Man’s Chief End - Turning Points with God

If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

1 Peter 4:16

In 1643, the English Parliament asked leaders of the Church of England along with other theologians to meet at Westminster Abbey to provide guidance on spiritual and ecclesiastical affairs. Over the course of several years, three documents emerged: the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism. The most famous part of the documents is question one of the Shorter Catechism: “Q. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

Joseph was one of the most blessed and prosperous individuals in the Old Testament because he seemed to understand the point of that first question. He was willing to let God be God in his life and to respond positively and faithfully to everything God did. Even when Joseph was thrown into prison unjustly, he was used by God (Genesis 39:19-23). Is there any situation in your life in which you are not responding positively and faithfully to God—not glorifying Him?

There can be no enjoyment of God without first glorifying God.

The word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

QUESTION 2, WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM