What purpose does God have for you in Christ?

Do you know your purpose in Christ?

God cares less about your dreams and goals. He cares more about your obedience. This life is not about you and what you want to do with it. Life is about Jesus Christ and what He has done for humanity. It is about us following His instructions to have eternal life. What did He do for humanity? He died for the human race at the request of God. Jesus died for us, and He was also beaten and tortured for us and nailed to a cross (Matthew 27:11-56). Jesus is God’s son, and out of love for the human race, God decided to sacrifice His son for the world that we may be saved from His wrath to come because of sin (John 3:16). If you don’t want eternal life, don’t follow Jesus and vice versa. Living for His purpose is our purpose. 

2 Corinthians 5:15

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

What purpose does God have for you in Christ?

In America, many people search for their purpose like a lost treasure. Starting in elementary school, we are asked what we want to be when we grow up? Some kids say, Firefighters, some say, Policeman, some say they want to go to the NFL or the NBA. In most cases, even parents try to give their children some type of passion and mold their identity around sports or arts. Many parents spend most of their parenthood trying to provide a better way for their kids to go to college and become a doctor or a lawyer.

While all of these things may have societal value in this current world, and though they may have a sense of innocence (like they’re okay to pursue), we must remember that we are born of a different Kingdom. The Kingdom that we are now a part of has a different set of rules and standards that we must abide by. What seems right to a man in this current world must be filtered through the Word of God. Even though something may have good appearance, it could be the very bait that leads you to disregard the King and His commands. King Jesus told us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first and that while doing so, the basic things we need shall be added to us. He also told us to not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself, for today there is enough evil to deal with. What are all these things? They are nothing more than food, drink, and clothes.

I’m guilty as charged!

I used to believe that “all these things” consisted of the home I desired, the car I wanted, the career I dreamed of, a promotion, lots of money in the bank, vacations, and an early retirement, just to name a few. I’m also guilty of always worrying about the future, and what my next financial move would be. I am guilty of worrying about what I’m going to do tomorrow and later on. Jesus said, don’t even think about tomorrow. We have to ask ourselves, are we following what Jesus told us to do? How can we be if our whole life is geared towards our future life on earth? Honestly, I had to repent because my mind always wants to think ahead. It was like I was in go, go, go mode. But if Jesus told us to do something, it has to be for our benefit, and it has to be attainable for us. Check out the scriptures below.

Matthew 6: 24-34

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Disobedience to the rules of our new Kingdom and government will result in punishment like in any form of government. Here recently, I have been reading the bible more than usual and seeking God instead of relying on the opinions/ half-truths of men. Not once have I discovered where Jesus told one of His disciples to follow their dreams, pursue buying houses, cars, or for them to go after business opportunities. Jesus never even asked them what they wanted to be or do in life. On the contrary, He said, “Follow Me.” I discovered scriptures like Matt. 16:24, where Jesus teaches if we decide to follow Him, then we must deny ourselves first.

What does self-denial look like?

Self-denial is taking anything that we have learned in this current world about life and the purpose of it and throwing it in the trash for the gospel’s sake. Self-denial is acting as a child before God and asking him to help you understand His Word, which is the unadulterated truth that has the power to mold us for eternal life (Mark 10:15). Self-denial is submission to the instructions of Jesus at all costs. Self-Denial is walking away from your long-loved career for His sake (Matthew 4:18-20). Trust me; this is not easy; it’s something I recently had to do myself. I walked away from an amazing business opportunity that I grew to love dearly, and honestly, it still kind of hurts my heart a little. Although it’s hard and it hurts, and at times I feel deprived of my ambitions, I am learning I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13). And I don’t say that in the physical sense in regards to me trying to be number one at everything that I do. I say it in regards to the context of what Philippians 4:11-13 is speaking about, which is contentment. Many people take this scripture completely out of context and use it for personal ambition. We will get deeper into that topic on another blog.

Philippians 4:11-13

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What purpose does God have for you in Christ?

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, are you about this life? Are you truly about this Christian life?

Read Luke 14:25-33. Jesus wants us to make a decision. He wants us to count the cost of what it is to follow Him. I have decided in my heart to follow Jesus at all costs. The number one reason I decided to do this is that I Fear God. Honestly, I don’t want to go to hell. I would rather have eternal life instead of eternal punishment.

Luke 12:5

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has the power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

We will all stand before the Lord one day and be judged according to how we lived here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). 

2 Corinthians 5:9-10

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well-pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Jesus is the only way to eternal life (John 3:36). How do you follow Jesus? Follow His instructions and His commands. If you’re reading this, I pray that we both make it to eternal life, surely it will only be through obedience to God’s Word once we have believed in Christ.

May the Lord help us stay obedient in Jesus’ name! 

Blessings, 

Let’s Grow in Christ!