Goals

God’s goals

To live with his people

Leviticus 26:11–12 NASB 2020

Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

See also Ps 23:6; Zec 2:10; Jn 14:23; Re 21:3

To build his church in Christ

Matthew 16:18 NASB 2020

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

See also Eph 2:19–22; Re 21:2

To perfect his church in Christ

Ephesians 5:26–27 NASB 2020

so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

See also Ps 138:8; Php 1:6; Col 2:10

Jesus Christ’s goals

To do his Father’s will

John 6:38 NASB 2020

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

See also Mt 26:39; Jn 4:34; Jn 5:30; Heb 10:7; Heb 10:9

To preach the gospel

Luke 4:43 NASB 2020

But He said to them, “I must also preach the kingdom of God to the other cities, because I was sent for this purpose.”

See also Lk 4:18–19; Is 61:1–2

To save the lost

Luke 19:10 NASB 2020

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

See also Mt 15:21–28; Lk 15:7; Lk 15:10

Jesus Christ achieved his goals

John 17:4 NASB 2020

I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do.

See also Lk 13:32; Jn 12:31; Jn 19:28; Jn 19:30

Believers’ goals

To please God

2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB 2020

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

See also Ro 14:18; Eph 5:10; Eph 5:17; Col 1:9–10

To know God

Philippians 3:8 NASB 2020

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ,

See also Jn 17:3; Php 3:10; 2 Pe 3:18

To be faithful to Jesus Christ

John 15:4 NASB 2020

Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.

See also Mt 10:22; Mt 24:13; Php 3:14; 2 Ti 4:7; Heb 12:2; Re 2:26

To love one another

John 13:34 NASB 2020

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

See also Mt 22:34–40; Jn 15:12; 1 Co 13:13; 1 Co 16:14; 1 Ti 1:5; 1 Jn 4:11–12

To live at peace

Romans 12:18 NASB 2020

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

See also Mk 9:50; 2 Co 13:11; 1 Th 4:11

To spread the gospel

Matthew 28:19–20 NASB 2020

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

See also Ac 20:24; Ro 11:14; Ro 15:20; 1 Co 9:16; 2 Ti 4:2

To grow to maturity

Ephesians 4:13 NASB 2020

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

See also Mt 5:48; Ro 8:29; 2 Co 3:18; 2 Co 7:1; 2 Co 13:11

Believers’ final goal is heaven

Revelation 7:9–10 NASB 2020

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

See also Jn 6:40; 1 Co 15:51–52; 2 Co 5:4–5; 1 Th 4:17; 1 Jn 3:2

God guarantees that believers will reach their goal

John 14:2–3 NASB 2020

In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.

See also Jn 6:39; Ro 8:38–39; Eph 1:13–14; Php 1:6; 2 Ti 1:12; 2 Ti 2:11–13; Re 3:5; Re 3:21