Lesson 3 SOLI DEO GLORIA

Lesson 3.  SOLI DEO GLORIA.  (Glory to God alone) God’s glory is the central motivation for our life, our ministry, our creativity, for all that we do.

The Reformers believed that human beings, such as the Catholic saints and popes, and their organizations were not worthy of the glory that was bestowed on them or the glory that they requested be bestowed on them. This glory was not mere recognition of their faithfulness, courage or great deeds. The glory given and demanded was the kind of worship that is  reserved for God alone. The Reformers understood that the proper response was the response that the angel demanded from the apostle John when he wanted to worship him after receiving such incredible revelation.
Revelation 22:8-9 (ESV Strong's) 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

Clearly, only God is worthy of true biblical worship.

The saints were also seen as having power before God to grant prayer requests.
 
How much glory do we bestow on successful Christian artists?  Are they worthy of such glory? How much glory do we seek for ourselves?  How often is personal glory our primary motivation?  Are we focused on God and ministry or seeking and receiving glory for our own incredible musicianship?  

Let us search our hearts.  Watch the reactions of others. Listen carefully to people’s comments to get an idea of who is getting the glory.  We need to understand the difference between effectiveness in ministry and a focus on self glory.  Is God getting all the glory or are we gladly taking it for yourself?

As well, the Catholic church displaced the centrality of God’s glory through its forms of worship and devotion. Yet, we do the same when we turn worship into entertainment.  It is a challenge to separate worship and entertainment because creativity done with excellence is often entertaining. This is good when the entertaining presentation captivates the attention so that a bridge is constructed over the chasm of unbelief or doubt. But we must be careful that the entertaining component is a carefully used tool that does not distract from the message  and clearly shows God’s glory to be the motivation for our life.  If we are not careful we can make God a means to the end of our glory.  Rather God is the means and the end. 

The goal of all life is to give glory to God alone.   Glory in all and for all things belongs to God alone.
“1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV Strong's) 1 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”