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Building up believers and the New Testament church

Walking in Truth

The Eternal Goal of God

Sometimes we find it difficult to think about such things. They seem too lofty, too far removed from our everyday lives. We would rather think about more practical things to help us to deal with the everyday demands we face. God does care about the little things we face each day, and He has an answer for everything. But I also believe it is important to have a clear understanding (or revelation) of God's eternal goal. This will allow us to properly fit together things that happen to us . If our goal is unclear or too low, we risk the danger of misinterpreting the events of daily life and not profiting from them as God intends.

What is God's eternal goal? What is He after? Consider these scriptures: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17:20-23)

"For ‘He has put all things under His feet.' But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.' And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be Myson'" (Revelation 21:1-7).

These are some descriptions from scripture of the lofty purpose of God. Put very simply, Paul says it is "that God may be all in all." Is that a selfish goal? Not when we consider who God is. Everything that is good is in God, and He has made the way for us to be included in His love, His riches, and His presence for all eternity. Our finite minds cannot grasp that. We catch glimpses here and there, but the vastness of it is beyond us. One day those who are faithful in Christ in this life will experience this, and we will "know as we are known." Now we are called to walk by faith, but in that day we will see all things as they are. Now we see only the form or outline, but then we will see face to face and dwell with God for all eternity.

What does this goal mean to us now? What is God after? Is He not seeking a perfect relationship that cannot be broken no matter what comes against it? In the first temptation in the garden, Satan questioned the integrity of God and Eve fell as she listened to the lie of the deceiver: "Isn't God keeping something good from you?" "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). What are we called to believe? To believe all that God says He is: good, faithful, loving, all-powerful, and perfect in all His ways. Satan would lead us to question that, and when we entertain even one little lie pertaining to the character of God, it affects our relationship with God and hinders us from experiencing the riches of His grace.

That God may be all in all! God in everything. God as our peace. God as our righteousness. God as our strength, our wisdom, our resource in everything. That is what God is after—that He may be everything to us and that we might look for nothing outside of Him. We can have a perfect relationship with a perfect God. With that relationship, He can take us into eternity and we may share in the riches of His love. Is this our goal? Does our goal agree with God's? If it does, we will be able to see all other things more clearly as they relate to this goal.