Thoughts On Purpose

…and called us... according to His own purpose…

 

2 Timothy 1:9

 

We see that Christ is the purpose and the practicality of being our purpose. When we begin comprehend that we are now the conduit, the means of the life of Christ (which is the life of the Father) to be lived out in and through us—in our talents, gifts, and skills—purpose then takes on a new meaning.

 

See, the Scriptures are clear that there is only one God, out of whom are all things. All things and all people have a purpose and the purpose is found in their Originator, The Lord God—He set forth the plan in Christ. Christ is the plan and the purpose of God. What we have to do is get in Christ. The word "in" is a locative word meaning "in the realm or sphere of". To be in Christ is two-fold:

 

1. Principally done by Calvary obtained by faith in the finished work of Christ. This is us sharing in His life, death, burial and resurrection. This is nothing that we did, but what God did in Christ by reconciling us to Himself.

 

2. Walking in the Spirit. That is, walking in the realm and sphere of the Spirit. That means letting the Spirit of God be our teacher, leader, guide, counselor, etc.

 

To walk in the Spirit is simply to be led of the Spirit in our life. One must cultivate a relationship with God and begin to respond to the Spirit's beckoning. The Spirit of God will lead and guide us. All we have to do is respond. It is when we try to get ahead of the Spirit of God, we stumble and fail.

 

Too often Christians push aside this pertinent truth of the leading of the Spirit. We cannot disregard this truth. It is essential. But many discount this aspect of our Christian walk because it is seemingly too hard to grasp.

 

It isn't brutal, but it calls for the denial of the carnal nature (the nature that opposes God) and its appetites.

 

Have you ever known someone that you wanted to speak to but yet were afraid to approach them? When you finally do get the nerve to approach them, you struggle at first to converse with them, and as time goes on, perhaps after future meetings with this person, you become less concerned with the struggle you originally had.

 

Granted this is somewhat different, but the principle applies as well. As we begin to respond to the Spirit and yielding to the Spirit, we will find the struggle within us to obey not as difficult as we first made it. This is not to say that one does not sin or stumble. Those are "side-issues", but they do not negate our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. They may hinder it, if we allow them to, but these will never negate it.