Q. What is the Chief and Highest End of Man?

A. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

The Westminster Standards are, at times, criticized for being scholastic while lacking practical and experiential value. The first question of the Larger Catechism brushes aside this accusation. It is said that in his old age Thomas Carlyle—a jack of many trades—commented: “The older I grow and now I stand on the brink of eternity, the more comes back to me the first sentence in the Catechism, which I learned when a child, and the fuller and deeper its meaning becomes.”

The first question is key not only to the rest of the catechism—there is nothing worth believing and knowing that does not terminate here—but it is also the key to our existence. Humanity has often been haunted with questions of meaning: What is the purpose of life? That is not a question for the deeply self-aware or philosophically erudite; it has been asked by all of us in a thousand different ways. Thankfully, God has not left it up to each of us to determine what our ultimate end is, but has shown us and commanded us to make this our pursuit: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

This is precisely what the first question of the catechism is teaching. Of course, it is important to note the wording. This is our chief and highest end. We do many things for many different reasons. Perhaps you study in school to get good grades or go to work to earn money. You do these things so that you can get a good job or provide for your family. But none of these things are our chief or highest end. They are all means to a single purpose that is not a means to an end but is the end itself: glorifying and enjoying God.

Wait a second, you might want to interject. How can two things—glorifying and enjoying God—be the chief end? Is the catechism teaching that there are actually two ultimate purposes? Strictly speaking, only one of these can be the highest end, and that is to glorify God. The other is next to last. Why are they joined together? Simply answered, it is because God has joined them together so that they cannot be practically separated.

So, what does it all mean? To “glorify” means to exalt, praise, honor, and admire and to promote the fame of something. Humanity’s purpose is to glorify God. This is the rubric by which you are intended to live your life. Sometimes we get the idea that to glorify God requires that we do something bold or extraordinary. That is not the case at all and can actually be exhausting! Notice Paul’s emphasis in 1 Corinthians 10:31 is on the mundane routines of life. Are you eating today? Do it to the glory of God. Are you drinking today? Do it to the glory of God. Are you doing anything today? Do it to the glory of God.

At this point it is easy to stamp your approval over those words and declare: Yes! Many Christians, however, are faced with the challenge of what this looks like. A helpful way to understand how we glorify God is to consider how fallen humanity does not glorify Him. This is Paul’s emphasis in Romans 1. Sinful people do not glorify God because they do not think of Him, honor Him, live by His truth, serve Him, acknowledge Him, or thank Him. Thus, glorifying Him is the exact opposite of that. As we eat and drink and in whatever we do, we should think of Him, honor Him, live by His truth, serve Him, acknowledge Him, and thank Him.

These actions may sound daunting, slavish, and difficult, but that is not where the catechism is going. Remember, God has joined together glorifying Him with the enjoyment of Him. Sometimes people wrongly characterize the Christian life as a killjoy. They act as though Christianity denies a place to happiness and pleasure—it is all frowning and puritanical. The 20th Century journalist H.L. Mencken famously defined puritan as one who had “the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” Nothing could be further from the truth! The authors of the catechism—Puritans, in fact—begin their journey into Christian doctrine, worship, and piety with personal happiness. That is because they knew that true and satisfying joy is only found in knowing God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible. It is the tragedy of sin that many people looking for happiness turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the One who alone can truly make our joy complete.

It is an observed reality that God has created you to enjoy Him, and that is best done by glorifying Him and organizing your life—even the eating and drinking—with Him in mind. And how long will this enjoyment last? Most joys are fleeting. For the Christian, glorifying and enjoying God is forever. Start here. Memorize this. Shape your life around it: “I have told you these things…that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

Nathan Eshelman is pastor of Los Angeles, Calif., RPC. Kyle Borg is pastor of Winchester, Kan., RPC.