1 Cor 10:31 Do All to the Glory of God.
School is Starting!
My Todo List: Meetings, Class, in-Box, Iphone
How do you keep up with what there is to do? Homework, games, tests, etc?
What are some things on your list?
Class – shopping – studying – work –
How about stuff not on the list, but that you are planning to do?
Read 1 Cor 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Context: V23 and 24: All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
Paul is talking to the church at Corinth, encouraging them to act is a way that takes others into account. The key point to the passage is that we should live so that others see Christ in our actions.
The Old Testament word for “glory” comes from the Hebrew word for weight, or heaviness. The idea behind it suggests substance and importance. For example, when Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, he instructed them, “So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” In other words, he wanted his greatness, his privileged position and exalted status and power, to be reported to Jacob.
In the New Testament, the word “glory” conveys the same idea. A man’s glory is his good reputation. It is that about him which is praiseworthy. Jesus uses the word this way in Matthew 6:2, “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
So when the Bible speaks of the glory of God it is referring to His worth and honor and greatness. Or, when this word is used of God, we could say that His majesty or supremacy is in view.
But we cannot make God more glorious than He already is and always has been. So when the Bible calls us to give glory to God it is not suggesting that we can in any way add glory to Him. He is already infinitely glorious within Himself and nothing we can do can increase His inherent worth and supremacy. He is God—the God of creation … and the God of providence…and the God of redemption…(who gave us Jesus Christ!). He is inherently all-glorious! No creature can ever do anything to add to His glory.
We can however, honor God in what we do, doing each act to point out how praiseworthy God is, rather than thinking of our actions as simply another item on the todo list.
My example – meetings – listen, be polite, value other’s opinions, in other words take others into account. Class- realize that I have student’s from different backgrounds, prepare for class, realize that as the teacher, I’m not the main person in the room, but the student’s and their learning is what is important.
How about your todo list? How can you do those things on this list so that you are seeking the good of your neighbor and glorifying God in the process?
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