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faith life

What is God’s purpose?

The best response that I have to this is found in scripture:

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.'” (Exodus 3:14, TNIV)

God is.

God exists in relationship eternally, with creation, humanity and individuals. Perhaps God’s purpose is to love and be loved in return.

What would you add to this response?

I recently met with a congregant who shared some deep questions with me. I asked for permission to share them on this blog to more broadly share my response.

By Andrew Conard

Christian, husband, son, brother, homeowner

2 replies on “What is God’s purpose?”

I like to think about God in the way he described Himself in this passage: “I AM.” His essence is being God. That is my starting place. Many people start with God is love or God is holy or God is sovereign…
I would warn that God’s purpose is not “to love and be loved in return,” as He needs nothing apart from Himself to exist.
I once heard a description of the Triune God (I think from Jonathan Edwards) as The Father eternally existing, sharing His delight in His Son, and the love that is exchanged between them begets the Third Person: the Holy Spirit. So, God’s purpose is to delight in Himself and to love Himself.
AND YET: God’s nature is such that His love cannot be contained – even in the infinitude of the Trinity! That love and delight overflows in a Creation that exists through God and for God. And Creation is designed to delight and love that delight and that love.
So, I think that, while we exist to love God, he does not exist to be loved by us – as if He needed any more love than that which He shares with His Son, as expressed in the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Then again, perhaps I have read too many of John Piper’s books and listened to too many of his sermons! =)

Peace.

Is it not, “To build a community where Non Religious and Nominaly Religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians?” Someone said in Jest but in reality I do think that in relation to Humans at least, he is about the business of building a faithful community – “The Kingdom of God”.

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