Soli Deo Gloria | The Red Thread of Scripture
Everything in all creation, in this world and in the next, speaks to the glory of God alone. This is the heart of Soli Deo Gloria, that everything works towards the glory of God and God alone. Nothing else should receive the glory that is due God nor does anything merit such reverential honor and praise as does the Lord. The core battle between the flesh and our God given spirit comes in the form of who receives the glory. Everything in our flesh desires the glory but everything in reality points to God as the supreme divine ruler who is worth of all glory.
Scripture speaks at the first witness to the glory of God. Pastors will occasionally refer to the scarlet thread of scripture. Others will simply refer to the meta-narrative of scripture, the larger story being told throughout all the scriptures. Whatever the term used the idea remains the same; the totality if scripture speaks towards the glory of God as He works in the lives of His people. Scripture does not produce salvation, but as God’s divine self-revelation to the people of God, scripture speaks to the glory of God by detailing His might hand throughout history in order that we would know Him more and exalt His name, forevermore.
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
John 5:39-47 ESV
The Problem of Subject and Object
Our egotistical flesh nature desperately wants the story of scripture to be about us. When we create a world that revolves around us, as a people not designed or intended to bear the weight of creation, we entomb ourselves under the burden of needing to be God. We are not God. The story is not about us. The scarlet thread that runs through scripture is the redemption that comes from God’s loving creation of all things and God’s outpouring of Himself and love to rescue His people. We are the objects of God’s affections, an honor to be sure, but not the subjects of the story. To make ourselves the center would ignore all aspects of Christ, grace, and faith. The book of Revelation paints as best a picture as we can understand of God seated on the throne. The glory of God fills the room and nothing can compare.
“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
Revelation 5:11-12 ESV
Only God is worthy to receive the glory we can offer. He alone, in His sovereignty rules the world with grace and justice simultaneously. This is precisely why all of scripture speaks to the glory of God. He is the subject, the primary actor and headliner as all the works of creation, redemption, and eternity speak of the grand love of God. When we read through the scriptures, we would do well to search for the scarlet thread that displays the fullness of God’s glory. We are not the subjects of creation or of the glory of God, but instead the objects. Scripture does not speak of our importance but instead of the glory of God who would rescue a sinful people by His grace. Thus, as the objects of the creation story not the subjects, we lay down our preferences, our desires, and our wishes in order that the Glory of God would shine through our unity declaring that Jesus is Lord.
The Pressure of a Self-Centered Story
When we think about it, the idea of a self-centered universe would be our ultimate undoing and demise. Think for a moment on the tasks that God does daily in order to just maintain the physical presence of the universe. God holds every atom in place and orders the totality of the universe to move in precisely the manner He means they should. Nature acts as a testament to the greatness and glory of God as the one who spoke all of creation into existence. Not to mention the fullness of the responsibility for the redemption of mankind falls upon God. We want the benefits of the story being about us but none of the responsibilities of what it would mean if the universe revolved around us. There would be such immense pressure on mankind to be deserving of that honor and no one could rightfully justify sitting at the center.
Scripture does not speak to us as the central focus to the story. Every act of creation, redemption, and everything in between speaks to the glory of God. He alone maintains grace and truth throughout the fullness of the word of God. When we study scripture we look for the revelation of God; his nature, character, and actions. Furthermore, we cannot merit the glory of creation being about us but rather about the creator who wove creation into existence and seeks to reveal His glory to us. When the story shifts towards God at the center, the pressure of needing to hold up the universe shifts to the one actually able to do so. We become beacons of the Light of Jesus Christ seeking to point people to Him. Scripture declares the glory of God alone as He reigns victorious over creation and every spiritual being from the beginning of creation in Genesis and into eternity in Revelation. Every page of scripture declares with one resounding voice “Soli Deo Gloria” … for the glory of God alone.
