everything will come to light. He knows that he will be one day be glorified. You trusted in the vindication of God. So Paul says that have this mind which was also in Christ Jesus. So don’t be discouraged in your service. Have this mind with Christ. Look to the cross, look to the person of Christ consistently, and be encouraged in your service, because people will, people will always discourage you, people will always be critical of
you, people will always judge you, people will always ascribe motives to you. If you’re doing with the right intention also, maybe he’s doing for this. People have no other business. Brothers and sisters, you are here because of God and for the glory of God, and by your life you are making an impact on the lives of others. The way you magnify Christ, the way you behold Christ and the way you live by His grace in his way will certainly make an impact on the lives of the people. If not now, once you’re gone, they will definitely remember you. So brothers and sisters, our very
orientation of our lives should change. We are here for the glory of Christ. We should look to Christ who purchased us by his blood and who served us well by laying down his life for an undeserving people. And we also serve with this mind of Christ even to the undeserving.
The aim is not self-satisfaction. I have served well. Okay, there is a satisfaction, but it’s not self-centered satisfaction, but the glory of God. And this is the basis of a Christian existence, and this should be your philosophy if you are truly a Christian. What’s that philosophy? 2 Corinthians 5, verse 15. “He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
He died for all so that we no longer belong to ourselves. He died for us. He purchased us. He made us his own so that we will, from the point of our conversion, we begin to live for his glory. His glory. His glory. Brothers and sisters, such a life is only possible if we daily come to the cross. Remember the theology of the cross that I mentioned about Martin Luther’s theology of the cross at the beginning?
Our life should be constantly shaped by the cross of Jesus Christ. We should daily come to the cross of Jesus Christ. Surrender our weaknesses. Surrender weaknesses. Seek the grace of Christ Jesus, which is available for us. Our Lord Jesus, who is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty as a great eternal High Priest and God is ever mediating for us. He is interceding for us. He mediates His grace to us. His grace is sufficient for all of our life circumstances. Whatever life that you are in, whatever situation that you are in, whatever home you’re in, whomever the person you’re married to, whatever situation that you have, whatever complications that you have in your body or in your life or anything, the grace of Christ will sustain you.
The grace of Christ can carry you through. For a while, we look to cross. We behold Christ daily from the scriptures. We go hungry to Him for His grace. We should know by now that this Christian life cannot be lived by our own resources, by our own strength. No, it’s utterly impossible. Tomorrow, you’ll be disgraced. You’ll be disappointed. You’ll give up. You’ll give up. You’ll begin to fail.
Because without God’s grace, without the enabling work of the Spirit of God in our lives, our Christian lives, our services to our fellow people, is utterly impossible. Only by God’s grace we receive strength to live and serve to fulfill our duties for the glory of God. Soli Deo Gloria. Let’s pray.