… in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Summary: Understanding Paul’s words in this verse requires having a glimpse of God’s glory.
“The praise of his glory” sounds a bit like it should be the refrain of a song. (As it turns out, it is! More than one song, in fact.) But what does it mean to “be for the praise” of something?
In trying to understand this phrase, I find myself searching for examples of “praise” to relate to. From the definitions of the word “praise” and the original Greek “epainos,” we see praise described as a combination of an emotional response to something (deep admiration, warm response) and an intellectual approval (admired, approved, commended).
As an example of lukewarm praise, we might watch a child playing soccer or football and execute a play extremely well. We admire the improvement in the child’s skill level and “praise” them for their effort and accomplishment. On the other hand, watching an Olympic or professional-level athlete perform the same play might leave us breathless, stunned at the skill and grace demonstrated by the athlete. Our “praise,” in that case, comes from deep within. We bubble over with words of amazement at what we witnessed, praising the athlete for such a masterful display of prowess.
God’s glory is like that, only more so. God’s glory takes our breath away. God’s power, purity, and beauty are so stunning that it touches every part of our being. When we glimpse God’s presence and become aware of all that he has done, we are completely awed.
After a big game on television, your neighbor or coworker might say, “Did you see the Big Game yesterday?” And then, if you didn’t see it, you get to hear about it. If you did, you both get to share your praise of whatever impressed you about the game.
Being a Christian is like that. If we have seen God’s glory, there is nothing else that compares. Of course, we don’t “see” God’s glory like we see something on TV. God’s glory is seen with our spiritual eyes. God’s glory changes us. God’s glory leaves us with the impression that nothing else matters. Our lives become an expression of praise for what we have seen. We live for the praise of his glory.
Application: Seek God so that you might know him and live for the praise of his glory.
Food for Thought: What does it tell us if someone is more excited about a football game than they are about God? (This is not intended as a “gotcha” question. The hope is we wrestle with the unspoken message our actions communicate to others.)
Our passions can tell us something about our priorities. If we are never excited about our Lord then it is unlikely we hold Him in high priority. If that is the case, we can always pray for a greater hunger and thirst for Him. If we do, our thirst can be satisfied. Matthew 5: 6. I want to have a similar passion for Christ as I see from Paul in Philippians 3: 7 – 11. If I do, I know He will be taking a more appropriate place in my priorities.
Thanks Rich,
I like your approach to the question — making it a matter of thirst. I also appreciate the comparison to Paul’s passion for Christ. His passion totally transformed his life.
02-20-2023, What does it tell us if someone is more excited about a football game than they are about God
In Luke 6:45, Jesus tells us, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. FOR THE MOUTH SPEAKS WHAT THE HEART IS FULL OF.”
Ron,
If I was still doing the cartoons I would do one with a football in a guy’s mouth. 🙂
I think it also reflects what people feel is safe to talk about. If the world were less hostile to Jesus people might be more willing to share their enthusiasm for Christ.