By GF Herrin
Expanding on the passage (Acts 17:26-27) that was cited in the previous post, we see that not only is the uniqueness of God in view, but also in scope is His unique purpose for every human being on Earth through all time, including you!
He marked their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27).
Did you know that God’s purpose for putting you in this particular time is so that you seek Him out and call on Him and be saved? If you have already done that and count yourself as a child of God, then you have a unique purpose along with every other member of His church collectively known as the Bride of Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Titus 2:14 says, (Christ) “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
This reference from 1 Peter quotes Isaiah 43:20, which speaks of Israel’s unique place as God’s chosen people. Peter’s evangelism mission was largely targeted to Jews, so his audience would have understood his citing the passage. The reader can understand that the ultimate fulfillment of the passage with reference to the nation of Israel will ultimately be fulfilled at the conclusion of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan. 9:24-27). However, one can also understand that both Jewish and Gentiles believers are a chosen people, redeemed to live in God’s light, “ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) who carry out deeds that represent Jesus to a lost world.
We must remember that Christ suffered for sinners, paying the sin debt once and for all. As Christians living life daily, we need to remember the suffering that Christ endured to redeem us. Isaiah writes, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).
But, “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:10).
It is clear that Christian believers are Christ’s spiritual offspring spoken of in this passage, who, after being born again should not live selfishly for themselves but should live selflessly in service to Him.
2 Cor. 5:14-15 says, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
What needs to be emphasized here is that this is a unique purpose for those that God calls His own, His redeemed. That purpose is not to just go to church once a week and keep to ourselves, slugging it out to survive the rest of the week. That purpose is to do good deeds, love others, show others Jesus and glorify God. In doing this is found God’s ultimate blessing and intimate connection with Him.