As we outline what Village Seven believes doctrinally, the desire is not to grow in head knowledge for its own sake. The desire is to deepen our understanding of God’s word, grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to be a reflection of His glory. Good orthodoxy(belief) leads to good orthopraxy (action). Confessing and recognizing we fall short, we point to Christ alone.

Westminster Shorter Catechism Question #1

Question: What is the chief end of man?

Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

“Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31

“You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Rev 4:11

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And the earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25-26

“For in Him we live and move and have our being….” Acts 17:28

“Remember who you are.”

This standard line to my two young boys has them at times rolling their eyes and has me asking….”who do I think I am?”

As we dive into our catechism question one, let me begin by flat out saying I am no giant of Christian virtue, no giant of remembering who I am. I fall far short of remembering that I am a sinner saved by grace, a son of the living God. We all do.

We need brothers & sisters to remind us. We need the Word to teach & convict us.

If you are a Christian let me remind you that you belong to Him. He loves you. You need Him more than your best day deceives you into thinking you don’t need Him and you need Him more than your worst day has you thinking that He does not want you.

According to Village Seven’s catechism and more importantly Holy Scripture, there is a reason for our being. The Scripture verses above are a few that show us what that looks like.

Ultimately that reason is NOT found by gazing within, to ourselves, to our own works, but rather is found by looking outside of ourselves to another. Namely to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Of course to glorify God does not mean we add anything to His glory. God is perfectly glorious in and of Himself. Puritan writer Thomas Watson states that glorifying God consists of appreciation, adoration, affection and subjection. A follower of Jesus Christ will be actively doing these things. Oh to be sure we will fail time and again to do them with perfect holiness but by His grace we are doing them. He is sanctifying and transforming us. (Php 1:6)

G.I. Williamson’s book on the shorter catechism is of great help. Drawing in large part from God’s word he states the following on the first catechism Q & A .

“To glorify God must be understood this way: it means to reflect His glory. Many people do not want to glorify & enjoy God. But the catechism is correct. Even if a person does not want to glorify God–even if a person does not want to serve God willingly–he still remains subject to God. Hath not the potter power over the clay, says Paul, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory. (Rom 9:21-23) In other words both the lost and the saved are instruments by which God’s glory is revealed.

…”When a person seeks to glorify God, he seeks at all times and in all activities to do that which is pleasing in God’s sight. Faithful work, and wholesome recreation, are just as much a part of glorifying God as is the worship of God on the sabbath, or witnessing to an unbeliever. It is no doubt true that some things we do are more important than other things. But the true view of Christian discipleship is that which sees the whole of life as that which is to be consciously lived unto the honor of God, and in the service of His name.”

“The enjoyment of God is so sweet. How wicked are they who prefer the enjoyment of their lusts before the enjoyment of God! The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, is the trinity they worship. Lust is an inordinate desire or impulse, provoking the soul to that which is evil. Who for a drop of pleasure would drink a sea of wrath?”
–Thomas Watson

How often my life is marred with sin. Looking within to myself instead of to Him who gives my very being and hope. We all have but one hope, that is fleeing to Christ & Him crucified to save and transform us. We love because He first loved us. It is His grace as found in the Gospel that spurs us to duty. Not out of being just a slave or a have to. It is who we are. How amazing is His grace, that He has made us sons & daughters! How sweet indeed it is to live a life in the service of the Lord, glorifying and enjoying Him.

Additional material

Please read what a concerned woman thinks about the importance of teaching (catechizing) our children around the family worship time. Here is a great link to what Starr Meade has to say.

Please send questions or comments to both Eric Burns reynosababy@yahoo.com and Pastor Bryan Counts bcounts@v7pc.org