God’s Mission Purpose in Our Sinful World

God’s Mission Purpose in Our Sinful World

God is actively working in the world to eradicate the tragic sin of humanity. From the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world. As a result, every individual is born a sinner, an enemy of God, the Creator who deserves our worship. God’s mission is to dismantle the works of Satan, and He will ultimately succeed. The ultimate goal of God’s mission is to reverse the effects of the Fall and to crush Satan once and for all.

The Power of the Gospel

God is accomplishing this mission through the transformative power of the gospel. The gospel is spreading throughout the world as God’s people bear witness to the truth, even in the face of suffering. Their unwavering love for Christ drives them forward. Believers can be confident that nothing can thwart God’s plans; His faithfulness ensures that what He has begun will come to completion. It is essential for everyone to participate in this divine plan, as it represents the ultimate purpose of life: to glorify and worship God.

God’s Mission Purpose

God’s mission is one of redemption, aiming to restore sinners to Himself and liberate them from sin and the power of evil. After the Fall, God foretold the future destruction of Satan, saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This promise continued with Abraham, as noted by theologian John Stott: “God chose one man and his family in order, through them, to bless all the families of the earth.” The blessing is extended to all humanity and was intended from the beginning that all nations would be blessed through Abraham’s descendants.

Ultimately, the only true God chose one family, from which Jesus Christ emerged. “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” Today, through faith in Christ Jesus, we experience the fulfillment of the blessing promised to Abraham. Those justified by faith receive this blessing: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” From Abraham’s lineage came forth the God-man, Jesus Christ, the sole mediator through whom humanity can be saved from the wrath of God.

The Reality of Spiritual Blindness

However, due to the influence of the god of this world, humanity remains blinded to the truth, exchanging the worship of God for the worship of creation. “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” The destruction of Satan is certain, and his deception will soon come to an end.

Advancing the Kingdom

Through the power of the gospel, God is advancing His kingdom on earth. By placing our faith in Christ, we become spiritual descendants of Abraham. God’s plan has always centered on the gospel. “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

Christ embodies the fulfillment of the promise of blessing to Abraham. The Old Testament foretold that Christ would be for all nations. Upon His arrival, Jesus prophesied that many from various nations “will come from the east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.” In the Great Commission found in Matthew 28, Jesus commanded His disciples to go forth and make disciples of all nations, serving as witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The Church’s Mission

The mission of the Church is to glorify God through the preaching of the gospel. It is through evangelism that the Church is built. Ultimately, the gospel will be proclaimed to the entire world. The gospel represents the person and work of Jesus Christ for the redemption of sinners. Only through faith in Christ can individuals be saved from their sins and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God.

The Cost of Discipleship

The gospel is advancing globally through those willing to count the cost of following Christ, even in the face of suffering. Paul considered himself an ambassador for Christ, pleading for all to be reconciled to God. However, his commitment came at a price; the world sought to kill him, just as they killed Christ. As Jesus stated, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

Paul’s all-consuming passion was for Christ, making worldly concerns seem trivial in comparison. Those who enter into service out of love for Christ must expect suffering. Paul experienced hardship throughout his life, which is a reality for all who battle the forces of darkness. God revealed to Ananias that He would “show how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Paul advised Timothy that “You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

• Expect suffering as a part of the Christian journey.
• Focus on spiritual goals over worldly concerns.
• Understand the importance of faith and perseverance.

Conclusion

God’s mission will not be thwarted. Individuals from all nations are being called to Him. God’s intention has always been “to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.” He made “known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

From the beginning, God envisioned reversing the effects of the Fall and creating a new world characterized by righteousness. The gospel has always been central to God’s plan. It is the good news that the eternal Son became man, and through the proclamation of His word, people come to faith and receive salvation. Regardless of the challenges posed by Satan, God’s redemptive work will not fail. Nothing can obstruct this divine mission because it is the work of God, and no one can hinder His purpose in His people. Ultimately, humanity’s purpose is to glorify God through worship and service, made possible through reconciliation by faith in Christ.

References:

• Stott, John. "The Cross of Christ."
• McClung, J. "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement."
• The Holy Bible, ESV.