HollyBefore the creation of the world, God chose and predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ. He prepared a plan and a purpose for us to fulfill so that we’d gain our eternal reward one day. You can learn a lot about your purpose in the book of Ephesians which will be our focal point moving forward.
Where it all begins…
We all sin and fall short in life, but by the grace of Jesus Christ we gain hope for a better start. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8). We were once dead in transgressions, but God made us alive again.
We are redeemed and set free by his blood. As stated in Ephesians 1:7-8, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” For further insight on salvation and redemption, refer to Finding Your Deliverance.
Paul states in Eph.1:14 that the Holy Spirit is our deposit guaranteeing the inheritance until the time of redemption of those who belong to God. Think of it as our down-payment of that reward we’ll gain for eternity.
Understanding Your Purpose
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10). This is part of our purpose as believers and of the church. We don’t do good works to gain God’s favor but to show our love and thankfulness to what he’s already done for us. When you claim to be a follower of Christ, you are to act as an example according to his Word.
We are sealed with a promise of God’s love by the Holy Spirit. The peace we get is from God who destroyed the wall of division and he brings all who seek him together as a unit. Through Christ we all have access to the Father by one Spirit. We are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone according to Eph. 2:20.
By our faith we have the freedom to seek God at any time and Eph. 3:12 is our proof. “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Paul urges us in chapter 4 to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. We should be humble, gentle, and patient as we share with others in love. Eph. 4:3 tells us to make every effort keeping the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Building the Body
God gave each of us a gift to fulfill the purpose he has for us. Eph. 4:11 states how some are to be apostles, others will be prophets, some will be evangelists, while others will be pastors or teachers. We’re called to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up. We’re to reach a unity in faith of the Son of God.
By speaking the truth in love, we grow and mature in him. Our words and actions should never contradict what God’s Word says. We can’t pick and choose what parts of his Word we live by otherwise we’re not the believer we claim to be. You’re able to live a life achieving goals while still fulfilling our purpose for God.
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4:16). Reading this with different perspectives, you’ll see a physical and spiritual aspect. Think of how your body functions. Several elements from the head down to the feet make up a whole body. In the spiritual body, God is the head and holds us all together by ligaments to fulfill our purpose. The body needs support which we can get from God and fellowship with other believers.
Paul’s Warnings
When someone separates themselves from God due to their own desires or simple ignorance, they become hardened and lose all sensitivity. We need him in our life to make us whole.
Paul warns us in Eph. 4:26 to not sin in our anger and to not let the sun go down on that anger. We should breathe and put out that fire before going to bed at night to prevent the devil from gaining that foothold.
In Eph. 4:29 he warns about not letting any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, only what is helpful in building others up that it may benefit those who listen.
Paul points out a few things to get rid of in Eph. 4:31 like bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with any form of malice. In the following verse, Paul tells us to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other like Jesus forgave us.
He also warns us to not get drunk as it leads to sin but be filled with the Holy Spirit which leads to our eternal reward.
We should imitate God’s character living a life of love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a sacrifice to God. Things such as sexual immorality, impurity, and greed are inappropriate for God’s people to do.
We are to live as “children of light” according to Eph. 5:8 and expose things of darkness. We are not to have anything to do with those dark or evil things. Always make the most of every opportunity as long as it doesn’t defy the word of God.
Family
When it comes to family, a wife is to submit to her husband but the husband must love his wife as they do themselves. The husband is the head of their household, but should lead the family according to the Word of God. He is to love the wife like Christ loves the church and be willing to give himself up for her. Being united in marriage, they become one unit. You must love and respect each other while keeping God in the center for a solid foundation.
Children are to obey and honor their parents. Fathers are to discipline when needed but never discourage nor be abusive in anger. This can cause a deep hurt and anger in that child which will result in them falling off the right path they need to be on. The parents are to train and instruct a child in the way God teaches in his Word.
Armor Up with Purpose
Paul shares the importance of putting on the full Armor of God in chapter 6 as it will be key in how we stand against the devil’s schemes. Our struggles are not just flesh and blood but more like against the powers of evil spirits battling for our failure. A run down of that armor is the helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, shoes of peace, the sword of the spirit and shield of faith. For further insight on this, check out Gearing Up For Battle.
Grow Your Purpose
We were chosen by God to gain redemption and build a relationship with him so that we can stand firm against evil attacks. We’re to do good works that God has prepared and show his love as an example to others. God will bring us all together who seek him. By our faith, we have the freedom to seek God as long as we go humbly and with the right motive. God gave us all gifts that we should use to fulfill our purpose.
We should always speak the truth and never contradict what the Word says or we basically defy him. Don’t let anger take you down or allow ungodly words flow from your mouth, including filthy language or dirty jokes. Build each other up through life as it’s beneficial to ourselves and others. Stand firm and fight the good fight to defeat Satan and his minions by gearing up with the full armor of God.
There’s a huge battle going on spiritually that we cannot see, so our victory depends on our dedication to the Word of God and spending time in prayer. You were created with a purpose and chosen by love. To discover your purpose outside of the basics we just covered, spend time in his Word and it’ll be revealed in his timing. Always remember that you’re loved and highly favored! God has great things in store for you so keep the faith and cast on in life.
