Redemption's Ultimate Purpose

Intro

This world has a center goal, and a center focus. Our verses have been hinting all along at why God was initiating, and choosing, and redeeming and forgiving our sins. We learned so far that it’s because that’s what he wanted to do. You were not motivation for God to save you. It was his own purpose, his kind intention. We learned that it was self-motivated love that drove God to act in favor of sinful man... Today we come to the pinnacle of God’s purposes. The end goal of all things.

Grace Poured Out

Continuing on the previous thought, God lavished his grace on his in

Redeeming us

Forgiving us

Showing us the mystery of His Will.

This is how God manifests his Grace towards us. He opens our minds to understand the mystery of his will.

Romans 16:25–26 NASB95

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;

making known the mystery of his wi

What mystery means

In Bible days there were ‘mystery religions’. These were cultic religions were followers would go to the temple and would pass through certain rites and procedures before they could be bestowed with the knowledge of the mystery. Societies like this still exist today and they clearly base on these cultic ideas. Meetings held behind closed doors, and the initiate will then pledge fidelity and secrecy to never divulge their secrets and he will be given a sign to recognize other followers. This isn’t what Paul means by mystery and it’s the opposite of Christianity which makes it’s message to known and open in the ears of everyone.

The truth about God is knowable to the human mind, but as Lloyd Jones says, “not to the unaided human mind!”

God’s Ultimate Purpose: An Exposition of Ephesians 1 Chapter 16: The Mystery of His Will

Positively, the word mystery in the New Testament does not mean something that is incomprehensible to the human mind, but is rather something that is undiscoverable by the unaided human mind

The need for wisdom and insight

Wisdom and insight being understanding and affection. God gives the us the ability to see the truth, and to savor the truth.

Insight- the ability to

Read

-Men do not naturally understand God

1 Corinthians 3:18 NASB95

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3:18

Application

Would you know God, come to see him? You must make yourself a fool.

What Mystery means

This is what gives to his people by the Spirit, wisdom and insight. (Nicodemus)

Christ’s Exaltation/God’s Ultimate Purpose

The reason for God lavishing his grace on you was the exaltation of Christ.

Ephesians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Redemptive Reason

When every trace of evil has been disposed of, God will establish an incomparable unity in Himself of all things that remain. That is the inevitable goal of the universe.

Summing up all things

Christ is the center focal point of everything. Everything is heading toward him. Just like in a major city all railways lead to a main station, every moment in time and history is moving toward Christ. He’s the central station.

This means that the end Goal of God in all his actions is to make Christ supreme. Everything, his secret governing of history and governments, but especially his work of redemption. The end goal of that, is Christ the head of all things and the ruler and center focus of everything. He will be the king. He will rule absolutely, perfectly and his orders will be carried out completely. God will have unity in His creation and it will be unified in and order and through and to Christ!

When man fell, God was dethroned in His heart! It created chaos and disorder in the world. It has been that way ever since. God is going to bring all that back together again under Christ. That’s why we pray “… thy kingdom come, thy will be done...”

Philippians 2:10–11 NASB95

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil

Application

Is this your idea of perfection, someone other than you being the center of the universe. Someone else directing and ordering everything as he wants. This is what it means to submit to the Lordship of Christ.

Unbeliever: Bow your heart today and surrender! Right now!

Believer: Recommit yourself for the 1000th time that this is the goal of your heart.

Matthew 16:24–25 NASB95

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 10:38–39 NASB95

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Romans 11:36 NASB95

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.