Bite-Sized Bible Studies: According to His Own Purpose and Grace

Inherently, we know, beyond our own cares and desires, a greater purpose for our lives exists.

I do not create that purpose because I did not create myself. Purpose is born of intent. Intention belongs to a mind, not lifeless matter. Thus, by definition, that intelligent intention must originate with an eternal Creator. His is that mind that has a purpose for me.

I cannot know God's purpose because God is Spirit (immaterial and timeless) and I am a finite man of flesh and bone. God has a purpose for me, so He must reveal it to me. God became a man to reveal His purpose for me, to me, because, in my flesh, I could only comprehend it through human language.

God has been revealed to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God incarnate; God Himself revealing His purpose for all of us through the man Jesus of Nazareth, the living Word of God. God's will is revealed to us through the Bible, the written Word of God. Because Jesus is alive, risen from the dead after dying for our sin, He does reveal God's Word to us, in the Bible, through His Spirit.

Our spirit becomes alive to His Spirit by faith in Jesus; who He is and what He has done for humanity in His death for our sin on the cross and His resurrection from the grave for our eternal life. Without faith in Jesus our spirit is dead to God and we cannot hear His Word or know Him. To be forgiven, receive eternal life and to know God personally, we must sincerely believe in the One sent from God, sent from above.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)."

 

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel... (2 Timothy 1:8-10)"