Glorifying God and Reflecting His Grace: Understanding Our Purpose
What is the purpose of humanity? The Westminster Shorter Catechism famously declares: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This statement beautifully encapsulates much of what the Bible teaches about humanity’s relationship with God. Yet, when we read passages like Ephesians 1, we see another dimension of our purpose: we are created and redeemed to “the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6).
How do these ideas fit together? Are we called to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, or are we primarily designed to reflect the glory of His grace? The answer, as we’ll explore, is a harmonious yes.
1. The Westminster Perspective: Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever
The Westminster Catechism’s summary reflects foundational biblical truths about humanity’s purpose:
To Glorify God: Glorifying God means honoring, worshiping, and reflecting His character in everything we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Humanity was designed to be God’s image-bearer, a living reflection of His attributes.
To Enjoy God Forever: Enjoying God means delighting in His presence and His love. The psalmist writes: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
This understanding emphasizes a relational purpose: God created us to know, worship, and delight in Him.
2. Ephesians 1: Reflecting the Glory of His Grace
While glorifying and enjoying God are central, Ephesians 1 highlights how God’s grace is at the heart of this purpose. Paul writes that God has predestined us for adoption as His children “to the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6) and that we are “for the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12, 14).
What Does It Mean to Reflect the Glory of His Grace?
The Glory of Grace Revealed in Redemption: God’s grace is His unmerited favor toward us, demonstrated most fully in Christ’s work on the cross. Our lives, transformed by His grace, become living testimonies of His mercy and love. Ephesians 2:7 explains: “In the coming ages, He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Grace as the Centerpiece of God’s Plan: Reflecting God’s grace is not secondary to glorifying Him—it is a primary way His glory is displayed. When we live as recipients of grace, we magnify God’s character and His redemptive work.
3. How These Perspectives Harmonize
These two ideas—glorifying God and reflecting His grace—are not in conflict. Instead, they work together in perfect harmony.
Reflecting Grace Glorifies God
When we reflect the glory of God’s grace, we glorify Him. Our lives testify to His mercy, justice, and love. This is why Paul says in Philippians 1:11 that we are “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Glorifying God Leads to Enjoying Him
As we glorify God, we find joy in Him. John Piper famously wrote, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” When we live in awe of God’s grace, enjoying His presence and promises, we glorify Him by demonstrating His worth.
Grace Restores Our Ability to Fulfill Our Purpose
Before sin entered the world, humanity glorified God in perfect harmony with His design. The Fall disrupted this relationship, distorting our ability to reflect His image. Through Christ, we are redeemed and empowered to glorify God fully once again. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
4. Living Out Our Purpose Through Christ in Us
How can we live in light of this glorious purpose? The answer lies not in striving but in yielding. Our purpose is not something we achieve through effort but something Christ accomplishes in and through us as we depend on His indwelling life.
Rest in God’s Grace
Yield to the truth that your identity is fully rooted in God’s unmerited favor. In Christ, you are not striving to earn approval or defined by your performance or failures. Trust Him to express His love and mercy through you, allowing His grace to shine as the source of your life. Resting in this reality enables His glory to flow through you authentically, transforming how you relate to others and navigate daily life.
Let Christ Glorify God Through You
Glorifying God is not a task but the natural result of Christ’s life within you. As you yield to Him moment by moment, He expresses His love, joy, peace, and truth through your actions and words. Whether in worship, acts of obedience, or everyday tasks, the light of Christ shines through you, drawing others to glorify the Father. Matthew 5:16 becomes a reality as His life in you overflows: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Delight in God Through Christ
True delight in God is not something we manufacture but something Christ produces in us as we abide in Him. Spending time in His presence—whether through prayer, Scripture, or worship—becomes a joy because His Spirit draws us into deeper fellowship. Trust Him to fill your heart with His joy, and let that joy overflow into every area of your life. As Christ enjoys perfect fellowship with the Father, He invites you to join in that communion, sharing in the joy of His presence.
Living out our purpose is not a checklist of things we do for God but a life of trust, surrender, and dependence on Christ in us. As we yield to Him, He reflects the glory of God’s grace in and through us, fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.
Conclusion: Reflecting Grace and Glorifying God
The purpose of humanity is multifaceted but beautifully unified. We are created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and in a fallen world, this purpose is most powerfully expressed through reflecting the glory of His grace. As recipients of His mercy, we become living testimonies of His redemptive work, pointing others to His goodness.
May our lives reflect His grace and glorify His name, as we delight in the relationship He has made possible through Christ.
A Prayer of Purpose
Lord, You have made us for Your glory, to reflect Your character and grace to the world. Thank You for redeeming us through Christ, restoring our purpose, and filling our lives with meaning and joy. Thank you for showing us how to live as reflections of Your grace, bringing glory to Your name in all we do. May we delight in You, our Creator and Redeemer, and point others to the abundant life found in You alone. Amen.