Many of us know how we are saved as Christians. "By grace we have been saved through faith.. (Eph 2:8). We are further told in Eph 1:7 "In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." So then Jesus is the mechanism by which you and I are saved by grace, through faith. But I wonder how many of us has thought about why we are saved?
We are saved so that we would be restored individually and as a body of Christ back to our right standing with God. Our salvation re-establishes the relationship with God that mankind had from the beginning of creation. That relationship was temporarily altered by the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden. Now that we by grace through faith are restored-we can now be and do that for which we and all mankind were created. We can now through the Holy Spirit allow Christ to live out His life through us. Christ did not die on the cross so that you and I could live a life of self effort, self righteousness, religious zealousness or judgemental attitudes. He died so that we would become "many sons" through His Spirit. We are simply to allow the Holy Spirit to produce the life of God in us. I want to share scripture which speaks to this Eternal Purpose that God has for you and I.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Paul addresses this "Eternal Purpose" as a "mystery" in Ephesians. The following is Paul's brief description of this purpose in Ephesians 3:9-11.
"....and to make all see what is the fellowship of te mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He acomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:19-21 "For the earnest expectation of the creation (mankind) eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility (reference to Genesis 3:17-19), not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (death through our mortal bodies) into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Romans 8:29 For whom He forknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might e the firstborn among many bretheren.
Summary: We have been saved to become children (sons and daughters of the living God) so that He would live through us having fellowship and mutual love. That is God's Eternal Purpose for mankind. We are told in Ephesians 2:10 that we are to walk in His purpose for us.
