What is the purpose?

[branchesofHim]

Seek God the Father with your whole heart and He will reveal Himself as well as His purpose for you in Jesus Christ the Son.

Colossians 1:[12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
[14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
[15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

This verses of scripture literally explain the purpose of life. Shalom

[Who me]

The whole bible has a theme of ' the purpose in life' is for us to be obedient to God.

[Raven]

To be witnesses to those who are in denial, like Adam and Eve, that God is always amongst us. That God has not abandoned us. That God lives within us and if we allow our heart to be unconditional, God's uncreated Light will move from inner to outer. God's grace expressed from within us becomes the light in the world we walk through. Others will know that we are His children...and they too can be so (unless the 'choose' to go back into denial again).

Our purpose is to have our lamp continuously lit, so we and others will know the truth, the way, and the life.

[AdHoc]

On 3/29/2022 at 1:21 PM, branchesofHim said:

Seek God the Father with your whole heart and He will reveal Himself as well as His purpose for you in Jesus Christ the Son.

Colossians 1:[12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
[14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
[15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

This verses of scripture literally explain the purpose of life. Shalom

The above scripture is very good. I'd like to add.

If we go back to Genesis 1 and 2 we can deduce FOUR grand purposes for man:
(1) Let us make man ... "in our image and likeness" According to Romans Chapter 1 all of the creature shows an aspect, or aspects, of God. Man is the peak of this expression. His first grand duty it to look and act and speak like God. This Holy God may remain hidden to shield His holiness and still display Himself through His Man.

(2) "Let them subdue and have dominion over the earth, sea and sky, and all that is in them". God is a God of Order. He institutes GOVERNMENT to maintain order. But there is a problem. The word "subdue" implies that there is a rebellion in progress. So man's next job is the "subdue" illegal forces, and then rule them so that they conform to God's ways and laws.

(3) "Dress and Keep the Garden". God is a holy God. He is not like anything ever made. He is eternal while all else is temporal. Psalm 113:6 says that He must humble Himself just to look at His great and beautiful creation. So God has humbled Himself to have fellowship with His Man. But they must meet in a special Garden - separate from the rest of the creation. Man's job is to keep this garden according to God's wishes. When sin came in the Garden with its freedom of fellowship is dissolved and God must retire to behind a Veil. Only one man could enter - and that, only once a year, and that only with special rituals. But God has not given up His idea. The Bible ends with a holy City with a Wall of heavenly people and Gates of earthly People to vet the profane people.

(4) "It is not good for man to be alone - I speak of Christ and the Church". God's creation was great, and so a parade of the living creatures was made to pass before the man. But no "help meet" was found among them. A companion up to the standard of the man could not be found. So he must enter a deep sleep and God builds his companion FROM HIM - a WO-MAN. But God says that this couple were only a picture of a deeper reality - Christ and His Bride

Now we turn to our scripture from Colossians above. God is almighty. His councils are immutable. But He is also holy and righteous. So when sin came in to the man, God must pause to deal with this problem. Un-dealt with, sin and sins would defile Him and His Person. So ...

Verse 12 says that God had an inheritance for someone. He is called "Father". The recipients of this inheritance but BECOME HIS SONS. He must do something to remove the way to NEW BIRTH - a birth to make mere men the sons of God (Jn.1:12-13). So God, though the Substitutionary death of One Perfect Man "made us meet" - made us up to the standard, or requirements of an HEIR.

Verse 13 says that we had succumbed to "the Power of Darkness". He must wrench us back and pay the price. the price is HORRENDOUS. The Son of God must be treated as a Criminal and take the huge mound of man's sins upon Himself - though He is innocent. Was this price payed for a couple of dusty and weary Christians to get to heaven? Or was it payed for point # 2 above - for the RULERSHIP of God's beautiful earth. It is for "the KINGDOM of His DEAR Son". It is heavenly in nature and power - but exercised ON EARTH

Verse 14. James 2:26 tells us that our vitality is our human spirit. It is God's breath. When a man dies he "give UP his spirit". But his HUMAN LIFE is the in the blood (Gen.9:4, Lev.17:11, etc.). The price is almost too much to bear. The only Perfect and Sinless and BELOVED Son of God must lose His LIFE. His precious unsullied blood must be poured out on the altar of Golgotha into the cursed earth. Who can fathom this? Is it not a stumbling block for the Jew and foolishness for the Gentile? Aye! But for THOSE who embrace it it is LIFE eternal, release from everlasting torment and elevation to sons of the Living God.

Verse 15 gives the PEDIGREE of the One Who was slain with criminals. THE (emphasized) Image of God - the One Who FROM BIRTH displayed all of God's attributes. A MAN in PERFECTION! A MAN who never did a single thing that His Father didn't command. But men always try to drag this BELOVED of the Father to their level. So God declares Him and BOTH Creator AND First of the Creature. He is deity and humanity of the first degree. He creates as God and dies as a Man - for only a Man can pay men's debt.

Verse 16 is worth a book, but it is summarized by saying that, contrary to the Christians who think that Jesus barely made it and now we can crawl into heaven beaten and bloody, This MAN is Creator of ALL THINGS INCLUDING the GOVERNMENT of the Creature! He made natural laws and made God's Laws to govern this massive universe. And then He made angelic government. They failed! One third of them follow God's Adversary - Lucifer. The God makes Adam and he fails. And then God sends His only begotten Son AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE THE PERFECT GOVERNOR - a King of glory and splendor Who takes command of the creature when He is ready.

Verse 17 says "ALL things". That includes THE GARDEN and the WO-MAN. Sin has shut the Garden, so He is the Temple that has the Veil (Jn.2). The Veil is His flesh (Heb.10.20) and His flesh is also a grain of Wheat (Jn.12:24). The cross allows God to rip the Veil apart. It is torn from TOP to bottom - from where God sits on High. No man can approve Christ's death. It is approved by God ripping the Veil. And it is God's principle of seed that releases His Wo-man. Christ's Bride - the Church is made while He died. Christ made the galaxies with the breath of His mouth (Ps.33:6). But He must die for His Wo-man. A Trillion stars come from His breath, but His Woman comes from spear in His side. How unique is the Woman and how sweat the fellowship without the Veil. Aaron went through the Veil with one thought; "IF I make a mistake I'm dead". But now the slowest, dimmest, smallest Christian can "come BOLDLY to the throne". And it is no more a throne of JUDGMENT - but a throne OF GRACE (Heb.4:16).

Much more can be said, but  these few lines of scripture speak of God's PURPOSE fulfilled IN JESUS - ALL FOUR OF THEM!

[branchesofHim]

22 hours ago, AdHoc said:

Much more can be said, but  these few lines of scripture speak of God's PURPOSE fulfilled IN JESUS - ALL FOUR OF THEM!

And they all reflect the greatest of all commandments indeed. To know God is the purpose of all. Shalom

Mark 12:[28] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
[29] And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
[31] And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

[Alive]

I was just now thinking about the great commandment and considering how we actually come to loving Him.

For myself, it is in being aware of just how much I need His Grace. What follows from this….what result is the second great commandment. The extending of that same Grace to others.

[AdHoc]

4 hours ago, Alive said:

I was just now thinking about the great commandment and considering how we actually come to loving Him.

For myself, it is in being aware of just how much I need His Grace. What follows from this….what result is the second great commandment. The extending of that same Grace to others.

When Peter was asked three times by the Lord; "Peter, do you love me?", The Lord Jesus used the word "agape". "Agape" is usually used in association with God's love or unconditional love. But Peter answered with another word - "Philadelphia". "Philadelphia" means "brotherly love", and although it is true love, it falls short of "agape". But Peter had learned a terrible lesson. He had learned that somewhere deep inside of us is a barrier. We just can't be like Jesus in all things and at His level. Peter had learned to mistrust himself.

Every morning I wake and lie for a while talking to the Lord. My first two sentences are a simple "Good morning my Lord" - the common courtesy of a bond -slave greeting his powerful Master. The second sentence is; "I love you Lord .... but not as I should." The reason is simply that God's love is pure and virile - unmoved by circumstance. But mine is fickle - sometimes cooler than an hour before. I have no excuse. I'm just not up to His love. But the story of Peter is not finished.

The third time our Lord Jesus asked Peter, He said to Peter, "Peter, do you "PHILADELPHIA me". The beauty of this sentence is that our Lord Jesus saw Peter's honesty. He also saw Peter's lack of confidence in himself after the thrice denial of Jesus before men. And He allowed for Peter's weakness. He dropped Himself to Philadelphia because Peter was just a man. I love Jesus, and I love the Father, with an imperfect love - and I am utterly smitten that He still loves me up to HIS standard.

I have two great reasons why I love Him; The first is that He loves me "warts and all ...", and the second is that He left His high position, lowered Himself to nothing, died for men and is still vitally interested in me, despite all.

In closing, I would like to make an observation. Our Lord Jesus, before He died, was resurrected and before He came to live IN men, He quoted the Law. "Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself" - a high command. But then He gave a NEW COMMANDMENT to His disciples - Love your neighbor AS I HAVE LOVED YOU! And now the bar is set so high ....