By Mark Siverling
GOD-GLORIFYING
“We are committed to knowing God, worshipping God, and being led by God.”
Summit Church’s first Distinctive Value is that we seek to be God-Glorifying. In the early years of Summit, the passage of scripture read most was Psalm 115:1
“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!”
For those who don’t come from Christian backgrounds (and for many of us who do), this focus on God’s glory might be confusing; glory isn’t a word that we use much in daily life. It’s a “church word.” So we don’t necessarily have a framework for understanding glory.
To make matters even more confusing, the Bible doesn’t clearly define this mysterious term. The Hebrew word kabod typically means, “weight” or “heaviness.” But the Bible isn’t saying that God is obese; it conveys an idea of importance or significance.
Christopher Morgan gives this definition:
“The glory of God is the magnificence, worth, loveliness, and grandeur of his many perfections.”
But Morgan adds that the Bible uses the term in at least seven different senses, including as an adjective, a noun, and a verb. It refers to God’s character, His actions, His goals, His people, His dwelling, and His plans. So even the clearest definition of the term has a sense of mystery about it.
Theologians have written volumes about what God’s glory means, but the important thing to know is that it is all about God. In our sin, we humans are tempted to glorify ourselves, to take credit for our successes, and to think of ourselves as good. But through the Holy Spirit, we can reject self-glorification and turn our attention to the One who actually deserves glory.
I once visited Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. To walk those sacred grounds and think of the sacrifices of the men and women buried there can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. It feels different from any other place. It signifies something weighty and significant. And it fills Americans with gratitude for what was given for the sake of this nation.
This weight, this sacred and special feeling, is an echo of the awe and reverence we should feel before God, creator of the universe. But, unlike the solemnity of Arlington, the sacredness that we feel before God wells up in intense joy, a delight in the wonder of God. It is the “fear of the Lord” – not terror, but recognition that He is not a tame God who bends to our wills, but a mighty God who loves us with amazing grace.
This glory profoundly changes those who experience it. It is humbling (in the best way) to realize how small and sinful we are before our Maker. To taste God’s glory leaves you with the sense that to glorify any other thing would be a waste and a shame.
That’s why Summit is all about God’s glory. We want to be a people who seek excellence in all things – not so people will hear our music, listen to our preaching, or see us serve, and think “what a great organization this is.” We seek to glorify God with our actions because to ascribe glory to Summit Church would be a waste and a shame – He deserves it all.
Knowing God, worshipping God, and being led by God are the normal desires of anyone who understands how awesome He is. Nothing else is worth our time and devotion. Nothing else is a wise investment of our lives.
We often quote the Westminster Catechism’s wonderful declaration:
“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
That’s a great personal life purpose, and it works for us as a church family also: The chief end of Summit Church is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We do that by knowing Him (through His Word and His Spirit), worshipping Him (as individuals and corporately), and submitting to His leadership (because He is the Good Shepherd).
If you ask me to give a clear and concise definition of God’s glory, I’ll probably stumble over my words. But if you ask me what I live for, and what is the purpose of Summit Church, the answer is easy: to glorify the One who is entirely worthy of glory.