– Joseph Rozario (Bangalore, India)
by UFSM
FEBRUARY 08, 2018
IN UNCATEGORIZED
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463
RETURNING TO GOD’S ORIGINAL PURPOSE
Joseph Rozario
Bangalore, India
Whatever God created, He created each one of them with a definite purpose, be they animate or inanimate beings and things. There was nothing He created without a definite purpose. In that method of creation, He also incorporated certain laws and principles and potential to fulfill that purpose. The sun, among other things, was created to give heat and light, the birds to fly, the fish to swim, etc. That includes the crown of all His creation, man and woman. And to them He assigned the highest calling and purpose in their lives. Such a complete arrangement was what gave God the utmost satisfaction, contentment and rest (Genesis 2:2). I believe only when man returns to God’s original purpose, it is then He will return to His rest.
Let us return to the ‘genesis’ of all things. In Genesis, God’s purpose for man is enshrined in verses 1:26 to 1:28. Here, God desired, designed and designated man and woman to rule over this earth as God’s proxy and to subdue it. For which cause, God put within man the necessary qualification and potential, i.e. God’s character in His image and likeness ( v. 26). Saving of the souls from hell’s fire and getting them ready to go to heaven may satisfy man’s need. It is a good thing. (Remember, it is the good things that keep us away from the very best. I would even say, the ‘good’ is the enemy of the ‘best’.) But it does not fulfill God’s ultimate and original design. In such a process, our being saved in the past is only an initiation, just like getting admission in a school. Unless we work further to graduate, the original intent will ever remain unfulfilled. A much bigger plan needs to be accomplished and achieved. When the Apostle Paul cried out, “How can we escape, if we neglect so great salvation….?” (Hebrews 2:3), he envisaged that original complete and comprehensive purpose of God and not merely being saved from hell’s fire (as many misguided evangelicals clamor today). Unfortunately, that original plan of God got derailed when man fell in sin and with Satan’s help thwarted God’s plan. God does not accede to the seeming defeat. But with the advent of God’s kingdom plan through His son Jesus Christ, that original plan was restarted. Remember, that voice in the wilderness and Jesus’ mission statement and first sermon, “Repent…..the Kingdom (plan) has come (restarted)” (Mathew 3:2 and 4:17) !? (Amplification is mine).
So, the one matter close to the heart of God is that many sons be brought unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). Till then God is committed to work “all things together for good to them” (Romans 8:28) to conform a people to the image of His Son. So, we can safely assume that THIS plan of God is His top most priority. And God Himself declares that He will not hold His peace nor rest, till this primary purpose is accomplished (Isaiah 62: 1 & 2). This process of transformation has to take place on this earth now (1 John 3: 2 & 3) and it cannot take place once we get to heaven. There is the ‘other popular gospel’ that exhorts believers to be ready to go, whether THAT original plan of God is accomplished or not. But a ‘remnant’ company of responsible people, wedded to God’s original purpose, have their eyes of understanding enlightened to what is the ultimate hope of this calling (Ephesians 1:18 & 19). The eyes of their understanding are also opened to see God’s mighty power (V.19) that is available to a people to achieve this end. Be it in the Old Testament or the New Testament times, down through history, God’s purposes have been preserved through the commitment of a small group of people. They are called God’s Remnant. It became God’s business to preserve and protect them in the most perilous of times. To fulfill His original purpose, God was prepared to rewrite history, change nature’s laws, influence governments and enthrone and dethrone rulers. His Remnant people have survived annihilations time and again. Every time the enemy buried them, he forgot one thing: he was burying a seed! We are living in such perilous and exciting times, to experience God’s commitment to execute His original plan. His plan and purpose will never fail, and neither will we, if we are committed to THAT purpose. Who will rise up to be counted in this remnant company, to abandon themselves to God’s original purpose? Who will respond to this clarion call of the Spirit?
