The Purpose of Man

1. Worship is man's ultimate purpose and highest calling

Worship is man's full reason for existence. Worship is why we are born and why we are born again.

Created to worship. God created humans with the unique capacity to worship Him. Unlike animals or other parts of creation, only humans can engage in conscious, willing adoration of their Creator. This was Adam and Eve's primary purpose in the Garden of Eden - to walk with God and offer Him praise and devotion. Even after the Fall, this impulse to worship remains embedded in human nature, though often misdirected.

Our highest calling. Of all the activities humans can engage in, worship is the most noble and fulfilling. It aligns us with our created purpose and allows us to experience deep communion with God. True worship satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart in a way nothing else can. As we offer God genuine praise and adoration, we find our truest identity and highest joy.

2. True worship requires spirit and truth, not just ritual

God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Heart posture matters. Authentic worship flows from the heart, not just outward actions. God is not impressed by rote rituals or religious motions if they are disconnected from genuine devotion. True worship engages our whole being - mind, emotions, and will - in adoring response to who God is. It requires sincerity, humility, and wholehearted engagement.

Guided by truth. Worship must be grounded in the truth of who God has revealed Himself to be. We cannot worship God rightly if we have false ideas about His nature and character. Scripture provides the foundation for knowing God truly. As we grow in understanding of God's attributes and mighty deeds, our worship deepens. Truth and Spirit work together - emotional fervor disconnected from truth is misguided, while cold orthodoxy without heart engagement falls short.

3. Sin hinders worship, but Christ restores our ability to worship

Man, made to be a mirror—to reflect the deity—now reflects only his own sinfulness.

Sin's devastating impact. The Fall shattered humanity's ability to worship God rightly. Sin distorts our perception of God, severs our intimacy with Him, and turns our hearts toward idolatry. Left to ourselves, we lack the purity and spiritual sensitivity to approach a holy God in true worship. Our attempts at worship are tainted by pride, selfishness, and flawed motives.

Christ's redemptive work. Through His atoning death and resurrection, Jesus Christ makes true worship possible again. He cleanses us from sin, reconciles us to the Father, and restores our spiritual faculties. As we are renewed in Christ's image, we regain the capacity to reflect God's glory in worship. The Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and tunes our hearts to resonate with God's beauty and worth.

4. Worship involves the whole person and permeates all of life

If you are not worshiping God on Monday, then you did not worship Him on Sunday.

Not compartmentalized. True worship is not confined to a church service or devotional time. It should permeate every aspect of our lives - our work, relationships, leisure, and daily routines. As we cultivate a lifestyle of worship, we learn to acknowledge God's presence and worth in all circumstances. Even mundane tasks can become acts of worship when done with gratitude and a desire to honor God.

Engaging all faculties. Worship involves our entire being - intellect, emotions, imagination, and will. We worship God with our minds as we meditate on His truth and attributes. Our hearts respond with love, awe, and joy. Our wills bow in submission and obedience. Even our bodies participate through postures of reverence and acts of service. As image-bearers of God, we were designed to reflect His glory in every dimension of our humanity.

5. God actively seeks genuine worshipers

The Father seeketh such to worship him.

God's desire. Though God is completely self-sufficient, He delights in the genuine worship of His people. He actively seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and truth. This reveals God's relational nature and His desire for communion with us. Our worship brings joy to God's heart and fulfills His purpose in creating us.

Our response. Knowing that God seeks our worship should motivate us to cultivate a lifestyle of adoration. We have the incredible privilege of bringing pleasure to the Almighty through our praise. As we grow in worship, we align ourselves more fully with God's desire for us. This results in deepening intimacy with Him and increasing joy and purpose in our lives.

6. Worship elevates us above religious externals

True worship accords with the nature of God. By that I mean we worship God according to what God is, and not according to what He is not.

Beyond rituals. While outward forms of worship can be meaningful, true worship transcends external rituals and religious trappings. God is primarily concerned with the state of our hearts. Worship that pleases Him arises from a genuine appreciation of His nature and character. As we focus on who God truly is, we are lifted above petty religious debates and divisive traditions.

Spiritual reality. Authentic worship connects us with spiritual realities that transcend our physical circumstances. It reminds us that we are primarily spiritual beings created for communion with God. In worship, we experience tastes of heavenly glory that put earthly concerns in proper perspective. This elevates our thoughts and desires, freeing us from slavery to worldly preoccupations.

7. Christ is supremely worthy of our worship and adoration

Jesus Christ is both divine and human in nature and has taken humanity up into God so that He Himself is God.

Unique qualifications. As the eternal Son of God who became incarnate, Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to receive our worship. He perfectly reveals the Father to us and mediates our worship back to Him. Christ's deity means He is worthy of the highest adoration, while His humanity allows us to relate to Him intimately.

Surpassing worth. Jesus surpasses all other objects of devotion in His beauty, power, wisdom, and love. His sacrificial death for us compels our deepest gratitude and allegiance. As we contemplate Christ's excellencies, our hearts are naturally drawn to worship Him. He alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our souls and is worthy of our supreme affection.

8. Worship prepares us for eternity with God

You will be worshiping God long after everything else has ceased to exist.

Eternal occupation. Worship is not just a temporal activity, but the central occupation of eternity. In heaven, we will join the angels and redeemed saints in endless praise of God. Our earthly worship is preparation for this eternal reality. As we grow in our capacity to appreciate and adore God now, we are being fitted for our eternal destiny.

Increasing joy. The more we cultivate worship in this life, the greater our capacity for joy in God's presence. Worship aligns our hearts with ultimate reality and trains us to find our highest delight in God Himself. In eternity, free from sin and distraction, our worship will reach heights of ecstasy we can hardly imagine now. Yet even our imperfect worship here offers foretastes of that eternal bliss.

Last updated: September 18, 2024