Man’s Chief End as Enjoying God: What About the Fear of God?
Hopefully, my readers will agree that the Puritan and Piperian depiction of man’s chief end as the enjoyment of God is Scripturally warranted (see below for all seven parts of this series). There is, however, yet one more potential objection I need to address. Read more 
Man’s Chief End as Enjoying God: What About Loving God?
We started this series (Part 1) by inquiring whether the Puritans’ construal of man’s chief end as the enjoyment of God is a form of “Christian Hedonism,” like that advanced by John Piper in our day. We concluded (Part 2) that the Puritans, like Piper, saw man’s glorification of God and enjoyment of God as inseparable. One cannot glorify God as he should unless he enjoys God as he should. Or, as Piper states it, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” But there are some Christians who take issue with the Puritans and/or Piper. Read more
Man’s Chief End as Enjoying God: What of Faith and Obedience?
If we stress or emphasize the centrality of the affections in man’s chief end, don’t we run the risk of downplaying the importance of doctrine and obedience in the Christian life? In other words, is it possible that an emphasis upon the heart and right feelings towards God (orthopathos) could result in the neglect of right thinking about God (orthodoxy) and right living (orthopraxis)? Read more
Man’s Chief End as Enjoying God: Too Man-Centered?
According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” In light of this profound statement, I raised the question whether the Puritans advocated a kind of “Christian Hedonism” like that advocated by John Piper (click here). After analyzing the formula, I concluded that the Puritans and Piper are basically saying the same thing (click here). In the next series of posts, I’d like briefly to address five common objections to Piper’s “Christian Hedonism,” which are also objections against the “Puritan Hedonism” of the WSC. Read more
To Enjoy God: Puritan Hedonism Supported
I believe it’s just as appropriate and biblical to speak of enjoying God as man’s chief end as it is to speak of glorifying God as our chief end. As I hope to demonstrate, the Puritans added that phrase because in their minds man’s glorifying God and enjoying God are inseparable. Indeed, I fear that the attempt to exclude, ignore, or minimize the phrase “and to enjoy him” as man’s chief end may inadvertently betray an unbiblical (hyper-Calvinist?) mindset and runs the risk of making the Catechism less God-centered and more man-centered. Read more
To Enjoy God: Puritan Hedonism?
The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the question, “What is the chief end of man?” to which it gives its famous reply, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Few Christians would debate the assertion that mankind was created for the glory of God. In Isaiah 43:7, God says of Israel, “I have created [you] for my glory.” Paul tells believers in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” To the Christians in Rome, he exclaims, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). But why did the Puritans add the phrase “and enjoy Him”? Why not simply “glorify God”? Read more
