Seeking Perfection Imperfectly 3: Purpose Throughout The Bible | Church

Previously

We considered that NT Wright was right on the importance of Jesus' resurrection, and life, as much as Jesus' death. Could it be that God wants us to witness more holistically to these three aspects of Jesus? This article explores some key overall purposes that Evangelicals draw from Scripture, and then delves into a whole-of-Scripture deep dive.

Finding coherence…

…through regaining God’s purpose for humanity

This refocussing around all three major aspects of Jesus (his life, death, and resurrection) also must be in line with our understanding of our overall mission here on earth.

Karl Barth argues our whole purpose on earth is:

“in order that [Christians] may reveal [Jesus’] kingdom in its nearness and presence and by the witnesses of his Lordship over every area of human life."Church Dogmatics, Karl Barth, 1V, 3, as quoted in Reflected Glory: The Spirit in Christ and Christians, Thomas A. Smail, 56.

This is almost exactly what we’ve just put forward via NT Wright.

Others like John Piper come from the Westminster Confession, a staple of Reformed Christians, to say that our purpose here on earth is not merely to give glory to God (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1), but to make Christ look magnificent because your whole life finds complete satisfaction in him. He finds its root in Jesus’ model prayer, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” which Piper interprets as:

“glorify your great name. Hallow yourself. Do your will. Bring your kingdom. You’re the center. Make it happen."John Piper, Desiring God, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/whats-the-point-of-my-life and https://www.desiringgod.org/topics/christian-hedonism.

To restrict that glorification to winning souls is as weird as having a Jesus who never radically challenged culture or healed anyone or discipled. Instead, we find confirmation through the early church that conversion and transformation were two sides of the same coin, turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6) with their new Jesus-centered way of life (Acts 2:42-47).

I love how Pentecostals bring back the witness to the kingdom’s lack of pain, suffering, death, disease and demonic. That is precious and an incredibly vital aspect of the message that we bring. But I also love how the more conservative among us spend the time to delve into Scripture to reorder their habits, environments and institutions to help us to live in Jesus’ character, witnessing about God and his kingdom’s culture from that angle. They also insist on a clear break from past personal sin, and a passionate embrace of a surrendered life to Jesus’ Lordship, witnessing to Jesus’ holiness, purity and righteousness.

Dare we say, as much as my (conservative) cohort rails against their heresies, that Christian liberals have correctly sought to bring back that aspect of God’s social order that points to Christ’s “true religion” in caring for the poor, downtrodden and vulnerable—witnessing to Jesus’ mercy, grace and sacrificial love.

These are all aspects of the one and same kingdom that Jesus wants us to witness to, that we should hallow God for, that we should petition God to occur on earth just as it is in heaven. It’s not just in Jesus’ model prayer, but throughout the whole Bible, as the table below shows.

As you go through each of these, ask whether it’s possible to just focus on one aspect (one column) to the exclusion of the others? Or can we shoehorn all three parts (columns) into one? Hopefully the texts speak for themselves.

Scripture	Witness to the kingdom’s resurrection power over the demonic, sin, the curse and disease	Witness to Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, forgiveness for sins, and opportunity to come to God	Witness to Jesus’ true religion, in love of neighbour, and restoration of society
The Great Commission	Matthew 28:18 “all authority has been given to me”; Luke 24:49 the disciples were to be clothed with power; Mark 16:17-18 signs and wonders will follow, as fulfilled in Acts.	Matthew 28:19 “Go and make disciples ….”; Luke 24:47 “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached … you are witnesses”.	Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (which surely includes love of neighbour, Mark 12:28-31)
The Lord’s Prayer	“Lead us not into temptation” speaks of victory over sin and a changed heart and desires; “deliver us from the evil one” speaks of power over the demonic, and protection from them (Matthew 6:13); “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” speaks of bringing God’s victory in all areas to earth (6:10).	“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors… For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you …” (Matthew 6:12, 14-15)	“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” speaks of God’s heavenly kingdom and its peace, restoration of all goodness, and so on, down to earth (Matthew 6:10); “Give us today our daily bread” speaks of the provision of God for our physical needs (6:11).
The Cultural Commission	Humankind is made in God’s image so that they can exercise dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28)—they witness to God’s rule	Humankind is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), reflecting God’s glory. When they are driven out of the garden (3:23-24), they are immediately taught about giving an offering to God (4:3-5) as a regular witness to their need for God’s forgiveness.	Humankind is given the task to work the ground and take care of it (Genesis 2:15)—witnessing to God’s creative work in the creation week. They also are to multiply and fill the earth, by creating new life with children, reflecting God’s creative acts, and reflecting God’s parental aspects.
The Covenant, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob	The nation created through Abraham would be called to be a blessing to others and any curse that would attempt to fall on them would fall on the curser (Genesis 12:3).	Even though the promises of God were to come four hundred years later, Abraham and his descendants were to believe God, trusting in Him. This belief was “credited to [Abraham] as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6), which Paul says is an example of faith without works—saving faith (Romans 4).	Reminiscent of the cultural commission God would make Abraham “into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). This would be a blessing to others and all peoples of the earth (12:2-3).
The Davidic Kingdom	David reminds the Israelites that it’s not with flesh and blood that they battle but with the Lord (David and Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:45-47).	David was afforded the opportunity to kickstart the building of a permanent temple (which Solomon completed), as the symbol, and multiple daily sacrificial symbols, of the need for God's forgiveness and our sin (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 28-29; 2 Chronicles 2-5).	The Davidic Kingdom was the pinnacle of the fulfilment of the Abrahamic covenant: of peace (2 Samuel 7:1), blessing to the nations, and rich abundance for all (Numbers 14:7-8; Proverbs 24:13, 27:27; Song of Solomon 5:1), establishing justice and righteousness throughout the land (2 Samuel 8:15).
Israel in Exile in Babylon	There was incredible show of power, first through God’s own witness to his message by eliminating the false prophets (Jeremiah 29:8-9, 21-32), and second through the ability of God to bless even through apparent defeat, and overcome the curse to some degree (29:7, 10-11).	Jeremiah prophesies their hearts will be turned back to God, seek Him, and that he will find them and bring them back out of exile (Jeremiah 29:11-14). This is witnessing to God’s faithfulness to his covenant and his mercy. The best they can do in this situation is believe the prophetic word and repent.	Reminiscent of the cultural commission, they are to “build… plant… marry… increase” (Jeremiah 29:5-6). They are to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (29:7).
The Early Church, Acts 2	Peter interprets the Acts Pentecost as the Spirit being poured out, with accompanying prophesy, visions, wonders and signs—just like Jesus (Acts 2:14-22).	Peter’s sermon leads directly to a call to cry out to God (Acts 2:21) because he is alive, and they can testify he is (2:32), and is the long awaited Messiah (2:36). Repent (2:38)!	The result of the Apostles’ teaching was intense community (Acts 2:44a), radical generosity (2:45), passion for God’s word, prayer and God’s people (2:42), gladness (2:46b), and a good reputation (2:47a). A new culture.
The Early Church, Ephesians	“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul” (Acts 19:11), while in Ephesus; “Paul placed his hands on [the Ephesians disciples], the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6);	God predestined us for adoption…”to the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:5-6). We have “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (1:7). This baptism of death to self and newness of life in Christ is not to bring glory to us—for we did nothing—but to God (2:1-10).	The Ephesians were to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received… completely humble and gentle… patient, bearing with one another in love… unity” (Ephesians 4:1-3); they were to act as a communion of one body, each with different gifts (4:11-16); they now live completely differently (4:17-32), just like Christ (4:32) and in likeness to the Spirit (4:30).
Sanctification & the Holy Spirit	“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8); “and they will prophesy” (Acts 2:18); “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4); “the apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people … those tormented by impure spirits … were healed” (Acts 5:12-16).	“When [the Helper] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…he will glorify me” (John 16:7-8, 14); “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31)—bearing witness to God (cf. John 15:26);	The Spirit will teach us all things and bring to remembrance everything (John 14:26)—reminiscent of Matthew 28:20. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23)—a renewed culture. “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27)
Revelation New Heaven and New Earth	Praising God for his victory over the demonic and the Devil, and for a new perfect world without the curse, and for new bodies without sin.	Praising God for saving us, for dying for us, for more and more understanding of his goodness through his life, death and resurrection.	Building paradise in the new order, in the presence of the King, with lion lying down with lamb.

Thus from many different angles the message is the same: not merely that we be witnesses to Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, not merely that we be witness to Jesus’ power over disease and the demonic, not merely that we demonstrate Jesus’ love for neighbour, but that we witness to all these things and more—which glorifies (hallows; magnifies) God, increases the faith of believers, and leads others to Christ.

At this point, it probably sounds like we have a lot to do! In our own lives, we’ve probably just been focussing on one strand, and not necessarily been doing a good job in that either! However, this is what the church as a whole should be doing, and not necessarily what each individual is expected to do all the time. Nevertheless, each individual should look for opportunities to witness to God across each aspect.

But just how much of Christ and his kingdom are we to reflect now—does this all lead to a triumphalist hope for Christendom? Or are we left in despair about this world because we don’t see those things, and perhaps need to spiritualise it all, hoping only for souls to be saved? Next, we’ll look at where we are the biblical timeline to clarify the extent that God’s kingdom is coming to this earth.