Devotional Thoughts…
Have you ever been singing a song and thought, “I have no idea what this means, but I like it”? Maybe you’ve thought that about the lyric “Gloria, in excelsis Deo.” I’ve been guilty, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This little phrase is Latin, translated into English as “Glory to God in the Highest.” This lyric is taken from an ancient hymn of the early church dating back to the second or third century. This ancient hymn today often goes by the name “Greater Doxology.” Let’s ask and begin to answer this question from our Scripture reading: What should “Glorifying God in the Highest” look like?
Paul gives us a negative example in Romans 1, the exact opposite of “Glorifying God in the Highest.” This grim description of humanity is all inclusive until the gospel of God removes a person from the position of God’s righteous wrath into the position of His Son’s righteous work. What can we learn from Paul’s negative example of people who will not “glorify Him as God” (not “Glorifying God in the Highest” is precisely their sin)? That refusal is a death sentence. The description of the wrath of God in this life upon these God deniers is through giving “them up to” whatever their wicked hearts crave in this life. The result is their self-destruction by the lusts of their own hearts.
So then, refusing to “Glorify God in the Highest” is a kind of idolatry that looks like any number of sinful practices. In a religious person, it might look like a double minded man who is self-deceived, or a man who says he has faith without works.
Finally, to carry out the good work of “Glorifying God in the Highest” would look like a person who seeks to submit every thought to Christ and honor God in everything they do, say, and think. God would be his treasure and his arbiter of truth.
Song Lyrics…
Author: French carol
1 Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains: And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
Chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
3 Come to Bethlehem, and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
4 See Him in a manger laid, Whom the choirs of angels praise; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, While our hearts in love we raise.
Chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Aaron Irlbacher 
“might look like a double minded man who is self-deceived, or a man who says he has faith without works.”
Can you expound on this statement? What is faith without works?
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Hey Jess! I was using language from James 1:8 “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways” and James 2:14 “a man may say he has faith…”.
I think this was probably my least clear devotional so far. So, this is a great Q!
First, let me begin by giving a simple definition to “worship”. Worship is to ascribe worth to something. When we worship God, we are valuing Him. Because God is ultimately more valuable than anything or anyone, we ought to value Him above all things. That is the aim of worship.
Second, let’s define “idolatry”. Idolatry is worshipping or ascribing ultimate worth to anything or anyone instead of God. There are many good things that we should ascribe worth to. Family, friends, work, play, ect. God has blessed us with so much to be thankful for and enjoy. Idolatry doesn’t necessarily happen when we ascribe worth to good things. Idolatry does happen whenever we ascribe ultimate worth to good things.
As a diagnostic check for our hearts, lets ask ourselves, “what do I value most”? Or, “what can’t I live without”? The correct answer is God. The practical reality is that we may not be valuing God most. If we find ourselves accidentally valuing something or someone above God, then we are guilty of idolatry.
Now to try and answer your Q specifically. If I say I am a Christian but living in direct opposition to the Word, then I should realign myself with God’s Word. What i meant by “faith without works” was a person, like me, who might not speak or act in a way that displays my faith in God. I was attempting to point out that when I don’t live out my faith it is usually the result of not valuing or worshipping God rightly.
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