On Purpose
A man of God needs to know God’s purpose for his life. In Philippians 3:10-11 and 13-14, Paul said, “that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death; in order that I may obtain the resurrection from the dead….forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:5 says, “for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also raised in the likeness of his resurrection.” As believers in Christ, life in this world is so full of suffering, trial, and heartbreak, that unless we look to Him, we forget the purpose for which he called us.
The basic purpose of a man of God is in Romans 1:1. Paul is a “bond servant” of his Lord Jesus Christ. A bond servant is dedicated to serve his Lord, bound not by duty or obligation, but bound by a heart of love. In biblical times, slaves were required to serve their master for a certain period of time to pay off a debt of obligation. Many slaves couldn’t wait to be freed from bondage under their hard task masters. However some slaves after being freed, returned to their master to plead to their master to continue to serve him voluntarily. The bondservant’s master would mark him by smearing lamp-black ink on the bondservant’s ear. Then the master would pierce his bondservant’s ear to the doorpost leaving an indelible mark. This mark told the world that the servant had dedicated his life to serve his master from a heart of love. The master was obligated to meet his bondservant’s needs. The bondservant owned nothing and his sole desire was to serve his master.
According to Oswald Chambers, our purpose is not to be “holy men” but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The abiding reality is redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ. As God’s servants we need to understand that redemption is the only reality. Paul did not separate himself, rather God separated him to God’s own purpose. It’s not about our own purpose, but His purpose. We’re separated for one purpose…to proclaim the gospel of redemption through our lord Jesus Christ.
We were justified in Christ because of what he accomplished on our behalf. It’s not about our own testimony…rather it’s about his testimony through us. For we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ and him crucified. For it is the gospel of God unto salvation. He called us with power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
A man of God is an example of Psalm 1. He shall be like a tree that is planted by the streams of living water. His leaf shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Christ is the vine and we are the branches. He is the source of our life as we live according to his purpose. We bear the fruit of his spirit when we abide with and within him.
A purpose is the “end to be attained.” According to the bible, “holy” or “sanctified” means “set apart for the purpose intended by the designer.” For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he has foreordained that we should walk therein. Our purpose is to align our will with His will to proclaim the good news of the gospel of Christ.
Sanctification is a means to an end. The end is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ from a heart of love. The purpose of a bondslave is to do the master’s will. A bond servant says, “here am I Lord, send me. Thy wish is my command.”
We’ve been set apart to spread the good news of the gospel of redemption. When the seventy returned after Jesus sent them to heal the sick and preach the good news, they returned joyfully because of the miracles they were able to perform. Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall from heaven as lightning because of the good news you proclaimed. However, rejoice not because you cast out demons, but because your names are written in heaven.”
Cory Tin Boom said, “no pit is so deep but that God is not deeper still.” Even when we experience the depth of the depravity of this world, we still have our salvation…we’ve still been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. There’s always something that we can be excited about…that our names are written in the book of life. Paul while he was in prison said, whether I’m prospering or in bonds, my life’s purpose is for the furtherance of the gospel. Therefore let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. The darker the night, the brighter the light shines.
The purpose of a bond servant is to do the master’s will. As the scripture says, delight thyself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. When we, from a heart of love, choose to make God’s desire our desire, and His good pleasure our good pleasure, then It is God who works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure.
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael