Have you ever known true joy? Do you have this joy in your life
right now? If you are longing for fulfillment, for true joy,
please read on—this tract may assist you in your quest.
1. God Created Us For His Glory
“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the
earth… whom I created for my glory” (Isaiah 43:6-7).
God made us to magnify his greatness—the way teles magnify
stars. He created us to put his goodness and truth and beauty and
wisdom and justice on display. The greatest display of God’s
glory comes from deep delight in all that he is. This means that
God gets the praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so
that he is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in
him.
2. Every Human Should Live For God’s Glory
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
If God made us for his glory, clearly we should live for his
glory. Our duty comes from his design. So our first obligation is
to show God’s value by being satisfied with all that he is for
us. This is the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and
trusting him (1 John 5:3-4) and being thankful to him (Psalm
100:2-4). It is the root of all true obedience, especially loving
others (Colossians 1:4-5).
3. All of Us Have Failed To Glorify God As We Should
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:23).
What does it mean to “fall short of the glory of God?” It means
that none of us has trusted and treasured God the way we should.
We have not been satisfied with his greatness and walked in his
ways. We have sought our satisfaction in other things and have
treated them as more valuable than God, which is the essence of
idolatry (Romans 1:21-23). Since sin came into the world, we have
all been deeply resistant to having God as our all-satisfying
treasure (Ephesians 2:3). This is an appalling offense to the
greatness of God (Jeremiah 2:12-13).
4. All Of Us Are Subject To God’s Just Condemnation
“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).
We have all belittled the glory of God. How? By preferring other
things above him. By our ingratitude, distrust, and disobedience.
So God is just in shutting us out from the enjoyment of his glory
forever. “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction,
away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his
might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The word “hell” is used in the New Testament twelve times—eleven
times by Jesus himself. It is not a myth created by dismal and
angry preachers. It is a solemn warning from the Son of God who
died to deliver sinners from its curse. We ignore it at great
risk.
If the Bible stopped here in its analysis of the human condition,
we would be doomed to a hopeless future. However, this is not
where it stops…
5. God Sent His Only Son Jesus To Provide Eternal Life And Joy
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Timothy
1:15).
The good news is that Christ died for sinners like us. And he
rose physically from the dead to validate the saving power of his
death and to open the gates of eternal life and joy (1
Corinthians 15:20). This means God can acquit guilty sinners and
still be just (Romans 3:25-26). “For Christ also suffered once
for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring
us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Coming home to God is where all deep
and lasting satisfaction is found.
6. The Benefits Purchased By The Death Of Christ Belong To Those
Who Repent And Trust Him
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted
out” (Acts 3:19). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved” (Acts 16:31).
“Repent” means to turn from all the deceitful promises of sin.
“Faith” means being satisfied with all that God promised to be
for us in Jesus. “Whoever believes in me,” Jesus says, “shall
never thirst” (John 6:35). We do not earn our salvation. We
cannot merit it (Romans 4:4-5). It is by grace through faith that
we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift (Romans 3:24).
We will have it if we cherish it enough to receive it and
treasure it above all things (Matthew 13:44). When we do that,
God’s in creation is accomplished: He is glorified in us and
we are satisfied in him—forever.
Does This Make Sense To You?
Do you desire the kind of gladness that comes from being
satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus? If so, then God
is at work in your life.
What Should You Do?
Turn from the deceitful promises of sin. Call upon Jesus to save
you from the guilt and punishment and bondage. “Everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Start banking your hope on all that God is for you in Jesus. You
can break the power of sin’s promises by putting your faith in
the superior satisfaction of God’s promises. Begin reading the
Bible to find his precious and very great promises, which can set
you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church, and
begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure
Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7).