What Is the chief end of man? Why do we awake with a cry and sleep with our sigh at our final breath?
Between 1646 and 1647, a number of Scottish and English theologians and laypeople grappled with this question as they wrote down Westminster Shorter Catechism. It was a profound question indeed. For it sought to define what man’s purpose on earth was.
These faithful men sought by all means to remain under the instruction of God’s word and so with much finality they coined what has become a famous line in most reformed circles today.
The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
I wonder why evangelism, our holiness, works of service, hospitality, and even global missions were not mentioned as the purpose of man. Aren’t all these righteous deeds, aren’t we made for good work? What about living for Christ and dying for him? What about sacrificing all for the sake of Christ? Ooh! Surely all these noble things must pass the test as the chief end of man.
In today, sermon, we hope to glean from Philippians 1:11 that the reason why you and I are called to live lives that bear fruit in righteousness is the glory and praise of God. God’s glory is the end of man’s endeavors.
The scriptures will call us to look to Christ who is our source of fruit-bearing righteousness with the aim that in doing so, Glory and praise may return to Him.
Reading the text: Philippians 1:3-11 ESV
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Context
The letter of Paul to the Philippians is written as an encouragement to them and as a call to rejoice in the Lord amid a difficult time of need, with Christ as the model and His glory as the goal. Paul interweaves in many examples of selfless, humble benevolence from Timothy, Epaphroditus, and ultimately Christ. The goal is that the Philippians will be encouraged to trust in God through their anxieties and their needs. In other words, Christ is the ultimate and they must look to him.
In the first 10 verses of Chapter 1, Paul thanks God as he remembers the Philippians in a joyful prayer because of their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Paul is assured that this good work evident in them namely, gospel partnership, endurance with him in his chains, this good work will endure till the end.
Paul mentions in verse 4 and verse 9 that this thankfulness is made to them in the context of prayer. It is at the place of prayer that he remembers with much gratitude what the Lord has done to him through the Philippians’ brethren.
As he finalizes his greeting, he reveals to his audience what the main content of his prayer is. Yes, he has been praying with thanksgiving recalling what God has done through the Philippians, but there is more he must mention.
Verse 11 is found in the context of Paul’s prayer from verses 9-11, in it Paul prays that the love of the Philippians may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment.
As love abounds more and more with knowledge and discernment, the Philippians will be able to approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
Here is the overriding message of verse 11
‘The fruit of righteousness (that which renders us pure and blameless on the day of Christ) has a means and has an end.
The means by which the fruit of righteousness comes is Christ Jesus (through Jesus Christ)
The end goal of this (fruit of righteousness) is the Glory and praise of God.
In other words, if you want the fruit of righteousness, do not look to yourself but to Christ. Because Christ is the means to bear the fruit of righteousness and His Glory is the end of all fruitfulness in righteousness. Here is another way of putting it, Because the fruit of righteousness comes from Christ, the result is the glory and praise of God.
During our time together we will look at three things
- The need for fruit-bearing
- The Source of the Fruit of Righteousness
- The goal of the fruit of righteousness
1. The need for fruit-bearing (righteousness)
Many times, as Christians, we entertain the idea that once we are born again, we need not concern ourselves with holiness.
We often simply forget the danger paused by our sin because we seek to appease ourselves with the message of grace.
This kind of thinking is pagan and a mirror of the truth that indeed we have no idea why we are saved. In Romans 6:1 Paul asks, shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not, he replies.
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Paul thanks the Lord because the Colossians heard the word of truth the gospel which has come to them and is bearing fruit and increasing since they heard it. (Colossians 1:5-6). Paul has not ceased to pray that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10).
Fruit-bearing is a desirable goal.
As Christians, we are saved by grace through faith. We are saved not by works but for good works. In other words, anyone who claims to be a Christian but does not produce good works is not a Christian.
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV):
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Righteousness is the fruit of repentance. When we repent before God and turn away from sin, we turn to righteousness. We turn to that which we could never be apart from Christ. Our righteousness is not just positional, but it is progressive, meaning there is a need for a demonstration.
The sin we once loved, we hate. The law of the Lord that we once hated, now we cling to it and lovingly embrace because God has caused us to turn from death to life. From darkness to light.
The reason God chose us is so that we may bear fruit.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. (John 15:16)
Are you bearing fruit in your journey of salvation? Are you constantly turning away from sin and unto righteousness? Is there an active lifestyle of repentance and turning away from sin or do you wallow in your sin with great comfort in an illusion that you are a Christian?
If there is anything that must fill us today and now as Christians, it is the fruit of righteousness. We earnestly pray for nothing more than this very fruit, for desperately need it.
2. The source of the fruit of righteousness
It says in verse 11, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
The demand for fruit has been established, the next temptation is for you and I to think that this fruit has you and I as its source. We immediately run back to our reservoirs to look for something to bring our Lord in the name of fruit. Lo and behold brethren, on our way back, we have nothing in our hands, and with the songwriter we say, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.
The scripture before us shows explicitly where this fruit of righteousness comes from: comes through Jess Christ.
Now what we must ask ourselves is, how does this fruit come through Jesus Christ?
A couple of verses to help us understand this better:
- John 15:4–5 (ESV): Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
The branch (us) can bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine (Jesus).
For apart from me you can do nothing.
This means if we are not attached to Jesus by faith, drawing life and power from him we can’t do anything of any fruitful nature that reflects the righteousness of God.
- Titus 2:14
Titus 2:11–14 (ESV):
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
The great atoning work of Christ on the cross was for our redemption but also for the producing of zeal for good works.
In other words
Christ died to make us fruitful. Jesus makes our fruitfulness possible.
Christ is the source of fruit, because of his atoning work.
Where are you looking for an obedient life? Where are you looking for victory over sin? Where are you looking for victory over anger, victory over lust, victory over hatred, victory over unforgiveness? Are you looking within yourself? Are you looking for it in your upbringing or in your socialization? Are you looking for it from where you went to school? Are you looking for it from HCBC? Are you looking for it from within the deposits of your potential? I dare you to look outside yourself to the one who bought you at a price, the one who took upon himself all anger, all lust, all murder, all manner of countless sins and died on that cruel cross not only so you can have a new name, but that you can have new affections, new fruit, the fruit of righteousness. I dare you to look to him, because only then will you bear fruit, much fruit.
3. The goal of the fruit of righteousness (The Glory and praise of God)
We are now back to the question we started our session today with, what is the chief end of man? In this case, we will ask, what is the chief end of fruit-bearing righteousness?
Paul’s proposition in this text is this:
Here is the overriding message of verse 11
‘The fruit of righteousness (that which renders us pure and blameless on the day of Christ) has a means and has an end.
The means by which the fruit of righteousness comes is Christ Jesus (through Jesus Christ)
The end goal of this (fruit of righteousness) is the Glory and praise of God.
In other words, if you want the fruit of righteousness, do not look to yourself but to Christ. Because Christ is the means to bear the fruit of righteousness and His Glory is the end of all fruitfulness in righteousness.
Here is another way of putting it, Because the fruit of righteousness comes from Christ, the result is the glory and praise of God.
At this point, there are three things I would love for us to see:
- Everything God does in history His glory
- Everything God does for us is for His glory
- Everything God does in us is for His glory
- Everything God does is for His glory
At the center of the intentions of God is his chief purpose, His glory. We must never be mistaken that God is unresolved in his purposes. Not only does he have means with which he performs all his functions, but he also has ends to which he performs these functions.
God has not failed at any of his endeavors because he is a sovereign God. This means that he is in charge of history and everything that unfolds from it. God institutes decrees concerning every single detail in the universe including this sermon, this day, this context, this history, this reality and no one can thwart his plan.
I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ (Isaiah 46:9-10)
Now before we think that may only speak of the God of the OT, The New Testament has sth to tell us: Even the evil plan to kill Jesus was ordained by God (Acts 4:17,28)
Now in God’s ultimate powerful plan, there is a goal, and there is a purpose. Many times we want to quickly make ourselves the guest when this is mentioned. But not too fast:
In Isaiah 43 God is expressing his great love for his chosen people. He says in verses 6 and 7,
I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Now this in no way denotes that God was deficient of Glory for he has no lack in him
Paul says in Acts 17:25, “God is not served by human hands as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.”
God has a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12 and one of his promises was to make Israel into a Great nation. God was to display his grandeur and glory through the chosen Israel for his glory. would perform his special acts of deliverance all for his glory.
God says in Isaiah 49:3, “You are my servant Israel in whom I will be glorified.”
Why did God the children of Israel from Egypt?
This is what he said in Exodus 14:4, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.”
There are dozens of scriptures to look at in the history of Israel where God’s glory is at the center of everything in his dealing with them.
Toward the end, while Israel is in exile, God wills to be merciful and suspend his wrath. Isaiah 48:9-11 helps us to see the motivation for this
For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold I have refined you but not like silver, I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.”
- Everything God does for us is for His Glory
It is easy for us to read the OT and think that God was only about his glory then, what about when he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins? What about when he orchestrated our salvation? What about this gathering of saints on 30th April 2023? To which end did God save you and I?
Ephesians 1:5-6:
God destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved.
To what end did God choose us and redeem us through Christ? To the end that the glory of his grace might be clearly manifested and praised.
Remember the prayer of Christ before he died for our sins:
John 12:27–28 (ESV):
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
All that Christ did for us was for the praise and glory of His name:
Ephesians 1:11–14 (ESV):
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
- Everything God does in us is for His Glory
Philippians 1:11
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
The point of this text is this, if there will ever be anything good coming out of your life as a Christian, it is for God’s glory. The end to all righteousness is the glory and praise of our God.
If it would cost us everything, if our obedience should cost everything, remember it is for God’s glory.
If we suffer for Christ, we do not seek self-preservation, we seek that God may be glorified.
Should we suffer at the hands of cruel systems, at the hands of those who revile the name of Christ, should we suffer in the hands of those who persecute us for preaching the gospel, we must remember it is foremost because of His glory. His glory will vindicate us.
Brothers and sisters, let it be your resolve and mine that every good and pleasing endeavor will not be for the goal of building a small kingdom here and now for us, but that it will chiefly for God’s glory.
Let be our resolve that in our passion for the lost, we will not lay our lives for the sake of having fancy biographies, and beautiful eulogies when we die, but that all will be for God’s Glory.
As we labor to do good, remember that God’s glory is chief.
So again, we ask with the Scottish and English Theologians 350-plus years later:
Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
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