Before age 15 when I attended Kansas City Youth for Christ and heard and responded to the gospel, I had no purpose. To this day, I can’t imagine what hope anyone has who doesn’t know Christ. After I received Him as my savior, I suddenly had purpose, and it’s a purpose that I hold to this day… to get to know Him more and more. I’m passionate about that.
But in my personal Bible study this week, I see very clearly what God’s purpose is for me since receiving Him, and I was shocked to discover it, because it’s something I never figured out before.
Let me start where a lot of true believers would start.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9) Whenever I ask someone how they know they will go to heaven, they often recite how they have tried to do good things all their life. And then I know they really don’t know Jesus because of the verses above. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works.
But after salvation, good works are everything—and they are God purpose for us. It begins with the verse right after Eph. 2:8-9:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10) Read that verse again and notice why we were created in Christ Jesus. Good works.
If that isn’t clear enough, Paul explained to Titus why Jesus gave himself for us: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14) He wants a purified people who are zealous of good works.
And as one more stab at God’s purpose for believers, Paul told Timothy something similar about being purified from iniquity through Christ. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Tim 2:19-21)
As for my purpose, knowing God better is a great thing, but God’s purpose for me goes beyond knowing Him. It extends to living a pure life as His vessel to do good works. What are those good works? That’s something for further study and prayer. For now, it’s time to align myself with His purpose for me. The new cry of my heart to God needs to be a little longer. I can’t stop at, “God, I want to know you better.” Here’s the new prayer: “God, I want to know you better, and I want to be used by you today to do something good as you have planned for me. Show me what it is.”
Jody
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