Ferguson: You know, it’s easy to be first, both in Calvin and in the Westminster Confession,
and its subordinate standards, the first question, “What is our chief end?”
must be the same answer as to the question, what is the goal of Reformation?
To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, and to be able to do both of these things simultaneously
is what I certainly think at the end of the day is going to make an impact on our contemporary
world, that is so interested in enjoyment.
It’s very rare to hear non-Christians say, “See how these Christians enjoy the glory
of God.”
But once that begins to happen in a church fellowship, then I think it inevitably makes
an impact on the society around it, in all kinds of different ways.
Lawson: Yeah, you asked for a staccato fashion, the quick answer would be the Romans 11:36.
“For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To God be the glory for ever and ever.
Amen.”
It’s that this theology would produce this doxology.
And the theology of Romans 1-11, and all that’s contained in that to produce God-centered
worship and giving glory to God.
So, the intrinsic glory of God — the first part of that verse should produce ascribed
glory to God.
The second half of that verse, obviously, twenty other things can be said under that.
Parsons: Absolutely.
It’s the glory of God, and I think if Dr. Sproul were here he would start with that
and finish with that.
I think it’s significant to point out, as the Reformers did, as we speak of the solas
of the Reformation, in not forgetting that qualifier, and speaking not only of the glory
of God, but the Reformation, Christian worship, our lives, everything we do is for the glory
of God and for the glory of God alone.
And so, in Psalm 115 at the outset, “It is not unto us, no not unto us but to you,
to your name belongs all the glory.”
And I think that’s what’s so significant, because we speak so often of the glory of
God, but we don’t speak of it as often as we should, in contradiction to our own glory,
our own kingdoms, our own fame.
That we are here, that this conference exists, we worship, we serve, we live, we preach,
we train up, we make disciples, we evangelize, not to get the applause of men, not to get
notches on our belt, not to wear a certain badge, we do it for the glory of God and for
God’s glory, alone.
Nichols: I’d agree with all of these.
The ultimate and eternal goal of the Reformation is the glory of God.
If you were to say, “What is the intermediate goal, or what is the immediate goal of the
Reformation?”
It was to reform the church, and to reform the church from top to bottom.
It was about preaching, it was about music, it was about education, it was about the centrality
of Scripture.
It was about missions.
Geneva was every much as interested in missions and sending missionaries to the shores of
Brazil in the 1550s.
So the immediate task at hand goal of the Reformers, was to have all pistons firing
on a church that is obedient to her calling, and as she is ordained to function according
to the Word of God.
Thomas: Of course, I agree with everything.
But when I heard the question, my mind went in two directions.
First of all, my first encounter with R.C., 40 years ago in a book, ‘Chosen by God.’
And a vision of the sovereignty of God.
And that surely is at the heart of the Reformation, a sovereign omnipotent, all-powerful God in
whom we may trust, as Sinclair began his prayer.
That all of providence, and this event, this afternoon, in which we grieve that R.C. is
not preaching to us, but that too is in the hands of a sovereign, loving, gracious God.
The other direction that my mind went was, you know there’s a debate, isn’t there?
What’s at the heart of the Reformation?
Is it justification or is it the doctrine of Scripture?
And I do think that the call, and R.C.
has signaled this in the last number of years, that the call once again is upon us to believe
and preach and proclaim the inerrancy of Scripture, our confidence in Scripture alone.
That the answers to all of our questions lies in the written Word of God.
So, five hundred years later, we still need that Reformation now as much as then.
Godfrey: Well, these answers, I think, point to something of the breadth and depth of the
glory of the Reformation.
So much can be said, since this go around began with a quotation from a catechism, I’d
like to quote from the Catechism.
And, part of what stands at the heart of the Reformation is vital religion?
What is your only comfort is life and in death?
And my only comfort in life and in death is that I’m not my own, but belong body and
soul to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.
And I think it’s so important to keep that Gospel of Jesus at the center of things.