Did God create man to worship and praise Him? [closed]

Question

I heard it many times from some Christians and even preachers that God created us to worship and praise Him. I think this idea came from the fact that Psalms contain many phrases like "Praise the Lord" and many words related to worship. I'm still not convinced with verses from Psalms that the main purpose of creating us was to praise and worship God. The purpose of creating human, as I see from Genesis 1:28 is to multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.

Is there any verses from the Bible that clearly indicates we were created mainly to praise and worship God?

Answer 1

Actually, the answer to that question is longer than one should post on a question and answer site, but I would recommend the book "Desiring God" by John Piper. He explains it excellently , but in summary he says this:

God is the greatest thing that exists, ever has existed or ever will exist. Therefore, for us to glory anything else, would be sin, as there is nothing greater than God, there is no calling greater than praising God. This is true not only for us, but surprisingly also for God himself, he being the greatest , to glory in anything else would be idolatry. Therefore, if the greatest thing God can do is give himself glory, and no created thing does can be greater than God, the greatest thing we can do (our purpose, you might say) is to glory him.

Answer 2

Colossians 1:16 states: "For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."

Genesis shows what Man is supposed to do/ the goal we've been given, but I'd argue that that doesn't necessarily mean that that was God's purpose in creating Man. I don't think that God created man to subdue the earth, but the earth for man to subdue. (Mar 2:27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; )

From experience I'd say that worship, while it can be an intentional choice, is generally a result of witnessing something 'awesome,' or awe inspiring.

I would argue based on Colossians 1:16 that Creation was formed as a gift from God to Jesus. So we are a gift, which frames the question of our purpose in an different light. As a gift from one of the Trinity to another, made in his image and given free will, I'd argue that while we were given duty (to multiply and fill the earth), our wider purpose is to enter into 'deeper' relationship with the Trinity. Our duty and our responses to God are subsets of this wider 'purpose' to interact with God.

I'd argue that this gives God "glory" and could be seen as worship, but in a less traditional and perhaps fuller or more holistic fashion, as the 'worship' goes beyond a set of actions and encompass the whole of our lives (including traditional worship and praise). Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

Answer 3

Ephesians 1:11-12

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

The reason we exist is "for the praise of his glory". All praise be to the Glory of Christ!

Answer 4

While I cannot give any definitive Scripture stating that that was his purpose in creating man, from the following scriptures it would seem that it is a logical conclusion.

Gen 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

2 Kings 17:36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

Rev_3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev_4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Rev_13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Answer 5

I do not believe a perfect creator has any need for the cult of personality, but humans do. This part of religion is probably human-derived, not God-derived.

Answer 6

In the words of Nat King Cole, "the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." According to John 1 John 4:8 and 16, God is love. As an expression of his love, God created. You see, the funny thing about love is it is difficult to be love without having someone to love. But love is a fickle thing. It requires we take risk and that we put ourselves out there and chance that we may not be loved back. And so it is for God. God created us so that he could love us. While God wants us to love him, he did not necessarily create us simply so that we would worship him. He is not a narcissistic God and we have free will. While he could force us to "love" him, this would not truly be love. This is not to say that God needed us, but he wanted us. As such, the answer is no. Instead, he created us simply so that he could love us in the hope that we would love (or worship) him back. He wants us to love him because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Answer 7

These verses say that people are created for God's glory and to praise him:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Isaiah 43:6-7 (NIV)

the people I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
Isaiah 43:21 (NIV)

Answer 8

I praise and worship Him because He is the creator of all. every "product" worship their creator. they can not live without their creator (the source). if you have a problem with the product, you go back to the Creator (manufacture). Rev 4:11 O Lord, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You created all things, and for Your will they are and were created.

I agree the purpose He created us to : Genesis 1:28 is to multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. when we (human) do according to His plan, we bring glory to His name, our creator, because we are function as His plan.