The Ultimate Purpose: Living for the Glory of God

By: Pastor José Flávio Macieira — 2025

Our salvation is not about us becoming the center, but about God becoming our center.

“...according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:4b-5 NIV)

What is the purpose of life? Why are we here? These are the deepest questions of the human soul. We seek meaning in our careers, in our families, in leaving a legacy. As Christians, we often think the purpose of our salvation is primarily about us: our forgiveness, our peace, our entrance into heaven. While all of this is true and wonderfully gracious, the Apostle Paul, as he concludes his summary of the gospel, raises our gaze to a much vaster and more glorious horizon.

He first anchors us in the divine initiative: Christ's rescue happened "according to the will of our God and Father." This is of immense importance. The cross was not an emergency plan, a reaction from God to Adam's mistake. It was the sovereign, eternal, and deliberate plan of the Father from the beginning. Your salvation was not a historical accident; it was an intentional act by a God who loved and chose you. This truth gives us unshakable security. We are not products of chance, but objects of the redemptive will of the Creator of the universe.

With the origin of the plan established, Paul leads us to its final destination: "...to whom be glory for ever and ever." Here is the ultimate purpose of all things. The chief end of creation, of history, of the cross, and of your life is not your comfort or your happiness, but the glory of God. What does this mean? To glorify God is to reflect His character, to display His worth, to make His goodness, wisdom, justice, and love seen and admired. Our salvation is the greatest showcase of God's glory. Our lives, rescued from sin and darkness, become living trophies of His grace. We were saved by Him and for Him. To live for the glory of God is to step out of the center of our own universe and place God in His rightful place. It is to find our true purpose by becoming a mirror that reflects the light of His worth to the world.

The human response to this sublime truth is contained in the final word: "Amen." This is not just a way to end a prayer. "Amen" is a strong word of affirmation, meaning "So be it," "Truly," "I agree with all my heart." By saying "Amen" to the glory of God, we are aligning our will with His. We are joining the choir of all creation which, as Paul says in another letter, exists from Him, through Him, and for Him (Romans 11:36). Our "Amen" is our declaration that we have found the true meaning of life: to live for the glory of the One who gave us life itself.

Challenge Choose a common activity from your day today—it could be your work, a conversation with a family member, or even your time of rest. Perform this activity with the conscious intention of "doing it for the glory of God." Shift the motive from what you gain from it to how God can be honored through it.

Time to Reflect

1. Honestly, what has been the "ultimate goal" guiding most of your daily decisions?

2. How does the idea of living for God's glory change the way you view your successes and failures?

3. What does it mean to you, in practice, that your salvation was "according to the will of God the Father"?

4. Besides a spoken "amen," how can you live an "Amen" with your attitudes, agreeing with God's purpose for your life?

Prayer God and Father, may all glory be to You forever and ever. Forgive me for all the times I have lived for my own glory, seeking my own name and my own comfort. I submit to Your will and Your purpose. May my life, rescued by Your love, be a reflection of Your worth and Your goodness. I say "Amen" to Your plan. Use me for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

The purpose of your life is not what you can build for yourself, but how much you can reflect of the One who built you.