God's Purpose For Life

In a recent article that appeared in Reader's Digest, author David Allen asked the question, What is the meaning of life?

In an article that was entitled, How to Maintain Your Purpose in Life, he stated that he pondered such things as a creator of the Wisdom Project, which is a collection of writing about the wisdom in everyday life experiences.

And he pointed out in this article that the benefits of having meaning in life, actually there are a number of them. You find people who have an understanding of a meaning in life to live longer, to often better cope with stress, and even if promoted good health habits, if they had a meaning in life. And I thought, as I read this article, I thought that this is thought-provoking and revealing, but there's a certain limitation to it. It regarded people's ideas, their pursuits, even their endeavors, to find meaning in their lives. Actually, a number of famous people, or at least noted people, were quoted, because there are numerous quotes about what's the purpose of life.

Russian author Leo Tolstoy stated that the sole meaning in life is to serve humanity.

That certainly seems like a lofty goal and clearly a good direction. Albert Einstein said, only a life lived for others is a life that is worthwhile. Martin Luther King said, life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others? The Dalai Lama said, if you find we cannot help others, at least we can do is desist from arming them. That's another thought. Well, if you can't help any, well, then quit harming others.

Scottish rugby legend Nelson Henderson said, the true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you don't expect to sit.

I would be thinking about others, thinking about the future. Writer Robert Byrne said, the purpose of life is a life of purpose.

Now, obviously, those are ones that, you know, had all of, you know, this man, this author, was trying to point out how that people need, they certainly need purpose in their lives. He actually had several other people, and I want to read a few of these, who had very sincere and well-defined direction that provided fulfillment in their lives. And some of these responses, I want to read a few of them. One of the individuals from Texas said, spreading warmth was a part of what they thought their purpose of life was, helping those in need. I make blankets for children's hospitals, pet blankets for animal shelters, and shawls for the elderly. Now, that would be a certainly an upright and beneficial purpose. Another individual out of New York said their purpose was building literacy. I truly believe we can change the world one person at a time, which is why I became a literacy volunteer. Nothing is more memorable than the look in the eyes of an adult where he or she reads for the first time. You know, for as long as they live, they will remember you. So that obviously sounds like a good purpose. Another one, this one is out of Indiana, says, playing on a team or playing as a team. My husband coaches high school tennis in a preseason conditioning run. The lone freshman new to the team was falling behind. One of the older boys left his spot with a pack to go back and run with the new boy, encouraging him not to give up. To me, the meaning of life includes exactly this, eyes that see those falling behind and hearts that are motivated to do something about it. So again, another good. And then a final one here that I will read to you. This one is actually from a lady from Wyoming who is 95 years old. Using your talent is what she said her meaning in life was. Ask yourself, she says, what do I most like to do? It's actually what you do best. I found my meaning when a cow moose ran through our yard. My husband snapped a picture and I submitted it to the local newspaper with a caption, can you do more? The publisher responded. Oh, excuse me, I didn't read that right and submitted it to the local newspaper. And the publisher responded to me, can you do more? Can you send more? And for more than 30 years, I've written columns, features, stories, news items, and two books. At age 95, that's not a misprint, I'm still writing and using the gifts God has given me. Try using yours. You'll learn the true meaning of life and so will the lives that you touch. And so, again, this article I thought was intriguing or interesting in pointing out that there were actually benefits, physical benefits to what people find meaningful for them to do in their lives. But for all of us, I want us to think about that same question. As Mr. Kubik mentioned in writing what he did about our mission statement and vision statement for the church, you know, he was focusing that on having everybody, you know, aware of the focus of our job. But what is the meaning of life for you as a member of the church of God?

Because really, can you determine just through human means what the meaning of life is? Because that's what these people are doing. They're finding certainly some of the direction that would be beneficial in serving others and in helping others or doing good for others.

But see, can we really depend on human thought? Or do we need to look to the divine revelation? The divine revelation from God, from our Heavenly Father, our Creator, who created us for a purpose. So I asked, what is the meaning of life for you as a member of the church of God?

What is the mystery of the ages that now has been revealed to those that God has called in this age? See, what is your purpose for living? Is it just to make it from week to week? Is it make it to the next Sabbath? Or does it go way beyond that?

Where would you go to prove your understanding of the purpose of life?

As a member of the church of God, we, in a sense, have maybe collectively and over a period of many decades now talked about how it is that the Bible reveals the purpose of life. The Bible reveals the question or the answer to the question of why were you born?

Why has God allowed us to exist in this physical existence? Well, He points out that there is a mystery of the ages. And, of course, some number of decades ago, a book was written available in the church of God at that time. It was entitled The Mystery of the Ages. And for many of us who read that, you know, it was quite revealing. It was remarkable. And yet, it was clearly right out of the Bible. It was clearly right out of what we read in the New Testament, much of what Paul wrote, but also other things that Jesus said.

Where would you go to prove your understanding of the purpose of life? What scriptures could you use? I want to point out at least several of these scriptures because it's important for us to understand our vision, to understand our mission, to comprehend how it is that God wants us. We've talked about here recently in services meditation. We've talked about, you know, our thoughts not being God's thoughts. We need to seek His thoughts.

But more than anything, perhaps, and maybe this central question or answer to the question, is it why were we born? What is our purpose? We have to have that first and foremost in our eyes. I'd like us to begin, and I would if I were to answer the question, what is the mystery of the ages and how is that being fulfilled in my life? I would begin in the book of Colossians, because Colossians, of course, is a book that Paul wrote to a church in the middle part of Turkey, as far as where it was physically. It was a church that mostly was made up of Gentiles who had been brought into the church at Paul's with through Paul's preaching. And he was the one who was teaching them, even though he had a rabbinic background in Judaism. He knew that God had commissioned him to go to the Gentile world. But here in Colossians, you find as you read through this book, and of course it only has four chapters, so it can easily be read in a short time, but we need to understand what Paul was saying. He was actually trying to keep them alert, keep them awake to what their purpose was. He says, don't let anybody deceive you. Let's look at chapter 2, verse 4. I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments.

So he said he was saying what he did to them so that they would not be sidetracked. They would not be moving away from the mission that they have been given as members of the Church of God. In this case, in this congregation in Colossae. But I want to back up to chapter 1, which talks about Jesus Christ being the one that is the central figure in the Church. He is the head of the body. He is the one who was the Lamb of God. He is the one who was giving the sacrifice that allows all of us to be forgiven and allows all of us to have a relationship with God.

But in verse 21, here of chapter 1, Colossians 1 would be, in my thoughts, the very best place to go. But I'm also going to go to other verses that are going to show the same thing about what the mystery of life is, what the meaning and purpose of life is. Here in Colossians 1, verse 21, it says, you, so talking to the members of the Church there who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight.

See, amazingly, God works in our lives. He brings us to a recognition, as Mr. Urbom was mentioning in the sermon, that we have to understand our need to yield to God. We have to understand our need to repent of our sins and to turn to an understanding of the Bible that is not generally understood at all.

But he says in verse 22, if indeed you have been drawn to an opportunity to present yourself holy and blameless above reproach in his sight. In verse 23, if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast, and so he was telling them again, well, you've got to continue to remember what is your purpose for life, what is the meaning for living. If you indeed continue in the faith grounded and steadfast and you are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, as I Paul am a minister.

See, Paul told them, and he in many cases as you read his writings to different of the congregations, he had an incredible love, a great desire for the people that he was teaching and preaching to to grow. He wanted them, he so wanted them to grow. But in this case, he's telling them, I don't want you to be deceived or to be pulled away from the central purpose that God has brought you into the church for. In verse 24, he says, I now rejoice in my suffering for you and fill up in my body what is lacking in the affliction of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church.

He says, I don't mind suffering. He was at times in a lot of difficulty, a lot of distress, shipwrecked and beaten, and even at one point stoned and left for dead. He says, I don't mind going through that kind of suffering. I'm wanting to help you. He said, I've been caused to be a minister and serve the church. In verse 25, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God.

So he understood he had an accountability to God. It wasn't simply to others. It wasn't simply to the church that he loved and served. He says, I have accountability to God. But he goes on in verse 26. I was given a message, and he describes that in verse 26 as the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations. So was this something that has always been known? No. This was something that as Paul revealed it to members of the church who were brought into an understanding of the purpose of life, you know, this has been a mystery. A mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations, but now has been revealed to the saints. So here he's talking about something that is incredibly wonderful that God has been able to give us as a gift.

Of course, he was writing this to the people who lived at that time, and yet it's recorded and is impacting us today. But he says there is a mystery that has been hidden for ages and generations. In verse 27, talking about those saints to them, God will to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles.

He says he's extended even beyond Israel to the entirety of the world, to people who are not Israelites. And he went ahead to explain here in verse 27, and I would say, you know, if you want to go to a verse that defines what the mystery of the ages is and what we understand to be the purpose of life here in Colossians 1 verse 27, he said, this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. That's certainly a great summary. It doesn't say everything about it, but it says ultimately everyone, those of us who understand this today, and ultimately others, ultimately all are going to be shown a revelation from God.

Not just coming up with personal meaning, having some fulfillment out of serving others, which obviously does have its fulfillment. It is a reason to be like God or be like Christ. But see here he's talking about something even bigger. Even bigger. Christ in you, the hope of glory. And he said him, talking about Christ, is what we preach. Morning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Jesus Christ.

See, he realized that the Colossians have been given a special revelation from God, even as others who had been drawn into the church were given that special revelation. And he says to this end in verse 29, I also labored, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily. He understood what God was doing in his life. He understood where he had been in the past.

He understood he'd been out killing the church. He comprehended the depth of his nature and his need to turn from sin. And then he had a desire to teach others that same direction. In verse 1 of chapter 2, he says, I want you to know how much I struggle. What great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea.

So he was talking about two different cities, Colossae and Laodicea, both kind of in the middle part of Turkey, as you would look at it today, the middle or central part of Turkey. I want you to know how much I desire to see you understand this. And those in Laodicea and for many, as many have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God.

Here he's talking about something that is not just generally known. He's talking about something that is special about God's purpose for human existence. He says, so that everyone is growing in a knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of the Son, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And now this I say, lest anyone in verse 4 should deceive you. Anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

See, they were being, at that time, picked on. They were being discouraged from obeying God. They were being told, well, you don't have to keep holy days. You don't have to keep the Sabbath. You know, I'm not going through all of this here that's in the book of Colossians, but that's what he was combating. He says, I want you to keep in mind what God has done for you in showing you the mystery of the ages, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Now, to add to this another verse, and I will go through four or five or six today, but we all should have these in mind because they point out the purpose of our lives way beyond any human idea, because Paul reveals that this is information that God has shown to the saints at a given time. What does it say in Matthew 13? Matthew 13 is a chapter that one that we have studied here in the recent past, at least the last year or two.

But Matthew 13 is a number of parables, a number of parables that are written, most of them about the kingdom of God, most of them about the coming rule of Christ here on this earth.

You have a parable of the sower and the seed or the soil and the seed. You have a parable of the mustard seed and of the yeast. You have a parable of the weeds. You have parables in verse 44 of the treasure hidden in the field and a parable about one pearl of great price.

There's a lot of different parables that are begun here or grouped here together by Matthew. But see, what does he say? What does Matthew tell us about understanding? Understanding the purpose of life, understanding the meaning that God gives us as far as a goal. Looking toward the future here in Matthew 13 verse 10, the disciples asked him, why are you speaking in parables?

You know, it's amazing because in many cases most people conclude and actually most commentaries that you read, well, he explained in parables to make it, try to make it so simple that anybody could understand. And I recall taking a picture of a description there when we were in Washington, D.C. this past October at the Museum of the Bible. They had a number of little biblical inscriptions on different, you know, exhibits and things that they had that were nice, good to look at. And some of the inscriptions you could see, well, clearly, you know, they had great meaning, but then he had one, they had one little plaque there that, you know, was teaching in parables. And of course, you know, they didn't quote Matthew 13, 10, and 11. They quoted, or they wrote, well, this was, Christ was speaking in parables so that everybody could understand.

But of course, in answer to the question in verse 10, why do you speak in parables? In verse 11, he said, in answer to that question, Jesus himself said to you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

Do we believe what men think about that, or do we believe what Jesus Christ says?

He says, I am the one who I'm able to reveal, and I am the one who is able to conceal. He says, that's really why it is that I'm speaking in parables, because in many ways, information about the kingdom will be concealed to those that God is not called. But to those that God is called, and here in this case, he was talking directly to his disciples, he was saying to you has been given to know what? It says in the King James, to know the mystery of the ages, the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. And of course, this is talking about the kingdom of God. As Matthew points out, in other places, he uses kingdom of heaven in some references, and kingdom of God in others, but it says to you has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. And so that ties directly together with what it says in Colossians chapter 1 and chapter 2. I want us then to look at the book of Ephesians. Again, another writing of Paul.

Ephesians is actually, I think you would say, as you read this book, quite an encouraging book. I would say Paul had spent a long period of time. It says he was there at least for a year and a half while he was preaching and teaching, and God was actually opening the minds of numerous people that he said, I have many people there. I'm the one who opens minds.

But to the people in Ephesus, Paul is writing this instruction, and of course he says, this is in Ephesians 3, this is the reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, for indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me for you.

How that by revelation he made known to me, say, what was happening to Paul in Acts 9, as he was on the road to Damascus, he was out there breathing out threats and slaughter upon the church of God and suddenly, you know, he is struck down. And he has shown something completely different, and he is asked by the Lord, you know, why are you persecuting my people?

And so Paul has to change his direction severely, but here he describes this in verse 3, that by revelation he made known to me, what? A mystery, a secret, as I have briefly written already, by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

See, again, he's talking about the mystery of the ages, the mystery about the purpose of human existence, the purpose of God for men. And so he says, I want you to realize that God revealed to me an understanding of a mystery that I didn't know, that I surely wasn't looking for, except to seek out those that I needed to kill. That's what Paul was doing. But see, God changed the course of his life by showing the real purpose of human life. And so he said, so that you, in verse 4, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which, in verse 5, in other ages, was not made known to the sons of men. So he said, people have not fully understood this, you know, knowing that when Paul was writing this was only 2,000 years ago. 4,000 years had lapsed. You know, this wasn't known in the pre-flood world. This wasn't even fully known to most of the people who lived in the 2,500 years after the flood and throughout what we read in the Old Testament. You don't see people there who fully comprehend the purpose and meaning of life. You see, a few people that God did choose to use. But then this was written 2,000 years ago for the benefit of the Church of God, for the benefit of those who would be the saints of God. So he says in verse 5, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed. So there was revelation. We didn't just come up, you just didn't come up with it. I didn't just come up with it as far as an understanding of the Bible or the understanding of human existence. God had to offer that to us. He had to offer us an invitation. He had to offer us the mercy and grace that He clearly does extend. But He had to give us that insight. And He said, again, this was not known to the sons of men in other ages as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. So He said, this is what I'm teaching. This is what the prophets teach. They all taught about why Jesus would come to the earth and about why He would go through what He did, why He would suffer, and why He would endure unto death and allow His blood to be shed so that forgiveness is available. But, see, again, that's not the end. That's, in a sense, kind of a beginning for us to receive that mercy and grace from God. But He goes ahead in verse 6 that the Gentiles—and so here He's mentioning directly again to this Gentile church that was in Ephesus, again on the western coast of Turkey as far as where it is, where it was located, that city at the time— says that the Gentiles should be, what? Fellow heirs. Heirs of salvation. Heirs with Jesus Christ of being a part of the family of God.

He says that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. He said He understood that God had dealt with a number of Israelites and He also was extending understanding of His divine family, of His purpose for human beings to be heirs of salvation. He was going to include whoever He drew, whoever He brought. And he goes on to say in verse 8 to me, and he's describing how it is that He viewed Himself to me, who in less than the least of all the saints. See, now Paul viewed Himself in that way. How should we view ourselves? You know, he certainly went through, you know, more experiences than I have. He certainly went through more suffering than I have. He clearly had more opportunity to be in difficult situations than I have. And yet he says in verse 8 to me, who I'm less than the least of all the saints. This grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make in verse 9 all to see what is the fellowship or the goal of the mystery. Again, the mystery of the purpose, God's purpose for human life, 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 heavenly places according, according to what? According to His eternal purpose, which He accomplished in Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, again, these are not perhaps the easiest sections of Scripture to read, because they're somewhat complex. And Paul is a master at writing things that even Peter said, some of this is hard to understand. But see, with God's gift, with His calling, with His Spirit, we certainly can understand that He has a mystery of the ages that He has revealed directly to the church.

I want us to jump in to Hebrews chapter 2, because we started out with an explanation of the mystery of the ages being Christ in you, the hope of glory. And in Matthew being shown to understand the meaning of the parables so that we comprehend the mystery of the kingdom of God and hear in Ephesians how it is that all, you and Gentile alike, can be fellow heirs in the family of God. And of course, in Hebrews 2, you see again Paul stating and directly teaching to the Jewish component who were a part of the church, what it was that, you know, how it was that they were being given, they were being offered, they were being shown something that was even beyond full understanding of the angels.

See, the angels do understand some things. Certainly Lucifer comprehends that he cannot overthrow God. Now, he keeps trying, but as he became the devil, as he became the adversary, you know, then he continues to struggle against God and not so much against God, perhaps, but against God's children, because that's what he wants. He wants us to be deceived. He wants us to be confused. He wants us to not comprehend the truth that he is wanting us to be a fellow heir with Jesus Christ. But here in Ephesians 2 and verse 5, he states earlier here in chapter 2, I don't want you to drift away. I don't want you to be confused. I don't want you to misunderstand that God is certainly for you. He wants us to have salvation. But in verse 5, he says, now God did not subject the world to come, of which we speak. He did not subject the world tomorrow to angels. He's not preparing the world to come. The world we call the thousand years, the millennial rule of Christ. He says, I'm not preparing that for the angels. I'm preparing that for men. And then he goes ahead in verse 6 to say and quote what David had written in Psalm chapter 8. Someone testified somewhere in verse 6 here, what are human beings? That you are mindful of them. Or mortals that you care about them. Why are you so interested in humans?

And he goes ahead to say, you made them a little lower than the angels. You crown them with glory and honor, subjecting all things under their feet. But now in subjecting all things to them, God let nothing outside their control. Back up to verse 8, for in that he put all in subjection under them. He left nothing that is not put under him. But now he did not yet see all, we do not yet see all things put under him. But we do see in verse 9, Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. That he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For in verse 10, and so here is Hebrews 2 verse 10, he points out, you know, this is what I'm doing. This is what God is doing. God is preparing people to serve as kings and priests in a world to come. He is preparing children who are going to be servants of the living God, even beyond our existence today. See, that's going to be a changed existence. You know, if we are faithful to the end, if we endure unto the end, if we die, or if we live until Christ returns, we will be, at that point, changed. Those who continue to live physically are the ones who will live into a millennial time, which again will require training and teaching and being in subjection to Jesus Christ, our Lord. But as we here pointed out in the sermonette, they're going to be tested, tested like no one ever has, certainly at the end of the millennium. And so it's important to know what's the purpose of life, what is my reason for living. And in verse 10, it is fitting, for him of for whom all things are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons, many children to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. To hear, these are all the purpose of life statements that we see in the Word of God. And yet again, he said, it's mysterious to most. It is not easily understood unless God reveals that information.

And so let's back up to Romans 8, because Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, of course, is a chapter that we have spoken about, a considerable amount about how it is the conflict or contrast between human nature and nature that is guided by the Spirit of God. But here in verse 14, and I'm only going to read these summary verses, Romans 8 verse 14, he says, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. And so here he points out that it to be a child of God, to be a recipient of a message from God, which is a purpose for life. We have to be a recipient of the Holy Spirit, and we not only have to receive the Holy Spirit, we have to be yielded to God to where we can be taught and reminded and guided. And as it says here in verse 14, led by the Spirit of God. For he says in verse 15, you do not receive a spirit of bondage, again to fear, but you receive a spirit of sonship by whom we cry, Abba, Father. See, that's the relationship that he says is a mystery. That's a relationship that is the mystery of the ages, the purpose of human life. The Spirit in verse 16 himself bears witness without our spirit that we are the children of God. And if we are the children of God, this is not just talking about being a physical human being, because all people would be considered children of Adam and Eve, and hence children of God in an overall sense. But here he's talking about something that deals with the Spirit. And he says in verse 17, if we are children of God, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. See, we had an entire sermon about that this past feast in Branson. It was actually a really interesting sermon that explained and pointed out more and more how that that is our purpose for living, to be the children of God, to actually allow Christ to live in us. Then, brethren, that should be our prayer. That should be something we pray every single day, that we would allow Christ to live in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Because we want to come on or take on the attitude and the outlook and the mind and the thoughts and the way of Jesus Christ. And he says that's what he's doing. That's what he is doing in the church. So finally, here in 2 Peter 1, the last section of verses that I will go to, that focus on the meaning of life.

2 Peter, verse 1, Simon Peter, chapter 1, verse 1, Simon Peter is serving an apostle of Jesus Christ. To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and by His own goodness. See, He has called us and drawn us to Jesus Christ. That isn't something that we do. That's something that God does. We have to keep in mind that God is working in us. God has a purpose for us. We want to continually be mindful of that.

But He says, as His divine power is given to us through all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, verse 4, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these promises you may be partakers of a divine nature.

See, that's completely in contrast to the carnal nature, the physical person that we are. God is offering us His divine nature. And of course, He describes that in numerous places that we won't go through today, but it is something we go through much of the time because we want to be saturated in the Word of God. And so He says, you know, we are given incredibly wonderful promises that through these you may be partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And that's another sermon in itself. You know, why is this world corrupted by lust? Well, that again is another topic. But see, that's what we've escaped. We've escaped the corruption of the way that Satan has deceived the entire world. But see, God says, I've brought you to an awareness of a mystery, of a secret that is incredibly important and has to be focused on every day that Christ would live in us and that we would then exemplify a different nature, a divine nature.

And He goes ahead to say, but also for this very reason, giving all diligence, you need to add to your faith virtue and to your virtue knowledge and to knowledge self-control and to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, or love, brotherly kindness, love. See, He then enumerates numerous things that would be attributes of a divine nature that man is not going to come up with on their own. We can come up with this by the help of the Spirit of God. Or He says in verse 8, if these things are yours, and if they abound in you, then you will be neither barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, brethren, what we've covered today in these five or six or seven verses or sections of Scripture is a mystery of the ages. It is what God is doing. It is the purpose of human life. It is the meaning that God has for human life. Not just what I think. This is what the Word of God says. That's what we're reading. And clearly, you know, we want to not only know it, but we want to do it. We want to not just be aware, but be active participants in allowing God to grow the divine nature in us. And actually, you know, what we're covering here is simply the trunk of the tree.

The trunk of the tree, the big picture, what God is doing, that is what God wants all of us to focus on every day. And so, as Paul started out, we started out there in Colossians chapter 1, he was making those statements to them, the mystery of the ages, that I am revealing to you, God is revealing to you through me, is what he was saying, is Christ is in you.

And because of that, you have the hope of being glorified in the divine family of God. That's an incredible, incredible gift that God has seen fit to provide for us. And so, as Paul was telling them in Colossae, I don't want anyone to deceive you away from that glorious mystery. That mystery of the ages, God is desiring to bring many sons and daughters to glory. And we, you know, we need to be active participants in that project. You know, as we yield to God, as we serve one another, as we love one another, as we grow in his nature, as we grow with his spirit, then we are going to fulfill our purpose. God's meaning for our life is far more important than any meaning I come up with. But as we understand not only what his purpose is, but how it's being fulfilled, well, then we are the beneficiaries of that. So keep that meaning in life in the forefront of your thinking. And we will probably cover some more about how it is that the world was corrupted through lust. You know, it's something to think about because the better we understand that, the better we are able to fulfill God's purpose for us.