Sola - A 5-Day Devotional through Five Solas of the ReformationНамуна

Glory To God Alone

Eric Liddell ran with his head back, his mouth open, and a serene look on his face. He was just about the fastest man in the world, and one of the most famous. After gaining Olympic glory as a gold medalist, he had everything the natural human heart could want: the chance to become quite wealthy, positions at schools like Oxford, fame and influence that few would ever attain. But the runner immortalized in the movie Chariots of Fire passed all this by and gave all this up. He had other things on his mind. Specifically, he had God’s glory in view.

Liddell knew that ministering in God’s kingdom was of inestimable value, both to God and man. He had a big heart for the work of missions and the making of disciples among people who had never heard of Christ. So, with the British Empire celebrating his victories and watching for his next move, Liddell took the most culturally counter intuitive step possible: he moved to China to be a poor missionary in a dusty, far-flung place. He taught school, engaged his neighbors, and showed kindness to many around him. Why did he do it? The answer might seem complicated, but in truth, it is simple: he did it for the glory. But not his glory. The glory of God.

If Liddell’s station in life was unusual, his motive was not. The story of Eric Liddell speaks powerfully to a life set aside for God, dedicated to making God known and amplifying God’s renown. Such a life fits with the great sola of the Reformation: soli Deo gloria, meaning we live “for God’s glory alone.” This, one of the five solas of the Reformation, sums up why we exist, and indeed, why all things exist: for God

The point of everything in the Christian life, as Paul relays it, is derived from a most unexpected place: a lengthy discussion of food laws. In 1 Corinthians 10, the apostle strives to help a young body of believers, living in a pagan context marked by idol worship and food sacrifices to false gods, understand what to eat and what not to eat.

The apostle gives his confused followers numerous helpful points about how to handle food consecrated in the name of idols. If food is served in these terms, the wise Christian will avoid giving offense to less-mature believers, but he will also feel free to eat such food among unbelievers with the understanding—at a personal level—that false gods do not exist and that the food on the plate is just that: tasty particles. Concluding this section, Paul gives these memorable words: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (v. 31). Through his apostle, God slips the very purpose of existence—and the heartbeat of Christian faith—into a discussion of dietary practices.

Whatever you do. It’s not just your particular approach to idolatrous food that gives you a platform by which to glorify God. The Christ follower approaches every single moment of existence as an opportunity to magnify God. You can do this in eating, drinking, reading philosophy, assembling a chair, listening to someone talk during a conversation, playing basketball, performing a bypass, printing T-shirts, praising Christ, making beautiful music, apologizing to a friend you have wronged, playing dolls with your daughter, laughing with your wife, and ten thousand other God- glorifying endeavors of the Christian life. Whatever you do. This is what soli Deo gloria boils down to: an existence that savors of God.

 Note from the Publisher:  We hope that you have been challenged and encouraged by this 5-day reading plan from Jason K. Allen & Owen Strachan .  You can pick up a copy of  SOLA at moodypublishers.com