What is the plan of God? A lot of people think that God's plan was simply to send Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save us from the penalty of sin. That's only a small part of God's plan as it is unveiled in Scripture. Click here to find out about the full plan of God.
What is the plan of God? A lot of people think that God's plan was simply to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to save us from the penalty of sin. Well, that is only a very small part of God's plan as it is unveiled in Scripture; His ultimate plan is much greater than that, and God has designed for us to be partakers in that plan. But, in order to understand what your part in God's plan is, you first have to have a working knowledge of what His plan is. It's only then that you can properly orient yourself to your role and better understanding the Scriptures. You see, if you have an improper view of God and His purpose, then your study of the Word of God will be flavored as such. But, when you are properly oriented to God's plan, you can study the Bible confidently, knowing how everything fits into His revealed plan.
The plan of God is something that has been pondered by theologians for centuries; and, as we've already said, a lot of people think that salvation of man is the penultimate purpose of God. That is just a finite view and is so far from the truth. In reality, God's perfect plan is to glorify Jesus Christ, of which the salvation of man is only a small part of that plan. That's the plan of God!
So, if you're interested in knowing more about the plan of God and how to make sure that you're playing your part, then we have the resources for you! The leadership at Austin Bible Church has put together a reader called The Plan of God, which explores the plan of God to glorify Jesus Christ at length. It looks at the plan that God put into motion in Eternity Past and follows it through all the way to Eternity Future, walking through the text of Scripture. This is an in-depth read, so have your Bible ready and your thinking cap on. Rest assured that by the end of this lesson you'll have a very good overview of God's plan from Alpha to Omega.
Plus, if you're interested in some extra credit, you can also download seventeen (17) hours of teaching that walks you through The Plan of God reader in a class room setting, as it was taught at Austin Bible Church from December 2008 to May 2009. So, if you're ready, click the link below to be redirected to Austin Bible Church's website to download the reader & MP3 lessons. Also, below the download link is a sample of the introduction to give you an idea of what's in store!
Why?
Good question. In fact, it’s the best question ever.
To ask is to be human.
To try and answer is to be heroic.
To find the answer and know it’s the ultimate truth? Divine.
Fortunately, the answer is out there. It’s very clearly written in God’s Word. For the true student of the Word, the reasons for the existence of Man are clearly defined. We are here to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ok? Good. We’re done. Shortest ABC Reader ever.
In searching through the Scriptures, dividing them, putting them in order and sequence, we find the reasons God created Man. But to look solely for the answer of Man’s existence is to take a limited view of the reason for all existence. And while the short answer “to glorify Christ” serves as a good basic summary, it pales in comparison to the overwhelming amount of mindbending, awe-inspiring information the Bible provides regarding God’s plan and purpose in creating the known universe.
Why create Man? What is our purpose? Why are we here? Why am I here?
We can answer all of these questions, but why not shoot for more. In the larger panoply of God’s creation, Man is only one piece of the greater puzzle. We are only one milestone in the overall eternal super objective of God.
Why Man? Why the angels? Why Christ (In His humanity?) Why Satan? Why death? Why sin? Why free will? Why suffering? Why Jews? Why gentiles? Why the cross?
To attempt to answer these questions in the most efficient timeframe, one needs only to look to the Bible and the unfolding story within. Provided a basic framework of the plan of God, from Eternity past to eternity future, we can know where we are, who we are, what our purpose is, and more importantly:
How do created beings on the earth, below the earth, and in the heavens, how do we fit into God’s overall plan?
To Glorify Christ