What on earth am I here for?
We’ve been having an interesting study of the book of Ephesians for our office cell. Here’s a recap of some of the group’s learnings over the last couple of weeks.
The first chunk of the book – roughly the first 3 chapters – deals with God choosing to give us His blessings and our salvation, the breaking of the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles, and Paul’s calling to preach the Good News to the Gentiles.
Many people often ask “What on earth am I here for?” and I think Ephesians 1-3 really helps to answer this fundamental question.
Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
But what are these good works for? To glorify Him!
Ephesians 1:11 says that we were chosen according to his plan in order that we might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 3:10 (NKJV) reiterates that God’s intent for the church (i.e. all believers) is to make known the wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. That is, to defy God’s enemies and glorify Him to all creation!
In fact this central purpose of glorifying Him is the reason why Jesus needed to come and die on the cross, so that He could be our peace, to make the two one and destroy the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). Once, we were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now, we who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).
The reason why He saved the Gentiles is so that there will be witnesses in all nations, not just Israel, to the glory of God. And in today’s context, not just witnesses in all nations, but to glorify God and defy the Enemy in all societies, in all workplaces, in fact, everywhere He puts us (see Acts 17:26 - From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live).
Christ had to die to bridge the gap. And all this work that He has done, all the trouble He has gone to, is for one intent – that we glorify Him. That we testify to all creation in our thoughts and our words and our actions – we are the LORD’s! His love endures forever!
It’s humbling to be reminded of this central intent. God did not become our God so that He could help us in all our little problems. He made the way so that we could glorify Him. This is the PURPOSE for which we are made. And since we know He is a loving God, this purpose is the best purpose we can ever apply ourselves too. Sometimes we may think otherwise, just as a teacup may sometimes think it should be a wineglass. But the Maker knows better. He specially made us for one purpose, and He doesn’t make mistakes! (You Are Special - Max Lucado (1997))
“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
The first chunk of the book – roughly the first 3 chapters – deals with God choosing to give us His blessings and our salvation, the breaking of the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles, and Paul’s calling to preach the Good News to the Gentiles.
Many people often ask “What on earth am I here for?” and I think Ephesians 1-3 really helps to answer this fundamental question.
Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
But what are these good works for? To glorify Him!
Ephesians 1:11 says that we were chosen according to his plan in order that we might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 3:10 (NKJV) reiterates that God’s intent for the church (i.e. all believers) is to make known the wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. That is, to defy God’s enemies and glorify Him to all creation!
In fact this central purpose of glorifying Him is the reason why Jesus needed to come and die on the cross, so that He could be our peace, to make the two one and destroy the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). Once, we were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now, we who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).
The reason why He saved the Gentiles is so that there will be witnesses in all nations, not just Israel, to the glory of God. And in today’s context, not just witnesses in all nations, but to glorify God and defy the Enemy in all societies, in all workplaces, in fact, everywhere He puts us (see Acts 17:26 - From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live).
Christ had to die to bridge the gap. And all this work that He has done, all the trouble He has gone to, is for one intent – that we glorify Him. That we testify to all creation in our thoughts and our words and our actions – we are the LORD’s! His love endures forever!
It’s humbling to be reminded of this central intent. God did not become our God so that He could help us in all our little problems. He made the way so that we could glorify Him. This is the PURPOSE for which we are made. And since we know He is a loving God, this purpose is the best purpose we can ever apply ourselves too. Sometimes we may think otherwise, just as a teacup may sometimes think it should be a wineglass. But the Maker knows better. He specially made us for one purpose, and He doesn’t make mistakes! (You Are Special - Max Lucado (1997))
“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
Comments