Resources/Articles
God's Eternal Purpose
by Roger Bruner
The eternal purpose of God is the theme of the Bible and it relates to Jesus’ coming to earth to die for man’s sins. The death of Jesus was preplanned and foreknown before man was created. Several passages in the Bible state this. One example is 1 Peter 1.18-20: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world…” Then in v. 22, we see another foreknown fact for which Jesus came: To reveal truth. This is equally important in our salvation, because truth is something that must be learned and obeyed in order for man to be saved from his sins.
God foreordained for man to know his will, for the purpose of obeying him. We see this from 1 Timothy 2.4, which says God desires “all men to be saved, and to come not the knowledge of the truth.” In 1 Peter 1.22, Peter said that man’s should is purified through obedience to truth. Salvation is not a result of blind trust. It is not an unexplainable experience. Salvation results from obedience to what God taught through his word. God’s word is truth (John 17.17). Man is drawn to God by being taught of God. This was one of the reasons that Jesus taught while he was on earth. Jesus said in John 6.44-45, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…” Then Jesus explained how the Father “draws”: “Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” Notice carefully the order: Hearing and learning precedes coming unto him.
Truth is necessary for salvation. Jesus did not only come to die; he came to teach us of the Father. Truth came by Jesus through his teachings (John 17.17). It is in man’s attitude and response to the things Jesus taught that his heart is revealed. A good heart believes and obeys; an evil heart does not. This was the point of Jesus’ parable about the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7.24-27). Jesus also taught that if any man loves him, he would keep his commandments (John 14.15,21,23).
This is why the gospel message (doctrine) is so important in religion. There is the danger of false messages. We see this from Galatians 1.6-9, where Paul mentioned “another gospel”: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” To distort words means to pervert or twist words in regard to their intended meaning. It is to take God’s words out of context. Satan did this when quoting Scripture in his temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4.6 from Psalm 91.10-11 with 1 Chronicles 28.9). God’s protection is promised to those who obey his words.
Those who rejected Jesus rejected his teachings. Through his words, their sin was revealed (John 15.22,24). It was only fitting his disciples would be determined by acceptance of his teachings. Those who rejected his teachings and refused to obey what he taught could not be his disciples. Jesus taught repeatedly that discipleship involved obedience (Matthew 10.37-38). Luke explained it as follows: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple…So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaken not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14.26-27,33). The apostle John acknowledged that when Jesus’ words are rejected, he is rejected (2 John 1.9).
All the division within the religious realm is over Jesus’ authority to command. That authority resides in his words. They are our judge. They are final. They were first bound in heaven and are now bound on earth (Matthew 16.19). When one accepts and another rejects, division will result. Jesus said it would happen, even in the family circle. In Matthew 10.34-36, he said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Yes, even within a family, good and evil hearts reside. The heart will be revealed by the response to Jesus’ words. His right to rule has been bound in heaven and must be accepted willingly. Again, God’s protection is promised to those who obey his words. Truth must be learned and obeyed in order for man to be saved from his sins.
God’s eternal purpose was for all to be saved through his Son. Jesus said, “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3.36).
