Weekly Devotional 6-12-17 The Chief End of Man
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a catechism written in 1646 and 1647 by the Westminster Presbyterian Assembly, in article one of its declarations declared that, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” This Catechism was written to bring a greater conformity between the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. The drafters of this Catechism certainly had in mind Genesis 1:26 & 27 which states; “26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (NKJV). They believed that no other creation reflected the glory of God as did man. In the perfection of their creation man mirrored God’s holiness, intelligence and wisdom. Man was to have dominion over all things of earth in holiness and love reflecting God’s holiness and love in His dominion over all creation.
God’s purpose for man has not changed, Man is still to reflect God’s image. But, because of sin, we cannot at least express the image as in the beginning. However, God is at work conforming us (Romans 8:29); we who have been reborn spiritually (John 3:1-8) to the image of Jesus Christ who was and is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3). We will not come to that exact image until we are glorified (Romans 8:30), but in the present “we are to put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and we are to put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (See Ephesians 4:22-24 and Colossians 3:10 NKJV).
We of course cannot do this of ourselves. We are to “put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We are therefore to take up the whole armor of God that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. We are to stand therefore, having girded our waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And we are to take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (See Ephesians 6:11-18 NKJV).
“We are to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that we cannot do the things that we wish. But if we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” (See Galatians 5:16-21).
We cannot reflect the image of God if we live as we did when governed by our old man, our former way of life. If we have submitted ourselves to, and are led by the Holy Spirit, He will produce His fruit in us. This fruit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” If you or I want to live in the Holy Spirit, we are to walk in His power. (See Galatians 5:22-25).
The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the attributes of God and bear His image, the image we are to reflect. Some day we will bear the image of God in its exactness, but for now we need God’s help. He has given us His Spirit to that end. Our part is to be submitted to and led by Him.
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