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Living Our Lives To The Glory Of GodKnow ye not, that so many of us as werebaptized into Jesus Christ were baptized intohis death? Therefore we are buried with him bybaptism into death: that like as Christ was raisedup from the dead by the glory of the Father,even so we also should walk in newness oflife (Rom. 6:3-4, emphasis added).A second way that it is seen in our life, one mustunderstand that Jesus is to be the center of the Christian’slife. The apostle Paul wrote,I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the lifewhich I now live in the flesh I live by the faith ofthe Son of God, who loved me, and gave himselffor me (Gal. 2:20).In a related passage, he penned these words to thebrethren at Philippi, “For to me to live is Christ, and to dieis gain” (Phil. 1:21). The apostle Peter uses some similarwording to that of Paul’s, “That he no longer should livethe rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but tothe will of God” (1 Peter 4:2). A Christian’s life falls intotwo distinct categories. One’s life before obedience, andone’s life after obedience to the Gospel. Afterwards, it is alife in service to God. It is important for one to remember,the past cannot be changed, but our future can.Thirdly, when one lives their life to the glory of God,it will be seen in a person’s actions. When the apostle Paulwrote to the brethren at Ephesus, he talked about the oldman and the new man. There are certain things that mustbe put off, and then there are certain things that are to beput in place in the new man’s life. Notice what he writes,16

Robert JefferiesWherefore putting away lying, speak every mantruth with his neighbour: for we are membersone of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let notthe sun go down upon your wrath: Neither giveplace to the devil. Let him that stole steal nomore: but rather let him labour, working withhis hands the thing which is good, that he mayhave to give to him that needeth. Let no corruptcommunication proceed out of your mouth, butthat which is good to the use of edifying, that itmay minister grace unto the hearers. And grievenot the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealedunto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evilspeaking, be put away from you, with all malice:And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’ssake hath forgiven you (Eph. 4:25-32).Fourthly, when one lives their life to the glory of Godit will be seen in one’s example. How many people have aninfluence? Everyone. How many people have an example?Everyone. Every single person has an influence and anexample that is either good or bad. Our examples are likemagnets, they will either attract someone to Christ or repelthem from Him. Notice what Paul told Timothy about theimportance of an example and the areas to be an example,“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example ofthe believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit,in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).It Will Be Seen In My Habits. A habit is somethingthat is done with regularity. A habit can be something thatis good or bad. Let’s make sure that we have some regular17

Living Our Lives To The Glory Of Godspiritual habits that are a part of our lives that help us tolive to the glory of God. First, let’s be sure that we are inthe habit of daily Bible study. When the apostle Paul wroteto Timothy notice carefully what he says about this subject,“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation,to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13, emphasis added). Two verseslater Paul writes, “Meditate upon these things; give thyselfwholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all”(1 Tim. 4:15, emphasis added). The word “meditate”means “to resolve in the mind” (Strong’s). When oneresolve’s in the mind, it means that they are thinking aboutthe things that they have read. How many times have youever read a Bible passage at night or possibly first thingin the morning, and you thought about it throughout theday at work, school, or around the house?Another related Bible passage that comes to mindis in Paul’s second inspired letter to Timothy where hewrites,Study to shew thyself approved unto God, aworkman that needeth not to be ashamed,rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim.2:15, emphasis added).When Paul says to study, this is not something that Godis recommending or suggesting for us to do. Study is acommand that God expects of us. This is the way that theGod of Heaven communicates to the universe. Let’s besure that we make this a daily habit in our life. However,some may say, “Well, I just do not have the time to study.I’m too busy.” Most people find time to watch TV, read thenewspaper, surf the internet, talk on the phone, text, etc Ifwe can find time for all of these things, but cannot find time18

Robert Jefferiesto take a few minutes each day to study from God’s Wordthan we need to check our priorities. There is nothingwrong with being busy. However, when we are too busyto make time for God, our priorities are misplaced. Let’smake sure that we do not crowd out the things of mostimportance in our life.Perhaps you struggle with daily Bible reading, hereare a few suggestions to consider: (1) Find a daily Biblereading program and stick to it. It may be finding one onthe internet, it may be reading nine chapters each dayin the New Testament (with this method you will readthrough the New Testament completely in one month,which translates into twelve times a year), or read aproverb a day that corresponds to the calendar day ofthe month. (2) Another idea to consider might be to writedown topics that are of interest to you and do a topicalBible study, by searching out the related Bible passagesthat go with that topic. How often should I study God’sWord? Take a few minutes daily. Let’s be like those nobleBereans,These were more noble than those inThessalonica, in that they received the wordwith all readiness of mind, and searched thescriptures daily, whether those things were so(Acts 17:11).One person said to read God’s Word every day that you eat.Most people eat everyday, so that means that we need tolet God feed us with His Word each day. What happens ifwe neglect to make time to study God’s Word? Our spiritualbody will eventually go through an emaciation process,which means, that we are depriving our soul of the most19

Living Our Lives To The Glory Of Godimportant nutrients needed to survive. Let’s make surethat we have a longing desire for God’s Word, “As newbornbabes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye maygrow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).Second, let’s be in the habit of having a healthy prayerlife. What if you could sit down and have a conversationwith anyone of your choosing, who would it be? ThePresident? The Queen of England? A famous athlete?Your favorite singer? Your favorite actor? What if I wereto tell you that the Creator of the universe longs to have aconversation with you. The way that God communicateswith us is through His Word. However, the way that wecommunicate with Him is through prayer. The Bible tells usto “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Does this meanthat we are to pray every waking hour throughout theday? No. However, it does mean that we are to let talkingto God be a natural part of our life. Prayer is vital to the lifeof a Christian. Some may neglect their prayer life becausethey do not know for what to pray. Perhaps you fall intothis category.Let me suggest to you the 5-fingered prayer. Whenyou pray, think about your fingers and how they representcertain things for which to pray. Our thumb representsthose who are closest to us, our family members andfriends. Our index finger represents those who teachand instruct. Think about all the school teachers andBible school teachers that teach our children. Our middlefinger is our tallest finger and represents those who are inpositions of leadership. Think about those who are leadingin a secular way and also those who are spiritual leaders.Our ring finger is our weakest finger. Ask any piano player20

Robert Jefferieswhat their weakest finger is and they will tell you theirring finger. This represents those who are sick or shutin. Finally, our pinky finger, which represents prayingfor ourselves (www.sermons4kids.com). Hopefully thesethoughts will help us to develop a better prayer life inthe year 2016. Once you learn what to pray for, let mechallenge you to pray five times a day. Once, when youwake up. Each time that you eat (most eat three times aday). Then, right before you go to bed.Third, let’s be in the habit of visiting. James wrote,Pure religion and undefiled before God and theFather is this, To visit the fatherless and widowsin their affliction, and to keep himself unspottedfrom the world (James 1:27, emphasis added).What does it mean to visit? Most would suggest that itis simply making a social call to someone else. However,when we examine Luke’s writing, it actually entails a littlemore than a social call.And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas,Let us go again and visit our brethren inevery city where we have preached the wordof the Lord, and see how they do (Acts 15:36,emphasis added).The word “visit” means, “to look upon or after, to inspect,examine with the eyes” (Thayer’s). When one considers thenumerous “one another” passages of the New Testament,we see that we are members one of another (Rom. 5:12),love one another (Rom. 13:8), edify one another (Rom.14:9), honor prefer one another (Rom. 12:10), compassionone to another (1 Peter 3:8), hospitality one to another (121

Living Our Lives To The Glory Of GodPeter 4:9), and all of these can be accomplished throughvisiting.Fourth, let’s be in the habit of growing spiritually.That means that we will never be content. The apostlePeter wrote,And beside this, giving all diligence, add to yourfaith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And toknowledge temperance; and to temperancepatience; and to patience godliness; And togodliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherlykindness charity. For if these things be in you,and abound, they make you that ye shall neitherbe barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge ofour Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh thesethings is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hathforgotten that he was purged from his old sins.Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence tomake your calling and election sure: for if ye dothese things, ye shall never fall (2 Peter 1:5-10).ConclusionDear Christian, when we sing the song “To God BeThe Glory,” does our life and habits demonstrate the wordsthat we are singing? Does our life and habits magnify andbring honor to the God of Heaven or to the god of thisworld (John 8:44)? Jesus made it His mission in life whileHe was here upon this earth, to glorify the Father (John17:4) Let’s make it our number one goal in life to live ourlives to the glory of God every single day.22

Robert JefferiesWorks ext/to god be the glory greatthings he hathJackson, Bill. A Commentary On First Corinthians. (Abilene,TX: Quality Publications, 1990).Thayer, James. Thayer’s Greek Definitions. E-sword.Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words.(Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985).Winkler, Wendell. A Study of 1 Corinthians: Solving ProblemsGod’s Way. (Tuscaloosa, AL, Winkler Publications, Inc.2004).23

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Chapter 2Loving Our WorldTo The Glory Of GodDerrick CobleIIntroductionn everything the child of God does, God’s glory is alwaysfirst and last on his mind (1 Cor. 10:31). Accordingto Vines, “glory” (Gr. doxa) “primarily signifies anopinion, estimate, and hence, the honour resulting from agood opinion” (Vines Expository Dictionary of NT Words).To this thought Thayer adds, “magnificence, excellence,preeminence, and dignity” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions). Itinvolves recognizing God as God and treating Him as God(cf. Rom. 1:21) because God’s glory is more important thanman’s glory. This is why the Savior said,Let your light so shine before men, that they maysee your good works, and glorify your Fatherwhich is in heaven (Matt. 5:16; KJV).When sinners analyze the motives of Christians whatdo they see? Hopefully, they will see that each one trulydesires to direct others to God and His Son. It is not worldlyfavor that will advance the love of God, but only the cross (1Cor. 1:18). Think about the attitude of the apostle Paul and25

Loving Our World To The Glory Of Godhow desperately it is needed amongst Christians today:But God forbid that I should glory, save in thecross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom theworld is crucified unto me, and I unto the world(Gal. 6:14).Christians are called “to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).That glory is not personal, but the Lord’s own glory. It ismanifested by virtue or moral goodness—lives that reflecthumility, obedience, and praise to God by leading othersto glorify Him out of love (1 Peter 4:11; Eph. 3:21).God’s Love For The WorldPerhaps, the best known verse in the Bible speaksabout God’s love for the world.For God so loved the world, that he gave hisonly begotten Son, that whosoever believethin him should not perish, but have everlastinglife (John 3:16).There are two important words that stand out in this verse.The first one is LOVED. The kind of love that God has forthe world is termed in the Greek as agape. This type of loveis the key to all our relationships with God and man. Johnsaid, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth inGod, and God in him.We love him, because he first lovedus” (1 John 4:16,19). This love says, “I want what is bestfor you and I will stop at nothing to accomplish it.” It is alove that “moves in the interest of others with no thoughtfor self” (Mayfield, 58). That is how God loves and how weare expected to show forth love.26

Derrick CobleWith this in mind, it is important to note that God’slove is for “the world” (Gr. kosmos). Some environmentalistshave erroneously asserted that the “world” of John 3:16“always included not only individuals, but also the wholecreation” (Gibbs). How can the trees, plants, and animalsbelieve in the Lord? Not only that, but God never promisedthat the physical world would be everlasting. In fact, Jesussaid that the world would “pass away” (Matt. 24:35) andPeter revealed that “the earth also and the works that aretherein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). So, the worldcannot include the physical creation—only individuals.Yet, there are other passages where “world” is used in alimited scope. Does that apply here? John indicated thatthe “whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19), but inthe same verse he affirmed that those who were Christianswere not lying in wickedness but “of God.” Therefore, hewas not talking about every person being wicked, but onlythose following the god of this world—Satan (2 Cor. 4:4).Jesus even told the apostles,If ye were of the world, the world would love hisown: but because ye are not of the world, but Ihave chosen you out of the world, therefore theworld hateth you (John 15:19).Here, the term does not denote all men, but only thosewho were wicked and worldly minded (Hastings 193). Sowho is it that God loved? Is God’s love limited or universal?The truth is that God has shown His love for all humanity.Jesus is “the propitiation for our sins: and not for oursonly, but also the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2,emphasis DC). Paul made it clear that God loves the worldso much He “will have all men to be saved, and to come27

Loving Our World To The Glory Of Godunto the knowledge of the truth” which is why Jesus “gavehimself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:4,6, emphasis DC). Nowonder this verse has been called the “Golden Text” and“Everyman’s Text” (Butler 111).The second word that stands out in the verse isGAVE. True love involves giving. We experience this insmall ways such as: holidays where gifts are exchanged,giving/sacrificing for our children, volunteering our timeto help others. Yet, God gave the ultimate gift—His onlybegotten Son: “But God commendeth his love toward us, inthat, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom.5:8). Likewise, John wrote,In this was manifested the love of God towardus, because that God sent his only begotten Soninto the world, that we might live through him(1 John 4:9).The world needs to know that God gave Jesus in thefullness of time out of love (Gal. 4:4). The world needs toknow how unselfishly Jesus loved the world by humblingHimself and giving Himself to the death of the cross (Phil.2:5-8). Wayne Jackson has rightly observed,Giving is characteristic of God. He has given uslife (Acts 17:25), and his gifts of providenceare daily evident (Acts 14:17). He is the sourceof all good gifts (James 1:17), and the greatestwas the gift of his Son. Seven centuries beforethe birth of Jesus, Isaiah announced: ‘.a child isborn.a son is given.’ (9:6). Surely we must saywith Paul: ‘Thanks be to God for his unspeakablegift’ (2 Cor. 9:15) (The Golden Text: A Study ofJohn 3:16).28

Derrick CobleGod’s love is so magnificent it reaches across the entireworld! Christ suffered for sins once to bring us unto God(1 Peter 3:18). The world needs to know the love of theGod of Heaven who offers anyone with obedient faith thehope of eternal life (Gal. 5:6; 1 John 5:11; Eph. 2:8,9; Col.1:5; Titus 2:11,12).The Christian’s Love For The WorldThere is a sense in which Christians are commandedto withhold love from the world and a sense in which weshould extend our love to the world. John wrote,Love not the world, neither the things that arein the world. If any man love the world, the loveof the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15).It seems contradictory at first; yet, John is not speakingabout the

Katherine Whitworth have shown me the value of Christian service over the last two years. Here are a few qualities they exemplified daily: Daily Prayer (1 Thess. 5:17), Daily Study (2 Timothy 2:15), Daily Love (Matthew 22:37), Daily Zeal (2 Corinthians 7:11), Daily Teaching (Acts 2:42), Daily Service (Luke 9:23), Daily Giving (2 Corinthians 8),