The Purpose of Man - Part III

The Shorter Catechism says, not only that we must glorify God, but that it is our purpose to enjoy him forever. This reminds us that Christianity is not just a matter of duty - we ought to obey God and keep his commandments - but it is also a relationship. It is this relationship which helps us understand why God is as interested in our attitudes as he is our actions. In fact, most often it is the attitude which has the key role in assessing what we do.

Take this passage in Proverbs. "A proud look and a haughty heart and the lamp of the wicked is sin." An alternate reading of the text has "the plowing of the wicked" for "the lamp ..." Now we can understand the proud look being sin and the haughty heart. But while we might find it more difficult to class the plowing of the wicked as sin, how can we do the same with the lamp of the wicked? A lamp is surely neutral. It does neither good nor evil. Surely the fact that it is owned by a wicked person is not enough to class it as evil?

In this we show we have forgotten the role of relationship. The importance of the saying rests not on the word "lamp" but on the phrase "lamp of the wicked." It is not the lamp but what the person uses it for. A good man uses his lamp to light the way so he can act for the benefit of his neighbors. A wicked man uses his lamp so he can act for the detriment of his neighbors. God reminds us that intent is all important by calling such a lamp sin.

So saying we turn to consider the purpose of man. If our intent is to glorify God; if we seek to honor him in all we do and think; if we become downhearted when our "best-laid plans gang oft aglee" (as Robert Burns put it) and we - once again - show we have not overcome sin in our lives; then we can take comfort in the promise that it will not always be so. Even as we struggle to overcome our sin, so also the, whole creation groans and trevails awaiting the revelation of the Sons of God, says the Apostle. So there will come a day when we put off our mortal body with the corruption of the flesh and put on a perfect body, having been made into the very likeness of Christ himself.

In the garden of Eden, Adam walked with God every day. His was the communion of a perfectly good creature, made in the image of God, with his Creator. On the final day we will have that restored and more because we will (along with everyone else who has put their trust in Christ) also know him as our Redeemer and our King. We will enjoy his fellowship as those who love him and are assured (in a way that Adam never knew) that he loves us. There is no greater joy on earth than that between two people who have loved and had that love strengthened by the things they have suffered together. How much more the love we share with Christ who, though he was perfect, suffered on our behalf, in order that he might present us spotless before his father.

We will be able to gaze on his face, hear his beloved voice speaking and, above all rejoice that the whole world gives him the same honor as the very angels in heaven. We will know that no more will we cause him pain as he sees us fail to achieve what we long to do in his honor but will rejoice with us that sin has finally been defeated in our lives. How wonderful just to say: The good that I would, that I do and know that there is no evil to even resist - that is almost too wonderful to contemplate!!

Pray that this hint of what will be makes us long to serve him and do so without any of the sin that still clings to us. May we know the joy of being able to do as we long to now. The Catechism only gives us a glimpse of the joy that awaits us when finally we stand in his presence and hear: "Come the blessed of my father ..." the invitation to be with him and enjoy his presence forever. No wonder John ends his vision with "Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly."