The Purpose of God in the Gospel
I. Question. Why did God create humanity?
Answer. For his own glory.
Isaiah 43:6–7
[6] I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
[7] everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
II. Question. What is the essence of sin?
Answer. Failing to see and honor God's glory.
Romans 1:21–23
[21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
III. Question. Why does God forgive sin?
Answer. For his own glory.
Isaiah 43:25
[25] “I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
Isaiah 48:11
[11] 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.
Psalm 25:11
[11] For your name's sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Psalm 79:9–10
[9] Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
for your name's sake!
[10] Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
IV. Question. Why was Jesus born?
Answer. For God's glory.
Luke 2:13–14
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
[14] “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
V. Question. What did Jesus pray for?
Answer. For God to be praised.
Matthew 6:9
[9] Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
VI. Question. Why did Jesus fulfill his ministry?
Answer. For the Father's glory.
John 12:27–28
[27] “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. [28] Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
VII. Question. Why did Jesus live and die?
Answer. For the Father's glory.
John 17:1–5
[1] When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
VIII. Question. What is the gospel?
Answer. The good news of God's glory.
1 Timothy 1:11
[11] in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
IX. Question. Why does God give the gospel to all peoples?
Answer. For his glory.
Revelation 14:6–7
[6] Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. [7] And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Answer. For his own glory.
Isaiah 43:6–7
[6] I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
[7] everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
II. Question. What is the essence of sin?
Answer. Failing to see and honor God's glory.
Romans 1:21–23
[21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
III. Question. Why does God forgive sin?
Answer. For his own glory.
Isaiah 43:25
[25] “I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
Isaiah 48:11
[11] 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.
Psalm 25:11
[11] For your name's sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Psalm 79:9–10
[9] Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
for your name's sake!
[10] Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
IV. Question. Why was Jesus born?
Answer. For God's glory.
Luke 2:13–14
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
[14] “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
V. Question. What did Jesus pray for?
Answer. For God to be praised.
Matthew 6:9
[9] Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
VI. Question. Why did Jesus fulfill his ministry?
Answer. For the Father's glory.
John 12:27–28
[27] “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. [28] Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
VII. Question. Why did Jesus live and die?
Answer. For the Father's glory.
John 17:1–5
[1] When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
VIII. Question. What is the gospel?
Answer. The good news of God's glory.
1 Timothy 1:11
[11] in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
IX. Question. Why does God give the gospel to all peoples?
Answer. For his glory.
Revelation 14:6–7
[6] Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. [7] And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Question. What is the ultimate purpose of God in the gospel?
Answer. The glory of God.*
See this clearly laid out in Ezekiel 36:22–38.
[22] “Therefore say to the house of Israel, 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, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. [23] And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. [24] I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. [25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. [26] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. [28] You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. [29] And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. [30] I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. [31] Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. [32] It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.
[33] “Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. [34] And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. [35] And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ [36] Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the LORD; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.
[37] “Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. [38] Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
[22] “Therefore say to the house of Israel, 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, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. [23] And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. [24] I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. [25] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. [26] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. [28] You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. [29] And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. [30] I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. [31] Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. [32] It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.
[33] “Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. [34] And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. [35] And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ [36] Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the LORD; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.
[37] “Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. [38] Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
*A definition of the glory of God according to Jonathan Edwards in his Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World: "The thing signified by that name, the glory of God, when spoken of as the supreme and ultimate end of all of God's works, is the emanation and true external expression of God's internal glory and fulness; . . . Or, in other words, God's internal glory, in a true and just exhibition, or external existence of it." Chap. II Sect VII
The glory of God includes…
- The exercise of God's perfections to produce a proper effect, in opposition to their lying eternally dormant and ineffectual.
- The manifestation of his internal glory to created understandings.
- The communication of the infinite fulness of God to the creature.
- The creature's high esteem of God, love to him, and complacence and joy in him; and the proper exercises and expressions of these.
- God's excellency, loving God for it, and rejoicing in it, and in the exercise and expression of these, consists God's honour and praise.
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