In thinking of the human family, let’s ask the question, what does God want and why?
To begin with, let’s consider what he created us for. Three passages stand out to me, two that reference God in general and the third that speaks of Jesus.
Regarding God we read,
Romans 11:36 (GWT) — “Everything is from him and by him and for him.”
Hebrews 2:10 (NET) — “For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
So, the universe comes out of God, by means of God, for God.
Regarding Jesus we read,
Colossians 1:16 (ESV) — “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him.”
Notice that God created us — along with everything else — for himself, and Jesus as a member of the Godhead through whom all things were created also created us for himself.
What does “for him” mean? I suggest to you the following two things.
He created each of us for his personal enjoyment — that is — to have a unique and intimate friendship with each of us. The net effect in us being perfect peace and endless delight.
He created us to work with him in helping others become his friends too or help them grow in their friendship with him.
If I have it right, then having been created for him means that if I’m not living for him — growing in that friendship and work relationship with God — then I’m completely lost in every sense of the word. My life is a rudderless ship on a stormy sea.
