“To avoid all confusion in our inquiries concerning the end for which God created the world, a distinction should be observed between the chief end for which an agent performs any work and the ultimate end. These two phrases are not always precisely of the same signification, and though the chief end be always an ultimate end, yet every ultimate end is not always a chief end. A chief end is opposite to an inferior end; an ultimate end is opposite to a subordinate end. A subordinate end is what the agent aims at, not at all upon its own account, but wholly on the account of a further end of which it is considered as a means.”
The last time I worked some with the above statement by Jonathan Edwards. I used the words “terminal end” and “instrumental end” in an effort to make what he said clearer. Then I tried to tie what he said in with the Greatest Commandment and the command to do all for the glory of God. Edwards was writing about God’s chief end in creating the world while I am trying to get at the chief end of human beings in what they do. But for a moment it might be helpful to go back and reflect on God’s chief end.
When God chose to create, it was certainly before He created and so was before the beginning and before anything other than Himself had being. We can try to imagine what God intended in creation. We can try to imagine what would have motivated God to create anything at all. Remember, nothing had being at that “time” other than God. It was through the Word, the second Person of the Trinity, that all things that have come into being came into being (John 1:3; Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:1-3). We must never be moved from this absolute and awesome truth. God created all things through Christ. But why did God create all things?
We know from Psalm 115:3 and other places that God does whatever He pleases. So we can know for sure that it pleased God to create and so He created. We also know from Revelation 4:11 that all things exist for His pleasure: “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” Proverbs 16:4 tells us quite clearly that God created all things for Himself. Romans 11:36 tells us that all things are from Him, though Him, and back to Him and all glory is His. What was the motive of God in saving sinners? It was to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph 1:6). Can anyone say with any degree of truthfulness that God could have a greater or higher motive than Himself in creating anything at all and then of saving sinners?
All moral agents or those that are capable of rational and moral thought and actions will always have a chief end or terminal motive in what they do. Our actions are always moved by and directed by that terminal motive or goal. Before anything else had being, God decided to create the whole world. What could have been His terminal motive or goal? What was the greatest end that He could conceive of? Was it to produce a world filled with sinful people so that He could make Himself look good by forcing them to worship and do as He dictates? The only thing that we can conceive of in light of texts like Hebrews 1:2-3 and John 1:1-3, 14-17 is that God created in order to manifest His glory through His creation. There is no greater goal or end that God could have had. He had no need to create anything and He certainly does not need the praise of men. But the Scriptures point to a God that is so great that He created in order to shine forth His glory on and in human beings for His own pleasure. God’s terminal end and goal was simply to shine forth His glory in His creation for His own pleasure.
I am simply overwhelmed when I think of God in such terms. This is what gives life meaning and gives zest to life. I have been created in order that God may manifest His glory through me and enjoy the shining forth of that glory. In that case it is from Him and through Him and certainly back to Him. But this also gets at the purpose in life which human beings have. It points to the chief end or terminal motive and goal that man must have in all that he does. While mankind may have secondary motives or instrumental goals, the main one that all must flow to and out of must be the glory of God. Whenever a human being has other terminal goals or motives that are higher than the glory of God, that person is god to self and a vicious idolater. If human beings are to be holy as He is holy, then we are to have the same terminal ends and goals that God did. If human beings are to be holy as He is holy, then we have to have the same motives and loves that He does. God does not love human beings in order to love Himself, but He loves Himself and only then can He love others out of that love. The same is true with us. We must have God as our terminal desire in order to love anyone at all and in order to be holy as He is holy.
God Loves... Himself 
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