Saint Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthian church is timeless. Oh Christian,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)
Whether you are eating, drinking, driving, working, playing, exercising, studying, reading, listening, surfing, or watching, do it to the glory of God.
What is “the glory of God”? And, how do we do everything to this glory?
Today, I want to help you understand and do everything “to the glory of God.”
Think of the glory of God as the melody emanating from a majestic symphony. The movements in the symphony represent the stages in redemptive history, from creation through the eschaton. The composer and central focus is our triune God.
Sometimes glory dramatically and thunderously crescendos in a rapid tempo, such as when the glory of the Lord rested on Mt. Sinai (Ex 24:16). During the most important movement, the movement around which all others turn, the tones grow soft and quiet at the birth of Christ, who walked among us (Jn 1:14).
In this present age between the cross and the consummation, God has invited us, the people of God, the church, to take part in this symphony. That’s right! God’s arms are open, inviting you to take part in his symphony of glory. Again, Saint Paul explains,
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)
As you grow in your understanding of and relationship with Christ, the Spirit changes you into the likeness of Christ. As the Spirit changes you to be more like Christ, you are performing your unique part in this symphony of glory. You are showing God’s glory.
When you make music by the power of the Spirit to enhance God’s symphony, you are doing all to the glory of God. But, when you make up our own music, you are falling short of the glory of God (Rm 3:23). The Bible calls this sin.
Every moment of every day, you choose: Do you want to make your own music and sin, falling short of God’s glory? Or, do you want to play your Spirit-enabled part and make music in God’s symphony of glory? Your music or God’s — you decide.
To sum-up, to do everything to the glory of God means in everything that you do, you do it in the power of the Spirit to make music that is harmonious with God’s symphony. Follow your unique score to make music that pleases the one who called you, gave himself for you, and is with you every moment of every day.
Join me, and let’s be those who perform God’s symphony. Let’s be those who do everything to the glory of God.
