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.
God is radically God-centered, not man-centered, yet this redounds to the eternal benefit and blessing of His people. non nobis domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam He calls us, as Piper puts it, to join him in his God-centeredness. His infinite value and worth stand over everything else. "...for you have exalted above all things your name and your word." - Psalm 138:2. Nothing compares to or rivals Him. Apart from God nothing can satisfy the longings and desires of our hearts. Other verses of Scripture which display God's passion for the glory of His name are as follows:
"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth (says the Lord), everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory." Is 43:6-7
"I made the whole house of Israel...cling to me, says the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise and a glory.Jer 13:11
"Our fathers when they were in Egypt did not consider thy wonderful works...but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name's sake that He might make known His mighty power."Ps 106:7-8
"I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profanedin the sight of the nations in whose sight I brought them out." Ezek 20:14
"Fear not, you have done all this evil yet do not turn aside from following the Lord...For the Lord will not cast away his people for his great name's sake. I Sam 12:20-22
"For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you...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."Is 48:9,11
"Thus says the Lord God, 'It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name...And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name...and the nations will know that I am Lord. It is not for your sake that I will act,' says the Lord God. 'Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel." Ezek 36:22-23,32
"Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee." Jn 17:1
"Those who do not obey the gospel will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed," 2Thess 1:9-10
Following is another way of displaying various texts which point out that the chief end of God is to glorify God, and enjoy himself forever.
God chose His people for his glory:
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ according to his will unto the praise of the glory of his grace. Eph 1:4-6; cf.vv.12,14
God created us for his glory:
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory.Isaiah 43:6-7
God called Israel for his glory:
You are my servant Israel in whom I will be glorified.I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory.Jeremiah 13:11
God rescued Israel from Egypt for his glory:
Our fathers when they were in Egypt did not consider thy wonderful works...but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake that he might make known his mighty power.Psalm 106:7-8
God raised Pharaoh up to show his own power and glorify his own name:
For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." Romans 9:17
God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea to show his glory:
And I will harden Pharoah's heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; andthe Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. Exodus 14:4; cf.vv. 17,18
God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name:
I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Ezekiel 20:14
God gave victory in Canaan for the glory of his name:
What other nation on earth is like Thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making Himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before His people a nation and its gods. 2Samuel 7:23
God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name:
Fear not, you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord...For the Lord will not cast away his people for his great name's sake. 1Samuel 12:20-22
God saved Jerusalem from attack for the glory of his name:
For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. 2Kings 19:34; cf.20:6
God restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name:
Thus says the Lord God. It is not for your sake, O House of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name...And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name...and the nations will know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 36:22-23,32
Jesus sought the glory of his Father in all he did:
He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. John 7:18
Jesus told us to do good works so that God gets glory:
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.Matthew 5:16; cf. 1Peter 2:12
Jesus warned that not seeking God's glory makes faith impossible:
How can you believe who seek glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?John 5:44
Jesus said that he answer prayers so that God would be glorified:
Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13
Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for God's glory:
Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.' Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.'
God gave his Son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness:
God put Christ forward as a propitiation by his blood...to demonstrate God's righteousness...It was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous.Romans 3;25-26
God forgives our sins for his own sake:
I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25
For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Psalm 25:11
Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God:
Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son of God:
He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:14
God instructs us to do everything for his glory:
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1Cor. 10:31; cf. 6:20
God tells us to serve in a way that will glorify him:
Whoever renders service [let him do it] as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen 1Peter 4:11
Jesus will fill us with fruits of righteousness for God's glory:
It is my prayer...that you be filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11
All are under judgment for dishonoring God's glory:
They became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images.
For all have fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 Romans 1:23
Herod is struck dead because he did not give glory to God:
Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him because he did not give glory to God. Acts 12:23
Jesus is coming again for the glory of God:
Those who do not obey the gospel will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed. 2Thess. 1:9-10
Jesus' ultimate aim for us is that we see and enjoy his glory:
Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to be behold my glory, which thou hast given me in Thy love me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24
Even in wrath God's aim is to make known the wealth of his glory:
Desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, he endured with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory.
God's plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory:
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14
Everything that happens will redound to God's glory:
From him, to him and through him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen Romans 11:36
In the New Jerusalem the glory of God replaces the sun:
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the lamb. Revelation 21:23
The glory God seeks to magnify is supremely the glory of his mercy:
I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised [Jewish people] to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the nations might glorify God for his mercy. Romans 15:8-9
"There was nothing brought under the consideration of the students of divinity who attended me at Geneva which appeared to contribute so effectually to overthrow their false system of religion, founded on philosophy and vain deceit, as the sublime view of the majesty of God presented in the four concluding verses in this part of the epistle [Rom 11:33-36]: Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. Here God is described as his own last end in everything he does. Judging of God as such as one as themselves, they were at first startled at the idea that he must love himself supremely, infinitely more than the whole universe, and consequently must prefer his own glory to everything besides. But when they were reminded that God in reality is infinitely more amiable and more valuable than the whole creation and that consequently, if he views things as they really are, he must regard himself as infinitely worthy of being more valued and loved, they saw that this truth was incontrovertible. Their attention was at the same time directed to numerous passages of Scripture, which assert that the manifestation of the glory of God is the great end of creation, that he has himself chiefly in view in all his works and dispensations, and that it is a purpose in which he requires that all his intelligent creatures should acquiesce, and seek and promote it as their first and paramount duty."
- Robert Haldane, A Letter from Haldane to Professors Cheneviers, Haldane's Commentary on Romans
Christos Kyrios
"Christ is Lord"
"Delight yourself in the LORD." - Ps. 37:4
"Serve the LORD with gladness." - Ps. 100:2
..the steadfast love [of the LORD] is better than life." - Ps. 63:3
"Whom have I in heaven but you? Besides you I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Ps. 73:25-26
"You are my Lord; I have no good besides you." - Ps.16:2
"As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirst for God, for the living God." - Ps. 42:1-2
"O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory." - >Ps. 63:1-2
Deus pro nobis
"God for us"
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