Rediscovering Purpose
Written by Ben Dismukes
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Romans 8:20-24
Most Bible scholars would interpret verse 20 (above) through the lens of God being the One who forced a punishment for sin, known as futility, upon us. But a closer examination may well lead us to a different conclusion, and a much needed perspective. This passage is critical to understanding not only the penalty for sin and thus the nature of the human condition, but also the ultimate destination the Father has in view according to His redemptive plan in Christ. There is much to say about it, but we’ll touch on this subject in just a beginning way in this article.
In Ephesians 3, Paul speaks of his calling to preach the gospel in this way:
[T]his grace was given, to preach… the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God… according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord…
Ephesians 3:8-11
I glossed over this passage for years, failing to grasp its absolute significance. In these few verses, Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is speaking of a mystery, previously hidden from sight, that has now been made known in the Person of the Son of God. That mystery is in keeping with a God-assigned purpose for humanity, which was determined long before God reached down into the dust of the ground and formed man with His own hands. Such purpose is eternal… without repentance, according to Romans 11:29. Irrevocable. God does not change His mind!
We must understand that something profound was bound up in Adam – authority… and that to no small degree. Adam was given dominion over the entire earth and placed upon it as a steward. This means the fate of creation was directly linked to his choices. He chose poorly, resulting in a massive worldwide separation from the One in whom purpose exists. Man’s self-imposed consequence for rebellion against God is an existence of futility.
The Greek word from which we get the English word “futility,” is mataiotes, which is perhaps better translated as “aimlessness due to lacking purpose.” The fallen condition of man, then, is an aimless, purposeless condition leading to an insatiable desire to find meaning somewhere, somehow. Whether that be in the pursuit of success, pleasure, wealth, power, a contrived notion of holiness or some other hapless quest, our lust for purpose will always lead us further down the road of sin and death. At best that would be an ever-deepening dive into idolatry. At worst it results in utter depravity. Original sin thrust creation into an empty and vain state of existence. This is the conclusion of Solomon when he lamented in Ecclesiastes 1 that everything under the sun is vanity.
The good news is that all is not lost. The mystery of God’s purpose is hidden in the Son, who has now been revealed to creation. We’ll explore in greater depth precisely what that purpose is in later articles. But this good news comes with a condition. Coming back into God’s eternal purpose – which is the only place we’ll find true fulfillment – is not, by any means, a foregone conclusion… even for believers.
For certain, there is a level of relationship with God in Christ for the truly born again. Yet the event we call “salvation” is merely the entry point to the kingdom of God. We must press on towards the fullness of His purpose if we hope to come fully out of futility. The apostle is proof of this. “I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” he says in Philippians 3:14 (Amplified). What is that heavenly prize that is hidden in Christ Jesus? Purpose… and our purpose is in communion with Him.
Here is a man to whom the mystery of the gospel had been revealed. A man who faithfully labored, as the Spirit led, to its unveiling before creation. Yet even he was pressing in towards something that was both within reach and just beyond his reach in his present state - the realization of God-given, created purpose.
I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of believers are stuck in futility, resting in a belief that heaven awaits them, but failing to press into Jesus. They have not only failed to come off the ground of aimlessness, they likely don’t even know it’s possible. Trapped under the heavy burden of emptiness, even though they have a surface level relationship with God, they cannot break free of the cycle of sin and shame, which only further exacerbates the problem. I believe that heaven is filled with such people. And it doesn’t have to be this way!
A choice got us in this condition. Many choices will be required to come out. A daily pressing is required. Not to toil in our own wisdom and strength. No! That, in itself, is a vanity. The pressing is a daily choosing to pursue intimacy with Christ the King, come what may.
The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
