The Called according to His Purpose
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
If I am one of the called according to His purpose…..when did He call me? And for what purpose?
The “when” is most interesting:
2 Timothy 1:9 “ Who hath 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 us in Christ Jesus before the world began;”
Before anything that is, was….He saw you in Christ Jesus.
Now it is….Who saved us and called us with a Holy Calling….not according to our works.
It is a Holy Calling….not something that we earn,….
…..but to be holy means to be separated unto the Lord….so it is a calling that separates us to Christ and His honor.
We did not come into being, to live for ourselves….to do our own thing.
We are bought with a price, and we are not our own.
But let us consider the “purpose”.
The purpose or reason for my personal existence?
Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”
“Also He hath set the world in their heart”….the proper rendering would be “eternity”
“He hath set eternity in their hearts.”
We all have within us a longing for that which is Eternal…..without change….to have fellowship and knowledge of something or Someone…..Who is beyond our understanding….for, if we are honest,…..our hearts feel Him….even when we do not acknowledge Him
This desire is there….and must be satisfied….for without this we know that we are incomplete.
The human heart can know no true rest until it rests in God…..Who created it for Himself.
Run as far as you can and as fast as you can…..you will still find God is there and that there is no escaping Him….He is waiting for you there.
And this is our Purpose…..to know Him, Whom to know aright is to have Eternal life.
Then, our Purpose has to do with faithfully fulfilling the work God has called us to:
Acts 26:16, 18 “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this Purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and those things which I will appear unto thee.
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is in Me.”
Our Purpose has to do with witnessing to others of Christ…..of “opening the eyes” (“open” here means reversing how they see, now)……pulling away the veil of disbelief and scoffing….
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “For if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
In Ecclesiastes….”purpose” is mentioned several times….
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:17 “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 “Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerned both time and judgment.
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.”
(How many of us know when we are out of place? Of course, because the Holy Spirit within us….leading us in our purpose for this time, shows us….gives us discernment.)
Our purpose has to do with time….our time here….and what we are doing with it.
Ephesians 1:11-12 “In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the Purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own Will:”
That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.”
Our purpose is to be born again….and come into a personal relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our purpose is to grow in grace….and the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:2-4)
Our purpose is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind.
Our purpose is to manifest Christ to others.
Isaiah 14:24 “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass; and as I have purposed, so it shall it stand:”
The Lord has a Purpose for each life….
….the grand thing is, that as born again ones….we can enter into and enjoy our Purpose!
Many fight against the very thing which will bring them Peace and satisfaction….the life Christ has for them.
King Solomon (who was one of the wealthiest monarchs) was happy during the time of building the Temple, which was the Purpose God gave him to do…..but after it was built….
….instead of finding his next Purpose from God….
…..he gave himself to “things…under the sun”….and found them “vanity”, or nothing.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my portion of all my labor.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
In conclusion….Solomon wrote…
Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Our Purpose before God is like the “light at the end of the tunnel”…..no matter what we must pass through….God has made a way, and given us His Spirit and grace…for it.
And Paul, whose Purpose had been outlined to him by the Lord, even on the road to Damascus, said….”I follow after”
Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
Are there any sweeter words to life for a Christian than….”I follow after”?
Paul had been active in church building, in missionary work, in taking the gift offerings to other Christians….
….and in prison, cold and alone….he still sought to “follow after” Christ by the letters he wrote the churches, and the encouraging he gave to those who were permitted to visit him.
His Purpose from Christ was his joy, his peace even in troubles, and his life.
Are we “following after”….apprehending what Christ has for us in the Purpose He set us aside for us?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 