Charles Hodge (1797–1878) was a Presbyterian theologian at Princeton Seminary. Wikipedia.
Do all to the glory of God.
1 Cor. 10: 31.
[November 23, 1856, Princeton Sermons: Outlines of Discourses]
I. The idea of God as set forth in the Westminster Catechism is unparalleled.
1. He is a Spirit, not the Spirit; not the universal Spirit of which we are the manifestations, not the ocean of which we are the drops, but a Spirit; one to whom we can present ourselves, and distinguish from ourselves, and to whom we can say: Our father.
2. In being a spirit he has all the attributes of a spirit, conscience, intelligence, will and agency, a being of our own nature in this generic sense. He is not so separate from us by diversity as to have no sympathy with us, or so that we can have no congeniality with him. But then he is an infinite, eternal and immutable spirit. We are finite, limited on every hand as to the place we occupy, as to the powers we possess, as to the excellence we can attain, and as to the blessedness we can enjoy. God is infinite. There is no limit to his presence, to his intelligence and knowledge, to his divine goodness or to his power. He is eternal, without beginning, without end, without succession. And he is immutable in all his being and perfections. The sum of all finites is as nothing to the infinite.
1. The sum of finite being is as nothing to infinite being.
2. The sum of finite intelligence is as nothing to the infinite intelligence.
3. The sum of finite powers is as nothing to infinite power.
4. The sum of finite excellence is as nothing to infinite excellence.
5. The sum of finite blessedness is as nothing to the infinite blessedness of God. The whole universe, therefore, is as nothing to God. What then are we? We are so insignificant a part of this universe that were we blotted out of existence, none but an omniscient eye would miss us.
II. Now what the Scriptures teach, and what common sense teaches, is that the glory of this infinite Being is the only proper end of all things. For his glory they are and were created. They teach also that this is the only legitimate end to be contemplated in the acts of intelligent creatures. By the glory of God is meant his divine perfection, his essential and infinite excellence, which renders him the proper object of admiration and adoration. To act for the glory of God, is to act so that his glory should be manifested, brought into view, acknowledged and admired. The exhortation to do all things for the glory of God is, therefore, an exhortation,
1. To make that end the highest commanding end of our actions. That we should recognize it as the chief end, and determine to promote it. Some make
(a.) Their own happiness their end.
(b.) Others, their friends,
(c.) Others, their country.
(d.) Others, their kind, human beings as a whole,
(e.) Others, all beings. These are all false ends. The selection of either of them vitiates and destroys religion. It makes something besides regard to God the motive, and something besides God the end of action. That is, it substitutes something for religion, which is not religion.
2. The second thing included in this exhortation is, that the rule, and not only the end, of our actions is to be the glory of God. We are to so act that intelligent beings, men and angels, shall be led to glorify God. When anything comes to be decided, whether it should be done or left undone, the rule is not
(a.) Whether it will be agreeable or disagreeable to ourselves.
(b.) Whether it will be agreeable or otherwise to others, i. e., popular!
(c.) Nor whether it will be expedient or inexpedient.
(d.) But whether it will be for the glory of God or not, that is, whether it will tend to make men admire and worship God.
This is a rule which applies to everything, great and small.
1. To the choice of a profession. The question should be, how can I accomplish most in bringing men to glorify God?
2. In determining where we are to labor.
3. In deciding on the distribution and occupation of our time.
4. In determining our outward conduct towards others, our conformity to the world.
5. In deciding on the thoughts, feelings and purposes, the tempers and dispositions of mind, which we shall cherish.
6. In the way we bear reproach, inferiority, neglect, sickness, injuries, etc. In short, it is a simple, comprehensive, universal rule.
III. The reasons why we should adopt this rule are,
1. That the glory of God is the highest end.
2. That God himself has made it the end of creation, of providence, of redemption.
3. That the Lord Jesus Christ made it his end.
4. That all saints and angels do the same.
5. That it is essential to the order and happiness of the universe. What would result if, instead of making the sun the center of our system, some little satellite should set up, or be set up as such? How would it preserve order or harmony?
6. The making any other end than God’s glory our object, is the sum and essence of idolatry. It incurs all its guilt and all its evils.
7. It brings the whole life into perfect harmony, inward and outward. It promotes holiness, and happiness, and usefulness.
8. It is the end which we must promote, either by our salvation, or perdition.
All for the Glory of God 