This injunction is part of (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The full verse reads: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” I really like how the Amplified Bible amplifies the phrase fear God. It says: “[worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God.]” In other words, our chief end in life is to worship, glorify, and obey God.
Another way to share this thought can be found in the Westminster Shorter Catechism which asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” It then shares the answer. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The Bible tells us with great clarity that man was created in order to bring glory to God. There is no higher calling. And when we are enjoying God with all of our heart and mind, which God wants us to do, then worshipping and glorifying Him should automatically be what we most want to do.
So often when you ask people what is their chief purpose in life you hear such things as to be happy, to become successful, or to make a lot of money. Fortunately, as we can see from (Ecclesiastes 12:13) this is clearly not what we were created for. Only when Jesus comes into a person’s life can the blinders, which Satan has shackled us with, come off and we can clearly see our ultimate purpose in life.
And by fearing or reverencing God and obeying His commandments, not only will we experience true joy, but we will be able to overcome sin and thus bring even more glory to God. First, obedience to God will always bring joy to the heart of a believer since in the kingdom of God joy is always a by-product of obeying God’s commandments. And second, (Proverbs 16:6) tells us: “…And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.” When our sole desire is to reverence and glorify God the last thing we will want to do is sin and bring reproach to His holy name.
I don’t know about you but I am excited that God has not left us in the dark about what our true purpose in life is. Sadly, for many individuals they go through their whole lives not knowing why they were created. The great French philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, said over 350 years ago that every man is born with a spiritual vacuum that only Jesus Christ can fill. Once we come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ everything begins to make sense as to why we were created – and that makes our journey in life so much more fulfilling. Worshipping Christ brings true joy, peace, and purpose and puts us in touch with the highest calling anyone could ever ask for.
In a world desperately searching for meaning Christians should rejoice because they alone are blessed to have the privilege to worship the one true God – Jesus Christ. Jesus and joy – what an awesome combination!