- CHAPTER 7 -
The Coming of Christ

Through the Israelite people, God prepared the way for a Messiah to come and bring deliverance from sin. Before deliverance could come, the people needed to see clearly their demise. They needed to see their sin so as to seek help. Otherwise, when the Messiah proclaimed, “I have come to save your from your sins”, the people would have said, “What do you mean? We do not have any sins.”

God promised the people: “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12) This promise came first to Abraham, through whose womb the nation of Israel would come, and was later affirmed in the law by giving Israel a unique identity as God’s people. The promise, however, would not be fulfilled until the coming of the Messiah. The people first needed to be set free from the power of sin before they could truly live as God’s people.

Throughout the history of the Israelites, God watched over them as a loving husband and Father. However, the people failed repeatedly in keeping their covenant with God. The law made visible the problem of sin, and the Israelite people illustrated this well. The law could not change their hearts. Though they were given the Word of God, they could not keep the Word. As such, provision was made for sin through animal sacrifices that could be made so as to make amends and atone for sin. Atonement was necessary to maintain justice and sustain a proper relationship with God.

Year after year, the Israelites made atonement with animal sacrifices. Their sins were transferred unto an animal that carried them away. (Leviticus 16) In this way, the people could be forgiven and continue in God’s love and provision. However, these sacrifices were not pleasing to God. (Isaiah 1:11) He had created humanity in His image, and His desire was that we reflect His image. The presence of sin meant we were not fulfilling this desire. The continual sacrifices did not cure them of their sin; it only showed that sin destroys life. Because of sin, the blood of animals had been spilled. As such, the Lord said to them, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.” (Isaiah 1:15) The people were wrought with death.

Time and time again, the Lord showed mercy upon the people. Time and time again, they turned their backs upon Him. God would bless the people with wealth and prosperity. In their bliss, they would forget God and begin worshipping idols. As a result, wickedness would overtake them. God would then punish them by allowing their enemies to overtake them and exile them from their land. (Ezekiel 16) In their sorrow, the people would realize their sin and repent. When they had learned to rely on God again, seeking Him and putting Him first, He would deliver the people and bless them. The cycle would then repeat. This happened numerous times. The people desperately needed a Messiah to save them from their sins.

God spoke through various prophets telling of a day when He would deliver the people. He foretold of a child that would be born of the ancestral line of Abraham and King David. The prophecy said: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.’“ (Jeremiah 23:5-6) Additionally: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) The prophecy was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ.

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-37)

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:1-20)

As such, it had come to pass that the Son of God had been born and walked among us.

Why Did Jesus Come?

At the time of Jesus birth, the Israelites were living in exile under Roman rule and authority. As such, the people thought the Messiah would come to restore the government of Israel and make them a nation once again. As such, the idea of a great King being born in such lowly conditions confounded them. How could such a great and mighty King be born in a stable?

Christ, however, did not come to restore Israel’s rule, but to restore God’s rule that was lost in the Garden of Eden due to sin. He came with good news for “all people.” His purpose was to set people free from the power of sin and not the oppression of wicked human rule. If you notice above, the Messiah was given the name of Jesus because “He will save His people from their sins.” His name embodied His purpose. Jesus came save people from sin and restore them to God.

Christ came from Heaven to earth, the Word of God made flesh, specifically because of God’s love for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) He did not come for selfish reasons. He was not motivated by pride, greed, or power. He was motivated only by love. God loved us so much that He sent Christ for us. Jesus was a gift from above. To understand the full depth of this, let us explore all the reasons why He came:

10) Jesus came to save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21; 1 John 3:5)

Early in His ministry, Jesus went to the town of Nazareth where he had been raised. “On the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” (Luke 4:14-21; Isaiah 61:1-3)

Humanity has fallen from the glory of God. We are sinful. It is not just that we do bad things, but that we ourselves are bad. Because of this, we cannot live for God or keep His commands. We have been imprisoned by a power greater than ourselves from which we need to be set free. We are spiritually blind and unable to see the light of God in our darkness. We live in a world of worry, fear, death, and depression.

We are like a child who went swimming by the sea one day. Our father said, “Do you see the line where the water turns darker. Do not swim past that line or else the current might grab you, take you out to see, and you will drown.” Despite his warning, we were curious about the dark waters. So, we swam out there to get a closer look. And just as father said, we were caught in the current and taken out to sea. In worry and fear, we wave and scream for someone to help. We need to be saved before it is too late and have drowned in darkness.

Christ came to save us from our sins that have taken us captive and hold us in darkness. Only by His power may we be saved and once again come to shore where we can rest in the light of God.

9) Jesus came to fulfill the law. (Matthew 5:17)

Sin holds us prisoner. Though we may want to live for God, we cannot. The power of sin is too great and keeps us chained. We only understand this truth when we try to keep God’s law. The more we try to obey, the more we find that we fail. When we make a conscious effort to please God by our works, we find a great battle that pursues inwardly over what we should do and what we want to do. We know that we should obey God. Instead, we are drawn by earthly pleasures. We find sin pleasurable and over time, we easily give in to it. Because of this, the law feels overbearing. The law restrains us from being able to do what we want. We want to covet the body of the beautiful woman next door. We want her body. And yet, the law says “YOU SHALL NOT.” And so, a battle ensues. We look for a brief moment, and then look away. We sneak a peak again, and then look away. This continues until finally we relinquish to our sinful desire and lust after her beauty. We want her or want to be her. At this point, rather than see her as a person, we see her as an object destroying any possibility for true fellowship. Therefore, the law becomes a heavy weight we must carry. We don’t want to obey it, but we must. It restrains us because our desire is sinful.

We are sinful. We cannot keep the law and cannot fulfill the law. We cannot please God. Christ came, however, to fulfill the law on our behalf. He came to do what we could not. Christ was born without sin. He came down from Heaven born of God and man. From His birth, He was righteous and pleasing to God. There was nothing wrong with Him. He did not need salvation, rather, He brought salvation. Because of this, Christ could live above and beyond what the law required. He could live a life of true love and fellowship with God and others. He met all the requirements of law keeping every single command. In addition, He lived a life pleasing to God. He did not battle inwardly with sin as we do. Rather, His desire was pure. He wanted to serve God and live for Him. He wanted to do what is right and did it. He was a perfect human being exemplifying all that we should be.

Christ met all the requirements of the law. This means He was innocent and righteous. He had no guilt. The law did not weigh heavy upon Him. To Him, obedience was easy. He did not struggle to obey. He did not make any effort. Rather, His nature was the nature of God. Because of this, it was His nature to obey just as it is the nature of a bird to fly. Christ was born free. He knew no sin. He was not enslaved by sin. Because of this, Christ upheld the law and proved His place as Lord and King. He alone has the right to judge. He alone has the right to give freedom to the prisoners. He alone holds the keys to death.

8) Christ came to show us God. He was God in flesh—God with us. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-18; 14:6-11)

Humanity was created in the image of God. However, because we sinned, that image was distorted. We no longer resemble God’s image. Our person should reflect the qualities and nature of God. We were created like a mirror. So long as God shines His light upon us, we reflect His light and look like Him. God is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These traits should be reflected in us. However, without the light of God, we reflect other things. We reflect hatred, violence, greed, lust, sadness, anxiety, bitterness, unfaithfulness, wretchedness, and evil.

Christ came to show us God. Having been separated from God, we no longer knew Him. There was no example of God anywhere on earth. We could no look and say, “There is God.” We could not easily identify the nature of God. The Moral law provided us with a shadow of God’s image. We could see the silhouette of God. However, this did not provide a full portrait of what God is like. Jesus Christ is the image of God. (Colossians 1:15) By looking at Him, we can see who God is. We can know what God looks like.

It is important to note that this is not the physical image of God. God is spirit and it was in His Spirit that Christ displayed the image of God. We have no photograph or visual record as to what Christ looked like physically. We have paintings and drawings originated from the imaginations of artists. However, in truth, we do not know what His physical features were. Rather, the image of God is in His Spirit. The Spirit produces the personality and behavior. When we look at the behavior of Christ, when we see what He has done, then we see the image painted in actions. The Spirit cannot be seen. It is like the wind. But as the wind brushes against the trees and moves clouds through the air, we can see an image of the wind. Likewise, the image of God is portrayed in the life of Christ. It was in His life that we see God.

Christ came that we might see God. He is the Word of God made flesh. God’s Word reveals who God is. For example, let us say that you meet a person for the very first time. You have never met this person before and do not know this person. At a glance, you can tell he is a Hispanic man in his early thirties. All you see is his physical image, but you know that there is obviously more to him. He is a person with a personality and spirit. And so, you introduce yourself and begin a conversation. By talking with him, you learn more about him. Eventually, you become friends and even learn deep intimate secrets of his heart and mind. It was through his speaking that you were able to learn about him. No one can read into the thoughts and heart of another person. You were able to learn what he was really like by talking with him. The more you listened, the more you learned. However, if the man had never said anything, you could never know anything about him. Likewise, we can know God only through His Word. It is by His Word that God is revealed. His heart, will, purpose, plans, and thoughts are revealed to us through His Word. Christ is the Word of God made flesh. This means that God has been revealed to us in Christ. We can know who God is personally by studying Christ. This is wonderful news because it means that we don’t have to search for God or try to logically piece together His existence by clues on earth. All we have to do is look at Christ and we can clearly see who God is.

In addition, this means we have an example to follow. We were created to reflect the image of God. Being that Christ is the image of God, we were created to reflect Christ. In other words, we were created to be like Jesus Christ. By coming to earth, Christ demonstrated for us completely what it means to be a human being. He did not merely tell us, but showed us with His every action. By doing this, God gave us the perfect example to mimic. We may know what to do and not to do simply by asking, “What would Jesus do?” We were created to be like Jesus Christ.

7) Christ came that we may know God in truth. (1 John 5:20)

Because we had fallen far from God, we no longer knew God in truth. Our earthly idea of God was distorted. In seeking God, humanity created many false gods. There are many different religions and different ideas about God. Some are true and some are not. How can we know the difference? We can only know what is true and what is false if we know who God is.

For example, let’s say a new student from another country has entered classes at school. She is quiet and is slowly learning the language. Rumors begin to circulate about who she is and where she’s from. Some say she’s from India. Other’s say Pakistan. Some say she’s from Brazil. No one knows for sure, but everyone has a different belief. Obviously, she cannot be from all these places. She may have traveled extensively, but she could have only been born in one place. Until she reveals where she’s from, no one will know the truth.

We cannot know God in truth unless we have met God in truth. All the speculation and ideas we have about God are nothing without evidence from God Himself. Religions may tell us about God, but there is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. We may know about someone by reading a book. For instance, you might know about US President Abraham Lincoln. You may read about him in a history book. However, have you met him? Do you know what he is like as a person? The only way to know Lincoln is to meet him in person and converse with him on a personal level. Likewise, the only way to know God is to meet him in person and share with him on a personal level. Many people can claim to know God. But unless they have had a real life encounter with God, they do not know Him personally.

Christ came that we may know God intimately as we would a friend or brother. He came that we could meet God, see God, experience God, and commune with God. Because of sin, we no longer know God. We are separated from Him. He is no longer our Father, Friend, King, Lord, or God. Rather, He has become a means to an end, an overbearing warlord, or an imaginary tale. Christ came to restore this broken relationship so that we might once again know God in full. He came to reveal God to us in hopes that we might choose to enter into a new life with God. In this way, we may know God in truth.

6) Christ came to demonstrate God’s love for us. (1 John 3:16)

When sin entered into the world, it brought pain and suffering. Rather than know the pleasure of God’s love, we know the harshness of God’s love. When children obey, the parents bless their child. When children disobey, the parents discipline their child. We had sinned and have come to know God’s discipline. We live in a world wrought with pain, suffering, death, violence, and evil. In love, God set us free. Like children seeking independence, God let us go the way we wanted in hopes that one day we will return to Him. He does not give us everything we want. He gives us what is best for us that we may see our sin and return to Him. He leaves us to our demise hoping we might see what our sin has caused us.

Because we do not know God, we do not know God’s love for us. We have forgotten God even loves us. Many question God’s love. If God loves us so much, why does He allow such bad things to happen to good people? The question also echoes, ‘if God loves me so much, why does He allow me to suffer?’ In our grief, we cannot image that God loves us. We asked for our independence and then blame God for our problems.

We have all sinned against God. We have hurt Him and set ourselves against Him. We live in a world of sin and evil perpetuated by our own actions. God is not destroying us. We are destroying ourselves. We are ruining our lives. We do bad things. And yet, we blame God for our suffering. Why? Because we do not know love. When we understand the fullness of love, we understand the need for pain. God gave us pain as a gift. It is in this gift that we know the reality of our existence. When we touch a flame, pain sears down our nerves telling us our body is being destroyed. Pain communicates loudly that something we are doing is wrong. We have the freedom to touch the fire. We also have pain to warn us concerning the power in the fire. Without pain, we would not quickly or easily know what was happening. We would not know that we have hurt ourselves. We would not know the harm we have inflicted. The pain warns us and causes us to cry out for help.

Since the fall of humanity, the world has been overrun with evil. This is not the way it should be. Pain and suffering communicate our human condition. We know that we are human, and not gods, because we cannot stop or control pain. We cannot stop fire from destroying our flesh. Rather, we live with a healthy fear of the pain it causes so as to avoid the flame. Likewise, the pain we see and experience all around us reminds us that this life and time is not what it should be. We must strive for something higher and greater. We are not gods who control all things. We do not set the laws of physics in motion. We do not have the power to control our own behavior let alone that of the universe. Rather, we are human beings who need something greater than us to give us life and power. We need to be sustained, protected, cared for, and loved.

We live in a world of pain because we live in a world of corrupted love. In a world of love, we have responsibility and accountability. In order to love, we must be free to make choices. We must choose to offer our loves to others. We must be free to say, “I do” or “I don’t.” We must be able to respond to others by giving or withholding. Will we keep our words to ourselves so that our heart will not be revealed? Or will we share our heart through words so that we might draw closer to someone else? Only in this freedom are we capable of a greater good. Indeed, there is evil. However, within evil, the ultimate good may shine. Through pain, we have an opportunity to show what love really means.

Christ came to show us what love truly is. He came to demonstrate the fullness of God’s love for us. Humanity has fallen. We are sinners. Who but God could show us love? Who but God could love us? And yet, Christ did love us. He helped anyone that came to Him. He gave without asking for anything in return. He never acted selfishly, but always considered the needs of those around Him. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, and gave His life. He demonstrated God’s love for us.

5) Christ came to reclaim God’s throne and become King. (John 18:37)

When humanity fell, sin entered the heart of humans. Humanity declared independence from God seeking to rule ourselves. God was no longer our God. Rather, we became ruled and mastered by sin. The desires of our heart were no longer the same as God’s desire. Our earthly desires conflicted with God’s ways. We no longer desired good things based upon love. We desired our own selfish gain and motives. Our hearts had become wicked.

Christ came to re-establish the rule of God over humanity that they might live in His love and care. He was born to be Lord and King over God’s people. He would lead them like a loving shepherd who cares for His flock day and night. He would be their strength when they are weak. He would help them stand. He would be their righteousness and their life. He would be their God.

For sinful humanity, such a prospect frightens us. We do not want to be ruled by anyone. Our nature is to rebel and seek our own way. We want to do what we want when we want. Submission goes against our nature. In addition, when we observe the lords and kings of earth, we become frightened. They rule over people with fear and oppression. They control people through force. We obey our masters, not because we love them, but because we must. We arise and attend to our duties because we need to earn our days wages. We listen to the government because we do not want to be punished. We do what we must, but inwardly, we are restrained. As such, when we think of God ruling over us, we often imagine an overbearing dictator trying to control every area of our lives.

God, however, does not wish to control us with force. His desire is that we would obey in love. This is far different from the masters who control us on earth. God has no wish to force someone into obedience. If this was His goal, then it would be done. God would be here on earth with whips and chains pushing us around. Rather, God is quiet and distant. He only comes to those who seek Him and invited Him truthfully.

God’s desire is not to control us. Rather, He is a Father who loves us. He wants what is best for us. As our creator, He knows what is best. He knows what will bring us the greatest fulfillment. He knows what give us lasting joy. He knows how to give us the greatest life. However, since He loves us, He will not force us into this. We must come to Him and ask for it. We must look for it. This is why Christ has said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

In the fall of humanity, God lost His throne over the human heart. We no longer look to God as Father. We don’t see Him as a loving, kind, and gentle God who wants our best. Christ came to change this. He came to re-establish the rule of God in our lives that we may once again look to God as our loving Father. Christ came to be our King, our Lord, and our God.

4) Christ came to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. (Luke 4:43)

When humanity fell, sin took over. God no longer ruled the hearts of humanity. Because of this, the world is ruled and controlled by wickedness. When we look at the state of humankind, we don’t see a single community unified in love. We see many countries divided warring against one another. In smaller communities, we see vast division. People feel justified living in vast wealth while others starve on city streets without a place to lay their head. Crime and injustice are abundant.

Christ came to proclaim the good news to all people. He came to offer hope. God is establishing His Kingdom among humanity once again. His Kingdom is founded on love. In His Kingdom, people live under God’s rule in God’s ways. They live together in harmony united with one purpose. Each person is loved as a unique individual blessed with a gift to contribute to the whole. And yet, the whole body lives together under one banner. They are unified in purpose and bound by love.

The Lord foretold of His Kingdom to come through the prophet Isaiah. He said, “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain.” (Isaiah 65:20-25)

And in the book of Revelation, it speaks of God’s Kingdom to come saying: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

3) Christ came to destroy the Devil’s work. (1 John 3:8)

Because of sin, the Devil gained an upper hand over humanity. We have succumbed to his temptations giving him the ability to work through us. The Devil is a lair, murderer, and thief. These are Devil’s works and they are prevalent in the world. Christ came to destroy these works. He came to help people do the works of God—peace, love, truth, and righteousness. He came to change hearts and make people new.

2) Christ came to give life. (John 10:10)

In Christ is life. He came to earth to give of Himself so that we might have life. He came to give us a rich and full life filled with peace, love, and joy. This is not simply surviving or just breathing. What good is a life of emptiness and internal pain? What good is living just to live? Christ came to give a life we would want to live, a spiritual life connected with God. He came to give eternal life. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) By knowing God, the riches of God can pour into our hearts offering us the life we were truly meant to live. Christ came to give us the fullness of life, a life with purpose and meaning.

1) Christ came to do the Father’s will. (John 6:38)

First and foremost, before all things, Christ came to do His Father’s will. He came in humble obedience seeking to put His Father first. God is worthy, and by doing God’s will, Christ’s work was made worthy. For no other reason, not even the sacrifice of His life, was Christ glorified. It was simply for doing God’s will.

This truth is important as it exemplifies our main goal and purpose in all activities. We are seeking to do God’s will in God’s way for God’s glory. In this, our actions have value and worth. It is not the outcome of our actions that make our actions valuable; rather, it is God’s pleasure. We live to please God. When we do God’s will, we do that which is pleasing to God. Jesus set out to please His Father. He did not set out to do what He wanted. He sought to put God first.

Humanity was created for God and Him alone. If anything else should come between humanity and God, then death is produced in us. However, when God is the center of our being, we are filled with life. Our life has meaning, purpose, and value when the focus of our life is seeking to please God. When God is our purpose, we can endure hardship, struggle, and pain in peace and joy knowing it is for a greatest good. We are not worried or perplexed because of the horror this world imparts upon us. We delight in knowing God and doing what He asks of us. Delighting in God is the only way to true and lasting happiness.

Christ set forth to do good works, not for the sake of doing good works, but to please God. God is good. Anything pleasing to God is good. This means that when we do God’s will, we are doing the ultimate good. For instance, we might feel pushed by God to donate twenty dollars to a drunken homeless man on the side of the road. In this world, we weight the value of this act based upon the outcome. The man is a drunk. To give him twenty dollars will only encourage his drinking and then our gift will be wasted. As such, the gift is a waste in our earthly eyes. However, God knows all things and how they work together for the ultimate good. If God beckons us to give twenty dollars for a drunk, if this is the will of God, then it is good. Even if the man does waste it on alcohol, we know we have done good because we have done the will of God. The value of our actions, of our being and our lives, is found not in what is achieved, but in whether or not God is worshipped. Did we do this for the glory of God, or for our own selfish desires? Did we serve ultimate good or our own corrupt idea of what is good?

At first hearing of this, we reject it. Our sinful soul is driven by selfishness. We live without God, and without God, it is impossible to live outside of oneself. However, to understand this truth and how it applies, you must understand the grandness of God. God is the creator of all things. He did not create out of a need, but out of a desire. This means God created out of love. Everything apart from God was created by Him. This means God gave everything to creation so that it can exist. This also means that God has nothing to gain. What can creation give to God that God did not give to it? God gave it everything. And so, God has nothing to gain. This means His motives (His will and His desire) are pure. There is nothing selfish within God. It is impossible. If God had even a quantum of selfishness within Him, then life and the universe would not exist. In being selfish, God would steal from creation which would only be stealing from Himself, and in turn, cause a huge paradox bringing about the destruction of all things. And so, it is impossible for God to be selfish. This means God is good. He is not just good; He is the source of all goodness. Everything has being because God gives it being. The universe exists because God gave it existence. And things continue to exist because God continues to sustain it. If God, at anytime, were to withdraw His power and hand from all things, then all of existence would crumble. Therefore, all life and existence depends upon God for being. Simply state, without God, there is no life. No God, no universe. God is the source of life and being. So long as we are drawing from this source, then we too have life and being. As such, if God is the source of all life and being, then this means God’s value is immeasurable. He is worth more than all things. Without Him, all would fall apart. And so, God is Holy. He is extremely sacred. He is not something we should joke about or take lightly. Rather, we should all live to serve Him. He is the source of live and goodness, and therefore, when we serve God, we are serving life and goodness. To serve God is doing the greatest good. The problem arises when we put something else first in our lives. Our sinful souls are selfish. Humans, in our sin, put ourselves first. Rather that do what God desires, we do what we want. And so, rather than serve life and goodness, we serve death and evil. We contribute to the destruction of all things. If we want to live for the greatest good, we must live outside ourselves. We must reach beyond ourselves. If we live only for ourselves, then we are selfish. We live in contradiction to love. Love is not selfish. If we want to live in love, we must live for something other than ourselves. The problem we encounter is that we are not God. We have needs. We need to eat. We need to sleep. We need shelter, exercise, community, and much more. Before we can step outside ourselves and truly live in love, we must first have our needs met. The only one who can meet all our needs is God. Once God enters our life, then we are free to life in love and goodness. Firstly, God supplies our needs. This means, we can share with others without being motivated by selfishness. Secondly, God becomes the center of our lives. If we live for God, then our motive is to serve the greatest good and not ourselves.

To illustrate this, imagine a community of people all living together on a small island. In the center of the island is a pool of fresh water. Surrounding the island is salt water. The people all depend on the small pool of water for life. They need to drink fresh water to live. This water has great importance to everyone in the village and because of this, they all keep it clean. It needs to remain pure or else everyone will become sick and/or die. The water, therefore, is sacred. Everyone treats the water with utmost respect. So long as everyone keeps the water clean, everyone can live together in harmony. However, if one person thinks, ‘I am more important than the water,’ and then dives in to swim around, the water will be polluted and everyone will suffer. God is like the pool of water. If we seek to do God’s will, then everyone will be blessed. The water will remain clean and pure. However, if we seek to be selfish putting ourselves first, the water will be polluted and everyone will suffer.

In this, however, comes something of utmost importance. We can only do God’s will if we know God. There are many people in different religions committing acts in the name of God that do not know God in truth. They commit acts that defy God’s commands and are displeasing to Him. For example, my own father might find it pleasing that I care for my younger sister. This is His will. Let us say, however, that I do not know my father because he spent most of my life overseas at war. I might say while he is gone, “It is pleasing to father that I should hit my sister to discipline her.” However, when father returned from war, he was very angry that I hit her. If I had known my father, I would have known what pleased him and displeased him. As such, it is of utmost importance that we first seek to know God before seeking to do His will. Otherwise, when we step out in faith attempting to please God, we may in fact displease Him because we do not know Him.

Christ came that we should know God and to help us do God’s will. He came to give us eternal life. Christ said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38-39) Eternal life, as shown above, is knowledge of God. It is that we may know Him spiritually being united with God in purpose and being. This includes having a full and rich life here on earth. It also means entering into Heaven and enjoying an eternal life in communion with God. Even more, it means having our bodies one day restored to their original glorious state. Eternal life isn’t just going on forever; it is the convergence of past, present, and future into one harmonious eternity. This means we have peace with God, the joy of knowing God, and the hope of living with God. This world and this existence is not all there is to life. Rather, we may enter into a new beginning as offered in and through Christ.