Living With Purpose
A missionary in a foreign land entered a village for the first time and he noticed the children playing with some strange looking stones. After getting a closer look he discovered the kids were playing with some diamonds they found in a cave. Many of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior are rich beyond our wildest dreams, but so many people fail to recognize the nature of their riches. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans concerning their riches in Christ. Romans 9:23 says, “He does this to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those to whom He shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.” And Romans 11:33, “How great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and His ways!” All of God’s riches are enabled and ours through Christ Jesus. I once saw a young girl wearing a t-shirt that read: “Ya’ll need Jesus!” That statement is powerfully true. We all need him. As believers we need to recognize the wonders of our spiritual state. If we would stop and do so, it would cause us to appreciate our Savior’s love and sacrifice even more. Those who’ve never trusted Jesus as their Savior need to recognize what they’re missing as a result of their neglect and refusal to let Christ into their life. Can we count how many ways we’re enriched through Christ? We are indeed rich beyond all measure!
Through faith in Christ, we become enriched when we begin or renew our relationship to God. We gain an eternal inheritance by becoming a child of the King. The daughter-in-law of a multimillionaire gave birth to a son. By virtue of what family he was born into, the local media spoke of him as a millionaire on the day he was born. We can rejoice in the blessings associated with being a child of God. Our heavenly Father has a far greater legacy that can be passed on than our earthly parents.
Through our new relationship and new birth we take on a divine nature and are able to love as God loves. Love enriches all areas of our life. It causes us to want to do things that God would want us to do. And we’re also given the assurance of victory over death, so that our soul has the promise of an eternal home in heaven.
A Christian is enriched by inexhaustible resources for living a victorious life. The teachings of the Bible are one of those resources. Christ’s attitudes, ambitions, and actions reveal the reality of the abundant life. Jesus has promised that those who not only hear but also heed his teachings will find a stability and security in life that’ll provide them with the inward resources that are essential when the storms of life beat down on them (Matthew 7:24-25). The believers within the fellowship of the church can find spiritual resources for living triumphantly. Everyone needs a cause to live for, a cause to give to, and a cause to die for. This cause gives divine energy when the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit take up residency in the heart of a believer. The Spirit is obtained at the time of conversion. And the continuing work of the Spirit makes possible the ability for the believer to do the will of God (Philippians 2:13).
As we give ourselves into the service of our Lord in a ministry to a needy world, we’ll see the fruits of our labor. This is a rich reward in and of itself. Yet another by-product of our services is the happiness that we experience knowing that we are giving ourselves to something that’s bigger and better than ourselves.
God blesses the faithful with victory over difficulties and handicaps. When we live with Him and work with Him, we receive His wisdom, energy, and guidance to take on the challenges. Through the most difficult hardships, the happiest people are born. It’s not the wealthiest, the most educated, or the most powerful that know true joy. The happiest and most content are those who have a right relationship with God and who are seeking to do His will in every area of their lives.
How “R-I-C-H” is the Christian? We become rich in REDEMPTION when we repent and receive Christ by faith. We are rich in INSTRUCTION because Christ leads, guides, and directs through his Word, making us rich in instruction. We are rich in CONTENTMENT, because real and lasting contentment is found only in Christ. The Psalmist says, “He satisfies the longing soul” (Psalm 107:9). We are rich in HEIRSHIP, because the committed Christian is cleansed and filled with God’s love, joy, and peace. All of which comes as a member of God’s family.
A person who knows Christ as Savior need not have to wait for their ship to come in. The rich rewards of God have been granted to all His children. One of the hopes that sustained the apostle Paul was the promise of rich rewards in the future. If you’ve never trusted Christ, then you’re indeed poor. You’re poor in your relationships, resources, and rewards. When God becomes the love of your life and His Spirit flows through you, you will have a profound effect on every one you meet.
• This bi-weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s the author of the following books: “Living With Purpose (Volume’s I, II, III, and IV)”; “Loving Others With Purpose” and “Running With Purpose”; He can be reached by email: rmdobson@liberty.edu.
