Ephesians 1:11-14 – 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.
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In the opening chapter of the book of Ephesians, Paul describes for us much of how God’s eternal plan of salvation has been worked out in Christ. Though there are countless things that catch my attention in this chapter, there is a phrase repeated in the verses above that truly grabs my attention: “to the praise of his glory.”
In Paul’s description of how God saved both Jews and Gentiles, both the Jerusalem apostles and the churches of Asia Minor, both the first believers and the second generation of those to follow Christ, he uses the phrase “to the praise of his glory” to describe the work that God. Did. God saved Paul and the apostles and he saved the latter church “to the praise of his glory.” And if this applied in Paul’s day to the churches of his day, it most certainly applies to us today. If God saved Paul to the praise of his glory and if God saved the Ephesians to the praise of his glory, we can very well be sure that God saved all of us who are saved today “to the praise of his glory.”
The word “to” in this sentence indicates to us that Paul intends to explain to us the purpose of our salvation. He is answering for us to what end we are saved. For example, if I were to say to you, “I went to the store to pick up some milk,” you would know that picking up milk was the purpose or the end for which I took the trip to the store. In like manner, if God saved us “to the praise of his glory,” we can understand that our salvation and God’s giving to us his holy spirit was for the purpose of the praise of his glory.
Get this point, and it will change your life: God saved you for the sake of his glory—to the praise of his glory. The purpose that God saved you was God’s own glory. This is not to say that it was not out of love for you. God clearly affirms, in other verses of scripture, that he loves us and his saving us demonstrates his love (Romans 5:8); however, we need to also recognize that the reason that God clearly gives here for the purpose of our salvation is that our salvation might be “to the praise of his glory.” If you are saved, you are saved because you are intended to be for the praise of God’s glory. If anyone is saved in the future, they will be saved to the praise of God’s glory. Our salvation is not about God making much of us. It is not about us being irresistible and loveable to God. Our salvation is about the praise of God’s glory.
When you get this picture, you will recognize that God, not yourself, is the center of the universe. All things that happen are for him. Even your salvation is centered on the praise of God’s glory. You are not the center of the universe. You did not merit God’s salvation of your soul. You did not add to God by becoming a follower of Christ. Instead, you were saved as a demonstration of the glory of God for the sake of the praise of God’s glory. Your salvation is for God, as all things that exist do so for God’s sake.
Today, let this truth encourage you. Do not be discouraged. God loves you, and this teaching does not deny that fact. God sacrificed more out of love for you than you could ever imagine. But, that sacrifice was also to the praise of God’s glory. Instead of being discouraged, be encouraged, that your life exists to the praise of God’s glory. Your salvation is to the praise of God’s glory. For you to live out your ultimate purpose, then, is for you to live to the praise of God’s glory. Let this teaching teach you your purpose. Let this teaching take the focus off of yourself, and let it put the focus where it belongs, on the glory of God. Make every last moment of every day be focused on the praise of God’s glory in your life, and you will find that you are doing the thing for which God created you. And what could give you more joy than doing what you were created to do in the first place?
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that you saved my soul for the praise of your glory. I recognize that I am not the center of the universe, but that all things exist for your praise. I pray that my life will be completely to the praise of your glory. Help me to glorify you in all that I think, feel, say, and do. Let me never make myself the central purpose of my existence, but let me remember that the reason that I exist is for you and your glory. I know that nothing will give me greater joy than when I live out my life’s purpose of bringing praise and glory to your name.
Pastor Travis Peterson 