The Westminster Shorter Catechism opens with its famous first question – “What is the chief end of man?”. The answer given is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever”. This is a marvelous biblical truth that is foundational for Christian thought. This question should frame how we think about our own lives, but in this essay I want to consider how this question and its answer could be used in evangelism. The Westminster question is not so far off from another question often asked today – “What is the meaning of life?”. It’s also a question that the secular worldview of relativistic meaning fails to answer. The question is simply put back to the asker “Well what do you think the meaning of life is for you?”. The asker is told that they must answer the question themselves. Thus, the Christian is given a great opportunity to provide a satisfying answer to a question that society has failed to answer. And the answer is satisfying because it is true.
First, let us unpack why the Westminster Shorter Catechism answers the question in the way that it does. There are many scriptural proofs given, so I will look at only a couple. First, Romans 11:36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”. Second, Revelation 4:11, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”. Third, Psalm 86:9, “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name”. This first question is great because it gets at not only the doctrine of man, but also the doctrine of God. Man is made for God. God’s glory is what mankind is made for. And as an axe is most at peace when felling a tree, man is most at peace when he is glorifying God. Thus, in truly living for God’s glory, we find our greatest enjoyment in him.
Because man is made by and for God, it follows that God is not made for man. In fact, God is not made at all. This gets us to the great doctrine of the independence or aseity of God. God is the self-existent one. As John speaks of Christ, “All things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3 ESV). Isaiah says,
“Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:8-11 ESV)
The basic truth of reality is God, not humanity. This is a fundamental error that our culture makes and often hampers gospel discussions. There is an untold assumption in many unbelievers minds that unfortunately is reinforced by man-centered gospel presentations. The assumption is that becoming a Christian is a lifestyle choice made by people who feel a need for God, who want to live morally, who want to live with a sense of purpose. When we understand God rightly, we do not present the gospel primarily as a fix for personal issues. Rather, we are in the wrong before God and under condemnation. We are dead and ready to be damned. The gospel is an offer of forgiveness by a merciful God. God holds all the cards, we have lost, and we are called to surrender, repent, and receive his grace.
The chief end of man also, in getting at what we are made for, touches upon sin. We were made to glorify God and enjoy him. No unbeliever is doing this. Paul says “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, because it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8 ESV). If this is our created purpose, one way to portray sin is as corrupted creations. We do not do the things we were made to do. If we had a space heater and when it was plugged in, it caught on fire and threw sparks all over the room rather than safely providing heat, would we not throw it away? Thus, God is sensible to reject his creation that has become corrupted. Of course, humanity operates not only on a functional basis, but also on a moral basis. We choose to reject God, to glorify ourselves, and to harm one another. Thus, it’s not only on a pragmatic basis that God rejects sinful man, but on a moral basis he justly punishes sinful man.
Lastly, the chief end of man also provides a compelling picture of the end of salvation. Paul says “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14 ESV). God’s grace and forgiveness has a purpose. It’s to turn the condemned rebels into obedient sons. We have failed to live up to our purpose of glorifying and enjoying God, but Christ’s offer is to redeem us from our lawlessness and purify us, making us zealous for good works. And our obedient good works bring glory to God. Through the gospel, God’s grace trains us to renounce ungodliness. It trains us to hope in Christ. It trains us to be zealous for good works. This is not a picture of captives begrudgingly obeying their captor, but sons joyfully obeying their father. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3 ESV) .
The Westminster Shorter Catechism is not authoritative in itself, but only inasmuch as agrees with scripture. I hope that I’ve done a sufficient job showing that the claim of the first question and answer is biblically founded and thus true. Practically, I would avoid bringing up the Catechism with an unbeliever, unless they were already familiar with it. However, without quoting or citing it, it provides a good framework for a gospel conversation, discussing:
1. The nature and character of God
2. The nature and character of man
3. Sin and its consequences apart from Christ
4. Salvation and the glory of reconciliation with God
In providing the true answer, we can expose the shallow answer or complete lack of an answer that many non-believers have to this question. Let us soberly and joyously share this good news with those around us that they may believe in the name of the Son of God and have life in his name.
