ONE PURPOSE: The one moral absolute then leads to man’s purpose. All moral creatures have the same purpose—to glorify God. That is a much misused and little understood phrase. God’s glory is His character. (Thus when Moses saw God’s glory, he was led to speak of God’s character.) All that He does simply reflects His character. We glorify God by acknowledging and/or reproducing His character.
The sermon on the mount reflects this. It has been suggested that the sermon on the mount was meant to answer the question, “How righteous must one be to be acceptable to God?” The answer did not begin with a commandment or set of rules. It began by saying that God is more interested in what you are than what you do. In other words, the sermon on the mount started with the beatitudes (character qualities) before it talked about any activity.
My destiny is that I will have the character of Christ (Romans 8). I am presently being conformed to that image. My goal is to be as close as possible to that end when I die, so that when I die the pain of being changed will be the less. (Like Eustace in the Dawn Treader having his dragon skin removed) As I cooperate, obey, desire, and achieve this end, the pain and chastisement I must face is less even here.
If all men had God’s character they would not all have the same personality. Personality is as different from character as style is from workmanship.
Acknowledging God’s character takes many forms including: true praise, believing correctly, prayer, accepting that God is holy, just, merciful, gracious, etc. Acknowledging the truth of God’s character is foundational to salvation. When I understand and acknowledge his holiness, I understand I am a sinner. When I understand his justice I know I must die. When I understand His grace, I know I may live. Etc. In fact every facet of God’s character comes into play in salvation and hence the importance and fulfilling purpose of evangelism and our own acceptance of salvation.
Reproducing God’s character can be in myself or others. When I accept salvation I not only acknowledge His character but I begin the accelerated process of having it reproduced it in me both by God and my obedience. The same is true of others when I lead them to salvation. Or when I help even non-believers do something or be something consistent with God’s character.
The sermon on the mount reflects this. It has been suggested that the sermon on the mount was meant to answer the question, “How righteous must one be to be acceptable to God?” The answer did not begin with a commandment or set of rules. It began by saying that God is more interested in what you are than what you do. In other words, the sermon on the mount started with the beatitudes (character qualities) before it talked about any activity.
My destiny is that I will have the character of Christ (Romans 8). I am presently being conformed to that image. My goal is to be as close as possible to that end when I die, so that when I die the pain of being changed will be the less. (Like Eustace in the Dawn Treader having his dragon skin removed) As I cooperate, obey, desire, and achieve this end, the pain and chastisement I must face is less even here.
If all men had God’s character they would not all have the same personality. Personality is as different from character as style is from workmanship.
Acknowledging God’s character takes many forms including: true praise, believing correctly, prayer, accepting that God is holy, just, merciful, gracious, etc. Acknowledging the truth of God’s character is foundational to salvation. When I understand and acknowledge his holiness, I understand I am a sinner. When I understand his justice I know I must die. When I understand His grace, I know I may live. Etc. In fact every facet of God’s character comes into play in salvation and hence the importance and fulfilling purpose of evangelism and our own acceptance of salvation.
Reproducing God’s character can be in myself or others. When I accept salvation I not only acknowledge His character but I begin the accelerated process of having it reproduced it in me both by God and my obedience. The same is true of others when I lead them to salvation. Or when I help even non-believers do something or be something consistent with God’s character.
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